Synopses & Reviews
In 1834, Lord Melbourne spoke the words that epitomized the British government's attitude towards its own involvement in the arts: "God help the minister that meddles with Art." One hundred years later, however, with the onset of World War II, that attitude changed dramatically when "cultural policy" became a key element of the domestic front.
The Arts as a Weapon of War traces the evolution of this policy from the creation of the Committee for the Encouragement of Music and the Arts, in 1939, to the drafting of the Arts Council's constitution in 1945. From the improvement of the National Gallery to Myra Hess's legendary concerts during the blitz, Jörn Weingärtner provides a fascinating account of the powerful policy shift that laid the foundations for the modern relationship between the government and the arts.
Synopsis
In 1834, Lord Melbourne spoke the words that epitomised the British government's attitude towards its own involvement in the arts: 'God help the minister that meddles with Art'. However, with the outbreak of World War II, that attitude changed dramatically when 'cultural policy' became a key element of the domestic front. Not only a propaganda tool, it aimed to boost morale and prevent a wartime cultural blackout. The Arts as a Weapon of War traces the evolution of this policy from the creation of the Committee for the Encouragement of Music and the Arts, in 1939, to the drafting of the Arts Council's constitution in 1945. From the improvement of the National Gallery to Myra Hess' legendary concerts during the blitz, Jorn Weingartner provides a fascinating account of the powerful policy shift that laid the foundations for the modern relationship between government and the arts.
About the Author
JORN WEINGARTNER carried out his research at the University of Hamburg and is an Officer of the German National Academic Foundation.
Table of Contents
Introduction * The political reasons for state neutrality in the sphere of arts in Great Britain * The cultural elites and state intervention * Indicators of extended state influence on the arts * The Cultural Blackout and the Phase of the 'Welfarist Approach' * John Meynard Keynes and the 'standard approach': CEMA's policy from January 1942 to September 1944 * From CEMA to the Arts Council of Great Britain, September 1944 to June 1945 and beyond * Conclusion and Outlook