In countries traditionally supportive of cultural programs, government funding for the arts has come under fire like never before. Conservative cut-and-slash governments and even more benign administrations have identified the cultural sector as an area where ruthless downsizing can be exercised with minimal resistance. Politically motivated orchestration of public reaction to 'obscene art' has put artists and art institutions on the defensive. Globalization, as embodied by the WTO, has placed national cultures in a perilous position. In the growing body of provocative writing on the benefits and risks of government funding the fundamental issues of money and value have not been addressed. These original essays do so with a mix of theory, critique, humour and compelling visuals. Contributors include Andy Fabo, Bill Burns, Barbara Godard, Robin Pacific and Rinaldo Walcott. Essays include: In the Bedrooms of the Nation: State Security and the Funding of Dirty Art ; Mixed Funding, Mixed Markets, Little Pictures ; The Bio-Politics of Globalization ; Public Operations: Art Theory, Cultural Methodology and Social Change ; Initiatives in Cultural Democracy. A Canadian perspective on a global problem.

285 pages 2001