This paper identifies the false dichotomy between excellence and access and takes on the cultural snobs, for whom a democratic culture is a debased culture. John Holden challenges cultural professionals to acknowledge their responsibilities as educators and public servants.

This keynote from AMA Conference 2009 poses the argument that selling the superiority instead of the diversity of the arts has not been a particularly effective strategy for developing audiences. It poses an approach to changing a culture of creating barriers that involves brokering relationships.

What do you get when 12 leading arts innovators get together in a room to discuss audience engagement with artistic excellence?  Answer: a thought provoking, insightful and creative view of modern programming, marketing and communication practices in the arts, where value, quality and excellence take centre stage.

This dissertation strives to assess the impact of central government directives relating to participation and excellence, to evaluate their relevance within a wider context and to offer recommendations. The research includes a review of the literature, policy documents and professional discourse, a survey of National Association of Local Government Arts Officers, a survey of National ... Read more