I am finding it a difficult time to free up my mind during the month in which May might be toppled through a vote of no confidence, MP’s may vote to leave the EU without a deal or no deal and politics is in a terrible state. The right seems to be marching openly and subtly across the world. I voted to stay. I am European. Clowns are in charge of us which ever way you look!  Yes, I know that such upheaval is how the world seems to eventually improve itself, but we are in a mess now.

Art could be seen to be a rather trivial pursuit in light of current affairs but it is even more important. The further to the right a country moves the more likely it is that art is attacked, controlled and suppressed.  Here, there are quiet plans to further cut funding to the arts in education. In Havana, artists’ activities are being controlled by a new law, decree 349. In America some universities have closed exhibitions. In China artists can be sent to prison for expressing their ideas. Some art, particularly that which challenges the status quo or seeks to undermine those who seek to control us may be seen as dangerous and in need of suppression. Controlling artists’ expression attacks a basic human right – “Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers” (Article 19, The Universal Declaration of Human Rights 1948). In 2019 you’d think the arts would be given more support and funding not less. We celebrate the end of the two world wars but don’t seem to learn by the mistakes made.