You can fool the majority of a nation part of the time, but you cannot raise it to cultural heights at any time ever! When a machine is of low quality it remains so – for always until it is replaced or renewed. And that is the problem of Britain – it has to rely on amateurism and ignorance that is self protecting and it cannot, will not, accept change unless it is forced to by, say, a bloody revolution. And if there were to be a bloody revolution, who would win – certainly not the enlightened good parts of the macchine?!

I do not wish to say more – I am to old, weary and sad to do otherwise.

Great ideals – and of course you are right. With the gutter press, and the noxious influence of Murdoch, though, it’s hard to see how messages will get across. We should all do whatever we can, in our own small way, to make a difference – but in the end, it’s political parties and governments that make decisions. With a far right Conservative government about to get its way with us, the Labour Party imploding, probably going to officially split, it’s hard to see how any change can come about in the short term. I am almost more angry by being told I shouldn’t be angry … but it’s an anger brought about by despair. This just should never have happened – people around the world (except for Trump, and the likes of Marine Le Pen) can see this, and apparently we have to go along with it, and not be cross! Anger – carefully harnessed, so keeping a cool head – is a great motivator. Yes, of course, understand where it’s come from, and don’t point fingers except at the politicians who brought it about, but keep on fighting … with the ultimate aim of a more loving, inclusive and respectful society (as per Jo Cox).

I do think it’s good to be open to different models and ways of making this change happen.

For example, I think the Fun Palaces model is wonderful. One of the wonderful things about it is that different Fun Palaces are run in different ways by different people with different interests – but with a shared set of strong values.

We support something called Collaborative Touring Network (CTN). This is made up of producing outfits in Wigan, Darlington, Hull, Peterborough, Medway, Thanet, Torbay and Gloucester, usually working out of found spaces – halls, huts, abandoned arts buildings, old court houses and so on. Each producing outfit develops creative ideas and projects from the area, providing resource and a platform.

The network also chooses artists on tour from Battersea as part of the mix. They create a melting pot of stuff twice a year and now year-round programmes. Each producing outfit and model is different according to the way they set it up and run it.

I’m not holding these up as perfect examples, I guess I am just trying to illustrate that I think it’s good to enable lots of different kinds of models. Not everything will fit a very pure model.

For example, both Stella and I do work in London – some might say we are (or least I am as I run a venue) part of a metropolitan bubble. But I think it’s good for us to use our position, such as it is, in an unbalanced world, to help encourage and resource other people to lead their own schemes, ideas, programmes, from their own perspective.

An example of this is what I think is one of many positive outcomes of CTN – that the major foundation who funds the project – is now funding some CTN members directly. It’s been a way of transferring resources out of London.

My interest is in people coming together, to shape a better future together and that means people of wildly different backgrounds – because that makes our future stronger. I try to do that in Battersea. And I’m passionate about others doing it, in their own way, where they work and live.

David B – I’ve explored those statistics too. The imbalance of funding across country must be resolved – and we also need to keep making the case to central and local government, local enterprise partnerships and others, to invest in culture and from different sources of funding too. David

As a freelance visual arts producer, I’ve observed institutional dynamics for a long time and worked closely with many. The recent years of austerity has seen many arts organisations turning inwards as they, understandably, draw up their bridges and try to stay afloat.

Organisations like MIMA are thriving – they get it – just as theatres do. They engage with people and embrace cultural diversity, they don’t try to shape people to fit their curatorial mould.

Stephen, I agree with comments abut posh opera and David B’s comment about London spend – but let’s not do instead of, but keep it as well as. No privileges. We’re watching what privilege does to people in Parliament, and it’s a nasty nest of messed up men.

One thing that perhaps might be needed on top of all your ideas to better engage with the most disenfranchised parts of our country: Invest in new organisations ran by a local people from the grassroots using local artists also from the grassroots. This is a class issue. The local people REALLY need to decide what their culture, their art, their narratives, their performances, their musical tastes are and the issues they may wish to explore.

Expecting many (not all) current arts organisations to expand their “offer” into new disenfranchised areas which are not their areas is a futile, missionary expedition; an attempt to “civilise” the (perhaps) “uncultured” Leave-voting “natives” with middle class, bourgeois arts and culture. An attempt that will probably reinforce and reproduce class and labour divisions.

For me, far too much money is “invested” in posh opera, massive extensions “for the people”, places calling themselves factories that are the antithesis of factories in the eyes of many working class people.

I therefore suggest that it’s essential to implement something like what you’re suggesting here. I caution that this cannot be piecemeal or seen as a form of cultural salvation. Grassroots arts and culture means an end to the democratisation of existing, bourgeois culture (whilst, of course, keeping some of this for the bourgeoisie) and a deep rebalancing of resources to deliver cultural democracy of the people, with the people, by the people.

Keep up the good work!

Stephen