Should opera houses receive public funds?/Should indie rock venues?

[Filuwaúrdjan]

There was an especially amusing episode of Yes Minister on the general subject of arts funding. Worth a watch.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

I support the government subsidizing things I like.

At least you're honest

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Do I even need to say the can of worms the government using this arbitrary criteria opens?

None at all as it's used already.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Yes/No. Being commercially unviable and having artistic value are the two key criteria and opera meets both while indie rock meets only one (and even that is doubtful if it's true as BRTD claims that he goes to these concerts and that they don't get subsidies.

And what criteria are you using for "having artistic value"? Your personal taste? Do I even need to say the can of worms the government using this arbitrary criteria opens?

And that's why you don't subsidize either - no subjectivity...no problem.

Philistine subjectivism is the worst.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

IIRC Polka is about the same sort of age as Opera and, of course, came from Europe.