From the Acting Principal
Legend has it that during the World War II campaign, Sir Winston Churchill was asked by Parliament to cut the Arts and Culture budget due to the soaring cost of funding the War effort and his response was "then what are we fighting for?"
Now, if you dig into the research, no one can categorically confirm that he did indeed say this but (a) that does not serve my purpose for this article and (b) I reckon it is something he would have said so that's good enough :)
We DO know that he had very clear opinions about the importance of art as this story from his archives demonstrates:
…in the event of invasion, or even before invasion…. The Foreign Office had put forward a suggestion to prepare to evacuate the Royal Family, and also the Government, to “some part of the Overseas Empire, where the war would continue to be waged.” When [Churchill’s personal assistant Desmond] Morton passed on this request to Churchill, the Prime Minister answered: “I believe we shall make them rue the day they try to invade our island. No such discussion can be permitted.” At this same moment, the Director of the National Gallery, Kenneth Clark, suggested that the paintings in the National Gallery should be sent from London to Canada. Churchill was likewise against this suggestion, and emphatically so. “No,” he minuted, “bury them in caves and cellars. None must go. We are going to beat them.”
Why did some paintings stir Churchill up so much? Why does art, music, dance, drama, film have such a powerful hold on us as human beings?
I can only speak for myself and the profound impact that the Arts have had on me and how they have shaped both my life and the person I am. Music and drama in particular was my comfort blanket for much of my formative years - they helped me express my feelings, help me understand who I was and what I was thinking, and most importantly allowed me to escape a homelife that was pretty challenging. At College it became my passion, my vocation and even to this day when I have become old and boring doing rosters, timetables, and writing articles for newsletters (a) I am usually doing these with music playing and me singing along or (b) I find a way to escape the office and get to the Emanuel Solomon Arts Precinct to sing with the Mary Mac Collective or Rock Band, or practice with the drama students or watch in awe our young people making amazing visual art or busting shapes through dance - I don't try and get in on that - no one needs to see that!
The first two weeks of Term 4 is very much focused on the Arts. Last Friday, I had the absolute privilege to take 'Killing Time' our outstanding Rock Band to Clairvaux MacKillop College in Brisbane for the annual 'Battle of the Rock Bands' competition. What an amazing event this was, and I was super proud of our band, the way they played, the way they rocked the crowd and most impressively how they interacted with one another and the other bands. It really was inspiring, and I can't wait to see the next generation of rockers coming through to maintain the legacy.
On Thursday evening, you will see our College Co-Curricular Arts Award Evening. It's not about the awards - perhaps we should change the name - as it really is about celebrating our young artists, our creative, hardworking staff and the brilliant work that is produced. We will have an art exhibition, drama performances, Wakakirri and every musical ensemble playing during the night. I know that it will be joyful, moving and entertaining. Above all, it will remind us all that the Arts really do matter.
I hope that this article inspires you to go and put a record on to dance or sing to. Perhaps you might go and dust off that instrument in the loft (do you say loft in Australia? Do you have lofts? Maybe I mean attic?) and see if you can still play that chord or scale. With the weather and blossom maybe you and the kids can buy some canvas and paint and try and capture this beautiful world.
And remember, as you do these things - Sir Winston Churchill's words will be whispering in the wind....
Mr Richard Coe
Acting Principal
