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What is the Purpose of Art Now?

On 22nd January a group of some of this country's most distinguished thinkers across many disciplines came together to discuss what the point of art is now, only to conclude that the arts have never been more necessary, nor more at hazard from the knee-jerk reflexes of an embattled political and economic system.

There is clear evidence now that artistically thriving societies are more democratic, more egalitarian, economically more robust, and have more fulfilled, healthier citizens. They are central to full freedom of expression.

The group will ask that current and future governments put in place clear policy support for the arts, and shield them from the vagaries of the financial markets.

The Chatham House-style event was  organised by LCACE, in partnership with Jericho House, and St George's House Windsor Castle, to give influential figures from the arts, academia, media, law and medicine a rare opportunity to debate the role of aesthetics in contemporary society. The event was chaired by international human rights lawyer Philippe Sands QC and supported by Arts Council England.

The full list of participants was:

• Philippe Sands QC
• Armando Iannucci, comic writer, performer, director and producer
• Brian Eno, musician, composer, record producer, music theorist and singer
• Henry Marsh, leading British neurosurgeon
• Karen Armstrong, former nun andBritish author of numerous works on comparative religion
• Kwame Kwei-Armah, playwright
• Siobhan Davies, choreographer
• Susie Orbach, psychotherapist, psychoanalyst, writer and social critic
• Ziauddin Sardar, London-based Muslim scholar, critic, futurist, journalist and a prolific writer.
• A.L. Kennedy, writer and comedian

Parts of the debate will be available as a podcast shortly on this site, and a publication is planned based on the event later on 2010.  Further details of any follow up events will be published in the LCACE E-newsletter.

For further information please contact Suzie Leighton at the LCACE office. suzie(at)lcace.org.uk