Some people hold the view that individuals working in the arts industry should be subsidized by the government, while others maintain that it would be an unwise way of spending the national budget. Both viewpoints are justifiable, but I personally lean towards the former.
Admittedly, it is understandable why some people are against the scheme of supporting artists financially. First of all, this funding , according to them, can be better spent on more immediate issues such as protecting the environment, preventing and saving victims of natural disasters or improving national infrastructure. Given the fact that our lifestyles and business practices are seriously damaging the environment; thousands of innocent people face an existential threat posed from climate change, droughts and floods; and standards of living are not met in many places in the world due to poor transportation systems or lack of basic needs, more people would benefit if there are more funds allocated to remedy such matters. In addition to this, the link between art sales and money laundering, as can be seen in the way a single painting, song or poem is paid hundreds of thousands of dollars should be taken into consideration.
On the other hand, however, it can be argued that the art plays a huge role in providing entertainment to people’s life. Today’s life is utterly stressful due to many different factors such as work or negative influences from the Internet, as evidenced by the rising number of people suffering from mental health problems. Since listening to one’s favorite band, admiring a masterpiece in the museum or contemplating the meaning of a poem can be therapeutic and calming, it would alleviate the mental crisis we are facing these days if there were more artistic works. Of course, artists would be more fruitful if they received the appropriate support from the government. Furthermore the arts contribute significantly to both economic growth and national image. This can be seen in the way K-POP is bringing a large number of tourists to Korea, or how Leonardo da Vinci and William Shakespeare are associated with Italy and England, respectively.
Overall, I believe governments should allocate funds to support artists, as the positive effects of art outweigh the potential drawbacks. Of course, governments must also ensure that basic needs are met and uphold the integrity of the arts through regulations that prevent misuse or criminal activity.