While some people assume that the authorities should allocate resources to arts, others are, of the opinion, that the government subsidies should be provided on essential public services such as healthcare, education and transportation. In my opinion, I think that civil services should be a government priority, nevertheless, I must accept that the expenditures on the arts and creative expression which define a nation’s identity can not be a waste of public funds.
In fact, health and educational sectors play an important role in improving every citizen’s way of life. If those in power reduce public spending on these sectors, due to this impact, there might be a growth of the rates of poverty and mortality. Even though arts feed our soul, literacy and living standards feed our mind. Evidently, education is a primary tool which makes us see our present and help us build our potential future while the past can be learnt through the arts. For example, in developing countries, assess to clean water and healthcare services are more effective for human capital rather than building museums and art galleries.
However, we can’t dismiss the fact that the arts is an invaluable asset for cultural preservation. Moreover, the arts is a way of ancient communication. In the past, our ancestors used to depict their lifestyle, culture, and traditional rituals through arts such as poetry, sculptures as well as pottery. For instance, creative works produced by early human civilizations, including those in Egypt, Greece, Rome and Asia convey ideas and messages from the past. As a consequence of this, tourism which tends to be beneficial for the country economy has been developed. Therefore, I deny that public subsidies for the arts is pointless.
In conclusion, while I agree that the authorities should prioritize essential civil services, namely healthcare and education, I also believe that the arts play an indispensable role in a nation’s identity.