Many elements make up a prosperous nation, and culture is argued to be one of the most important ones. However, people are holding with the view that governments should not invest in art and culture as there are urgent tangible problems, while others, including myself, can see the goods that a developed cultural scene can bring to a country.
On the one hand, it is ill-advised for governments to fund art and cultural activities because more pressing infrastructure problems should take precedence as they have more immediate consequences on the daily lives of citizens. Such constructions like roads, transportation, and public amenities are directly utilized by the common people every day, therefore if these matters are addressed first with governmental funding, the living conditions and happiness levels of everyone would be improved, hence a more significant effect on the development of a society. Moreover, the governmental promotion of artistic and cultural sectors may deem related jobs tantalizing to young people. This can lead to a shift of trend in the job market, in which fewer youth would pursue more taxing careers like engineering or architecture, and if such foundational sectors of a country are under-developed, their chances of flourishment will be endangered.
On the other hand, societies can reap the benefits of developing cultural activities as a nation with a concrete cultural identity will elevate its status on the global scene. With globalization in process, if residents of a country do not have a good grasp of their cultural heritage, those cultural values would be lost when they are exposed to different cultures while venturing into the world. In addition, the development of the art and culture of a nation directly benefits its GDP through hospitality and tourism appeals. For instance, after the Vietnamese government invested half a million dollars into a project that encouraged old villages to promote their traditional craftsmanship in 2017 (according to VN Express), villages such as Van Phuc Silk or Bat Trang China made their way into the Top Destination list by the New York Times in the same year.
In conclusion, while country leaders should prioritize more concrete matters at hand first with their investment, I am of the opinion that the art and cultural sector is worth funding because of the many long-term values they can bring to the table.