Arts Emergency Response

Thank you Patrick Brill* for your rousing speech in support of encouraging the government to fund the arts - a really well illustrated presentation.
But where was the fire? Where were the celebrities? Where was Josie Lawrence (tagged as creating Arts Emergency Response with Neil Griffiths)?
Are your voices big enough to change ministerial minds or did we need a Sir Paul Smith or two?
Had the press gone home early to see the Liverpool/Newcastle match?
The students handing out fake prescriptions was a good idea but they should have been mandatory and used to rally our support and at least collect our emails (were we even asked for them?).
All I got was a cheap pencil and an empty bottle which, as a committed full time artist I shall of course cherish and use every day in my practice!
No one told us what we could do or who to contact over this important subject and I'm sure a cross-stitch wall in the Cass Bank gallery is going to change a few minds in Westminster.
Thanks but COME ON PEOPLE let the powers that rule know how important this 77bn pa industry means to the nation and the people therein!
Vote in May to save yourselves from being disenfranchised but consider too pressuring our political representatives to increase funding to the arts in some of the imaginative and constructive ways outlined by Patrick.
Link: http://www.thecass.com/news-events/2015/april/arts-emergency-response-centre

*Patrick Brill (aka Bob and Roberta Smith) is Associate Professor, MA Fine Art Course leader, Public Acts studio co-lead, tutor in Fine Art, Public Acts research theme