Government investment in the arts, such as music and theatre, is a waste of money. Governments must invest this money in public services instead. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement?

At present, most

government

Suggestion

governments

spend some part of their budget on not only public services, but

also

the arts,

such

as, music and theatre. In my opinion,

although

a proportion of

government

spending should be channeled towards

this

sector,

however

, most should be spent on public services. It is very important that the governments spend a significant amount of its budget on public services because these are our hospitals, roads, schools and so on and they determine the quality of life we live. Take

for example

, the United Kingdom, the

government

has recently reduced public spending on health and education, which has resulted in an increased hospital

treatments

Suggestion

treatment

waiting lists and fewer teachers, both of which will have

further

adverse effects on education standards and health.

This

demonstrates the importance of ensuring that a large proportion of

government

money is spent on public services as it is the only way to maintain the welfare of the populace.

However

,

this

does not mean that the arts should be completely neglected for these reasons.

Firstly

, it is difficult for many arts institutions

to generate

Suggestion

generate

income

witout

in absence of

without

the help of the

government

as a lot of people are not prepared to pay high entrance fees for places

such

as art galleries or theatres, so without some help from the

government

,

such

places may have to shut down.

Secondly

, the arts have an important impact on our quality of life, with many people deriving great pleasure in going to see music and theatre performances.

Lastly

, the performing and literary arts

such

as dance and books help keep our culture, heritage and history alive for the future generations. In conclusion,

although

the majority of

government

spending should be directed towards public services,

however

, spending some money on the arts is

also

essential and should continue because it is not a waste of money. A balance is required to ensure that public services are maintained while the arts remain available to all.