Thank you Zane for shedding some light on the machinations of what can only be described as the utter mediocrity of the performing Arts scene in Brisbane. I was utterly dismayed to see yet another production of CATS coming up at QPAC. What a waste of resources and patrons money to see yet another performance of that outdated and overworked escapist "musical". What is even more galling from the paying publics perspective is we will be asked to pay massive prices to see this, no doubt as an attempt to pay for QPACs renovations, when local amateur theatre groups are now able to buy the rights to put it on. We, the paying public, drastically need new experiences of high quality theatre, which will eventually flow on to the amateur circuits, providing new stimulations and challenges for performers, producers and patrons. This unfortunately is just another piece of evidence indicating that Queensland is a long way from being the Smart State, but much closer to utter mindless mediocrity - not only in performing arts, including Qld Opera, chamber music but way too many other social and cultural activities.

Its just a step to the left...

And -- in this time of belt-tightening and economic crisis -- just what is the productivity value of an 'arts worker'? Given that we already have more 'arts' around us than we could possibly experience in a lifetime, what exactly is the point of sponsoring people to produce more? More power to Queensland if it wants to cut down the drain on its finances!

If someone wants to write poetry or paint pictures, that's fine by me. But don't ask me to sponsor them via taxes when I already have access to all the poems and pictures I need. And that goes double for the bureaucrats who do nothing but hand out money to these people. Perhaps if the (exaggerated) 'death' of art in Queensland does occur, then all these talents could be put to work doing something useful instead.

There's art and there's art, it needs putting into catagories. I mean like entertainment, understandable paintings, rubbish, and just plain crap. The art that exists in society can only be appreciated by a small minority of twisted minds. I can through paint at a wall as good as the next person, surely this does not have to be branded art. A recent show in town at the performing arts centre [impressive] was penis puppetry.