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Opinions from the North West
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Denis Joe's opinion articles

Does taking Getty's dollar compromise the WNO?

Oiling the wheels of opera

by Denis Joe March 2013

 

During the interval at the premiere of David Pountney’s Lulu, for Welsh National Opera, much of the talk amongst the opera goers, was not about the opera they were seeing, but about Welsh National Opera’s acceptance of a $2m donation from the Getty Foundation.

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Denis Joe's opinion articles

A kick up the Arts

A kick up the Arts

Opinion by Denis Joe August 2012


In January this year, West End theatre ticket sales broke box office records, and the most recent Turner prize exhibition, held this year at the Baltic Centre for Contemporary Arts in Gateshead, enjoyed an increase in footfall of around 40% compared with previous years. It seems that the arts have never been more popular.

 

So why do the arts organisations increasingly resort to claims of curative properties in order to secure the funding they need to survive? In the health sector, especially in mental health and geriatric services, art therapy is increasingly seen as an alternative to psychiatric and medical care.

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Denis Joe's opinion articles

Busking Permits in Liverpool will choke city life

Liverpool busking permits will choke city life

Opinion by Denis Joe June 2012

 

For centuries, street entertainers have been an informal part of public life, but thanks to the ever-officious Liverpool City Council, this centuries-old tradition may soon be under threat in the city.

 

On Wednesday, 8 June 2012, the Council announced new regulations, effective from next month, to restrict busking in the city through, what are in effect, licencing laws. Buskers will need a £20 permit as well as liability insurance to continue performing on our streets. Whatever we think of the talents of certain individual buskers, we should be very clear on what we stand to lose culturally should these regulations be brought into effect.

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Denis Joe's opinion articles

Communities recovering from addiction

Recovery Communities

Opinion by Denis Joe April 2012

For most of my life I have had a problem with booze, and if I was generous about anything, it was about sharing that problem with friends and relatives. My employability was questionable and I lost many jobs through my desire for alcohol. I failed in all my personal relationships and spent time on the street. My last months of drinking were a routine of downing three bottles of vodka a day without any food, aside from the occasional bag of crisps.

 

I am not saying this as a share at an Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) meeting, but because I was eventually made to do something about my drinking and went into rehab in Liverpool. This brought me into a very strange world, that few are familiar with, but which is ever encroaching into public life: The Recovery Community.

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Denis Joe's opinion articles

The Role of the Reviewer

The role of the reviewer

Assessment by Denis Joe April 2012

 

Having become a regular reviewer for the Manchester Salon website, it has struck me that any work or phenomena can stimulate debate; and it is the job of the critic to initiate a discussion. The role of the reviewer /critic (as opposed to social/political critic) is one of the most ambiguous of positions I can think of. The reviewer informs, expresses judgements, and helps guide audience taste (“We watch the movies, so you don’t have to”) and provide insight into artistic works.

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