Being a member of the local arts scene has brought me into contact with the ambitions of ArtsTaunton; a campaigning group that, in their own words, “want to see Taunton transformed into a prime regional centre for culture, entertainment and leisure in South West England”.

It’s a reasonable cause and one that has Taunton Deane Borough Council on board to a certain degree due to group’s influential members. The approach that both parties are agreed upon, however, I find odd and seems to belie their noble intentions. The plan of action is to spearhead the cultural revolution of Somerset’s county town by… erecting shiny new buildings (or polishing the decaying ones). Just what should be built - and how much and where - is what lacks a consensus between the two.

Dare I say they have adopted an edict of “If you build it, he will come”, with the “he” being the current favourite panel show comedians, musicians not quite befitting O2 venues and z-list celebrity pantomime actors all adding ‘Taunton’ to their tour schedule. ArtsTaunton cite Gateshead and Margate to substantiate their claim that “new arts venues have attracted thousands of visitors, reviving… fortunes, proving that culture pays”, making this the cornerstone of their venture. By achieving this they believe everything else will follow. Once they have established a viable business, they will “evolve into a development agency capable of administering grants and helping arts providers to develop their own cultural agendas”.

I think we should call a spade a spade. There is no actual commitment in this last quote. “Capable” is a shrewdly chosen word. All that is set out is a path for ArtsTaunton to build a successful venue and gain power. Culture isn’t even a necessary by-product. Putting bums on seats is driven by revenue. The purpose of an audience is to consume not create. Once this model is comfortably established they could well afford to vindicate the project by occasionally throwing a bone to local artists to perform in front of paltry audiences and to little effect.

This is a good juncture to deal with the obvious. It could be levelled at me that I would take issue with this approach as it could equally be argued that Taunton’s culture could thrive by investing in existing activities and talent. But I couldn’t disagree more!

The goal is for Taunton to have culture. Not for Taunton to host culture, but to actual exude it, to create it. Think of the places that immediately spring to mind when talking about hubs of culture. Edinburgh, Bristol, Liverpool, London. Glastonbury. They are all intrinsically linked with an identity. Cultural identity is the collective expression of its constituents. It’s the communities cry, the people’s paintbrush, the inhabitant’s ideal. This living identity is in itself a cultural attraction not in the sense of being consumed but of acquiring new creative members. It’s a living organism, exchanging energy cell to cell, rather than the radioactive waste of solely being entertained.

The people of Taunton are not going to acquire culture by being subjected to it. Even if they are inspired to create by what they experience within the walls of an impressive new venue, these imported influences have a limited connection to what is inherent to Taunton. What’s required is penetrating research into the lives and passions of Taunton; the ideals, tastes, pursuits and ambitions of the populace, not The Man. And once an identity is articulated it isn’t just financial investment that will enable it to amplify and propagate. More importantly it must have the opportunity and freedom to publicly display this culture, this soul. It has to be seen and heard throughout an entire place for the place to be associated with it. All of Taunton would have to be a stage, not just one monument to vanity at the Coal Orchard.

What I find irritating is that ArtsTaunton’s agenda is a political Trojan horse to procure a commercial enterprise with public money and that their horse takes the shape of something I actually wish could happen but never will. I would be a fool to think that the people of Taunton would ever be allowed to decorate their town as they please.

This month's favourites:
   Nina Simone, Nina Simone Sings the Blues
   Tove Jansson, Finn Family Moomintroll
   Force Majeure (2014)