Here’s the thing I keep struggling with – this disconnect between the technological and the sociological. It seems like kind of  chicken/egg thing. We know that technology can change the way we behave and frequently we try to invent technology to do just that. BUT is technology always the answer? Especially when it comes to arts, making art, attending art and building audience?

I’m not saying yes or now, I’m just posing the question: when we talk about arts participation can we actually use technology to lower the barriers to engagement or are there fundamental sociological issues that must be confronted?

I keep wrestling with this – and with the notion of how in the arts policy makers seem to be at a pretty far remove from the people on the ground. I wonder what the impact of that is? It seems like the further away you get from the art (and artists) the closer you get to the resources and influence. But how effectively do messages travel up and down the ladder? So many individual artists have no idea about the conversations that are being had by policy makers. And it seems like policy makers are often removed from the actual situations of arts makers.

Hm.

Discuss.