It has been several weeks since the reading of the Throne Speech and ever since I have wanted to respond to the good words said about the importance of the arts and culture in our society. I have been involved with the local visual arts community for many years and as far as I can remember this is a first. I do not ever remember the arts being mentioned in a Throne Speech, let alone designated as important. We artists are grateful ... up to a point.Having polled a selection from the arts community the consensus seems to be one of cautious hopefulness but at the same time there is a certain, underlying scepticism. It could not be otherwise. For so long the cultural community has been relegated, at best, to only a token recognition and usually a considerable neglect by Government. It was correctly stated in the Throne Speech, that the Department of Cultural Affairs receives the smallest budget. Indeed, the Arts Council has always had to make do with such meagre grants, but even that was further reduced with the last Government Budget. At the same time the number of applicants for Arts Council grants continues to increase.There is an enormous amount of talent in the Bermuda arts community, which at the same time, is a vastly underutilised resource. Incidentally, when I say arts I mean all the arts, the literary, culinary and performing arts, as well as the visual arts. This underutilisation is of concern, especially now, in the light of the downturn of tourism. I have noted in several articles that the arts have been the major catalyst for economic revival in numerous communities, both in the US, UK and elsewhere. Indeed, the economic turnaround for Bilbao, Spain, after the building of a museum of contemporary art has been so successful that this phenomenon is now known as the Bilbao effect. Until now, however, the possible role of culture in our economic development has gone largely unrecognised by the Island’s leadership.With what was said about the arts in the recent Throne Speech, as well as other indicators, there are, I think, reasons to believe that change may be on the way. The recent tourism report states that culture and the arts are now seen as one of their “hot buttons”. At the same time, if I read between the lines of this report correctly, those on the Tourism Board see the arts as mostly entertainment and the emphasis seemed to focus on the performing arts. There is certainly an entertainment component in culture, but there is so much more to it. Consider this, many of our visitors are highly educated, sophisticated and perceptive. I frequently meet these individuals as they tour around the Island and I recognise that many want more than shallow, titillating entertainment. Additionally, there is a considerable diversity in the cultural preferences of our visitors. As best we can we should cater to those differences.Bermuda today is populated with peoples from many countries and cultures. We should take advantage of all the varying abilities that this multiculturalism offers, in addition, of course to promoting our own, distinctive Bermudian culture.I have an art studio in St George’s, which opens onto Featherbed Alley and frequently visitors stop by to see what is going on. They are fascinated by the creative process, but more than that we get to talk and nearly always they tell us that their visit to St George’s has been their number one Bermuda experience. Yet, the “Old Town” is another underutilised resource, which, with help, could provide an even greater experience. I have on several occasions visited Williamsburg, Virginia and have seen how they utilise their history in cultural tourism. St George’s could do something similar.Some years ago, a well-known New York artist, while visiting Bermuda, also visited Dockyard. She was fascinated by all the many, largely empty buildings that she saw as possible artist’s lofts and studios. The New York art world is a huge driver of economic activity for that city, but many of their successful artists spend time elsewhere, such as Florida and the American Southwest, especially in the winter. Why not Bermuda? We have the Dockyard buildings that presently are becoming more and more derelict. These buildings could be turned into artist’s studios and then rented out, either short term to visiting artist or long term to locals. The stipulation could be that they be open to the public at specified times, especially when ships are visiting.Recently the one-time Maritime Museum and now Bermuda National Museum was given the old Casemates building in order to expand their space and scope, but this project awaits financing. This is an investment that should be supported and the sooner the better.Additionally, other local museums, such as the Masterworks, the Bermuda National Gallery or those owned by the Bermuda National Trust, have their own financial challenges. Yet these play an important role in providing our visitors, as well as locals, especially Bermuda’s schoolchildren, with opportunities to learn about local culture in an attractive setting, yet without any substantial Government support. With greater support these institutions could do even more in providing for our cultural needs.One practical way to assist the visual arts would be for Government to lift import duties on art. I don’t suppose that this duty is all that much of a moneymaker any how, so in abolishing it the cost to Government would be minimal but the benefit to local culture could be immense and may help generate more jobs and money in local art businesses. Also consider this. Bermudian art students who study abroad have to pay duty on their art when returning to the Island. How encouraging is that? Putting a duty on art is pennywise and pound-foolish. Besides, getting rid of this duty would bring us more in line with art being duty free in the US and the UK.Why has Government been so parsimonious when it comes to culture? I hardly think it an intentional policy. Probably it is more out of ignorance and a failure to realise what culture could do for the Island, even in very practical terms. Government support of culture needs to seen as an investment with the possibility of substantial returns. It’s not just money down the drain.I hear of the need for more hotels, in the enhancement of tourism and this may be so, but it appears to me that an even greater need is the improvement of our product. Could it be that in stressing the need for more hotels that we are putting the cart before the horse, if you get my drift. We need to make our product as attractive and as unique as possible.What we need is creative thinking, that maybe quite “outside the box”. Utilising the arts in tourism may be a gamble, but it has been successful elsewhere. I suggest that the Department of Cultural Affairs, along with Tourism, form a think-tank to consider just how to utilise the arts. The think-tank should have in its make-up representatives from all the arts, as well as other interested individuals from tourism and the business sector. I, of course, realise that there is little money left in the till, which makes the task of a think tank all that more difficult but at the same time all the more challenging in finding ways to assist culture without vast outlays of money.This past summer I was able to spend some time on the island of Madeira and I noted that the island was swarming with tourists, so much so, they have about 125 hotels to accommodate the large numbers of visitors. On Madeira itself, however, there are hardly any beaches worth the name. I noted in their brochures, that they make up for this deficiency by promoting cultural activities. While I was there, I visited several first class art museums and I also noted that there are dozens of other museums of varying kinds that I did not have time to see. Additionally they were advertising several concerts, including a jazz festival, as well as classical and folk concerts. I saw that just about every month there was some kind of festival that utilised various cultural activities. There was much more going on than I could possibly have take-in, nevertheless, I realised that these activities were being offered and it made me want to return and stay longer. Shouldn’t we being doing something similar?Give the arts a chance.