Art as an investment and other thoughts
Attending the Butler Scholarly Journal Discussion Forum on the use of public art in universities was a provocative and invigorating experience which, it seems safe to say, certainly challenged some of the opinions originally held by a good number of those in attendance. I went to the event expecting, perhaps, to listen to a number of somewhat defensive talks intended to justify Durham University’s recent hotly contested £1.4 million spend on purchasing and installing works of art as part of the Gateway Development programme. However, the talks given by Durham University’s Dr Hazel Donkin (Department of Education) and Alan O’Cain…