You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.
Write about the following topic:
Some people think that the government is wasting money on the arts and this money could be better spent elsewhere. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.
You should write at least 250 words.
Sample Answer 1: (Disagree)
Arts reflect the heritage of a country and depict the creativity of an individual. While many believe that financing in arts is a wastage of money, I am of the opposite view as I believe that financing in arts is a good idea for the government.
Many people think that diverting funds towards arts hamper the well-being of citizens and the development of the nation. For example, available monetary resources, according to them, could be put to use in building more hospitals, roads, schools and developing other infrastructures. This means increasing care of the sick and improved transportation to previously inaccessible areas. For children, it caters for better education facilities. These people believe that art is a luxury and many governments cannot afford this extravagance.
However, while investments in such areas are vital, spending on arts is equally important. Allocating money to the development and sustenance of arts helps boost the economy, and arts are important to alleviate crime from society and positively entertain and engage people. Art galleries can attract tourists from all over the world, generating revenue in return while artists can reveal discrimination of society through their works. It is also the case that viewing and practising arts, such as painting, music, acting, dancing and so on, are good sources of venting out stress while educating people at the same time. Such activities also portray a positive picture of a nation to the world. If governments fail to support arts fiscally, many art galleries and theatres would not be able to survive. Arts is as important as science for the true progress of a nation.
In pithy, it is clear to me that spending on arts is beneficial both for an individual and society. Therefore funding arts by the government is not squandering money.
[Written by – Sadaf Malik]
Sample Answer 2: (Disagree)
Some people contend that there are many pressing concerns that a country must resolve before putting emphasis on the arts. However, I personally think that arts are an essential part of a culture, and it is quite fair to allocate funds to preserve and develop arts.
Admittedly, there are some justifications by people who oppose spending on promoting arts. First of all, most art projects are expensive with no obvious outcomes that have direct relations to a nation’s income. For example, the monument of Kebangkitan Pahlawan in Malang city that adsorbed almost 1 billion rupiahs does not attract people that much. Besides, art is not a critical aspect of the sustainability of human’s life. Human’s life will not disappear just because they have less taste of aesthetics.
However, I still support that the government should allocate a budget for the arts. Arts are part of a culture and over time become the identity of a nation, eventually, arts could be a major source of income for them. For instance, Bali is an island in Indonesia, where millions of visitors come each year to experience the combination of conventional values and modern lifestyles. The government in Indonesia invests more than a third of its budget to maintain its traditional arts.
Furthermore, art makes a life worth living. Like food, art is a supplement for the human soul. It has a magnificent power to aid buildings, roads, parks, and everything, with its uniqueness. Just imagine how empty a room would be if there is no painting or decoration on the wall! Art is enhancing people’s life by leveraging their experiences and empowering people to possess beautiful imaginations.
To conclude, supporting arts is important for a government as it would enhance the quality of life either by improving the tourism industry or by providing a better artistic facility.
[Written by – Happy Singh]