SOMETIMES it takes a jolt to wake us up and show the beauty of what we take for granted. The recent news that BBC Scotland is set to remove Classics Unwrapped from its scheduling from April 2023 has done just that.
If 2022 was the year the performing arts sector cautiously stepped away from pandemic-fuelled disruption, 2023 is the year where it can break into a full sprint; and play a key role in helping break the cycle of economic gloom in which the country is currently trapped. I’m not suggesting for a second that the creative industries can or will do this in isolation; rather, that the arts is a high value sector for Scotland – and this is something we should acknowledge, champion and – crucially – support.
LOVE it or hate it – oh yes you do! – the pantomime is a highlight memory maker at Christmas. Families flock to watch this festive phenomenon – often being a child’s first experience of live theatre. At the beginning of December, I joined this happy faction, finally qualifying to legitimately attend with Marley, my ‘of age’ five-year-old son in tow.
“WHAT can I not spend my money on?” It’s a difficult question that most of us are being forced to ask ourselves right now, due to the ongoing cost-of-living crisis.
