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 20 July 2008 11:20 BST

Hodge: Proms attract too narrow section of society

Tuesday, 04 Mar 2008 15:57
Margaret Hodge criticised the Proms
Culture minister Margaret Hodge has claimed the Proms attract too narrow a section of society.

Ms Hodge said in a speech, at the IPPR thinktank today, that people from different backgrounds were a long way from feeling at ease in attending the event.

In a speech on Britishness, the culture minister praised "icons of common culture" such as Coronation Street, the Angel of the North and the British Museum but claimed there were major cultural events that proportions of the population were not comfortable attending.

"The audiences for some of many of our greatest cultural events – I'm thinking particularly of the Proms – is still a long way from demonstrating that people from different backgrounds feel as ease in being part of this," Ms Hodge said.

"I know this is not about making every audience completely representative, but if we claim great things for our sector in terms of their power to bring people together, then we have the right to expect they will do that wherever they can."

She also said that while culture could bring people together it could also lead to isolation.

"Just as culture pushes the boundaries it can make some people proud to belong, it can make others feel isolated and deeply offended," she said.

Conservative leader David Cameron rejected the criticism of the Proms, claiming they were a "great symbol of our Britishness" and accusing Ms Hodge of "not getting it".End of story


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