Maximo Park: 'Government art cuts are dangerous'

Maximo Park's Paul Smith has criticised the current government and their handling of creative arts under their rule.

With the country facing an economic crisis there have been serious cutbacks for the arts. Smith says that this is short-term thinking that is in danger of killing off what is an important part of Britain.

Speaking to exclusively to Gigwise, Smith described the actions of David Cameron and the Conservative coalition as being 'dangerous'. "Creative people are in the minority," he said, "You only have to look at the cabinet to see that. the language that comes from the government is very dangerous."

Discussing the cuts to the British Film Council and Cameron's message urging film makers to follow the lead of The King's Speech and Harry Potter in making more commerically minded work, Smith added:

"The thing is, film making is an art form, did nobody tell him that? Shouldn't that be obvious to an intelligent, educated man? I have nothing against the man's background but I find statements like that antithetical to my way of thinking."

Continuing: "You end up feeling marginalised. Obviously, a lot of arts stuff is not seen as important as getting the country back on track economically but if we live in a country without brave pop music and films then we'll be in a society that is poorer and squeezed in the most fundamental way. Without art I think society is poorer and impoverished."

Check back on Gigwise later this week for a full interview with Maximo Park. The band release their new album, 'The National Health', on June 11.