Dear Sir,
IN response to your article this week regarding Palma putting in a bid for the European City of Culture. Are they having a laugh?!
How can any city without a decent live music venue in the city centre be considered at all?
For far too long now, local musicians have been complaining they have no place to play which is central and accessible to ALL.
Assaig is OK and Fonart do a great job out in Lloseta, but both venues rely on people having transport, which means someone having to drive, also Assaig is very expensive, not just the ticket prices but the drinks once inside.
To me, culture means something everyone can enjoy, regardless of age, income or access to transport.
I have been a resident on this island many years but originally hail from the Liverpool area who last year conducted the most successful year of culture ever, yet I found a large percentage of the celebrations very cheap or free with a public transport service which ran in conjunction. There were music groups of all styles playing almost constantly throughout the year, not just at weekends but in the week and in the daytime too, normally for the price of a pint in most cases.
Palma has been hemorrhaging culture for years now, the worst injuries sustained when Sonotone in Gomila was closed down and El Cielo was converted into Puro Beach. It seems to direct its culture at people that think culture is any expensive meal with expensive, vintage wine and use of one of the many golf courses. But what of the people who tend the golf courses, maintain the boats and serve in the restaurants? What do they get? Very little is the answer and I believe that Majorca is about to take a nose dive as more and more of these people desert the island for a better, cheaper and more cultural life in going back to places like Liverpool where culture means for everyone not just the so called elite.
There are things going on that are accessible like the Jellyfish comedy night, but there is just not enough of it and I suggest the bid for Euro city of culture is scrapped and the money used to better means.
For after all, while we have Paris, London, Madrid and even Grimsby, Palma stands no chance!
Dave Fish