New Zealand Arts Agency Rejects Support for Shakespeare Program

New Zealand's government is ending its support for a popular program on the British playwright¹ William Shakespeare.

Shakespeare wrote plays and poems during the late 1500s and early 1600s. He is considered by many to be one of the most important writers in the English language.

The art agency² said the program depended too heavily on busy schools, failed to show relevance³ to today's art, and depended on a kind of art linked to British imperialism⁴.

But many have criticized⁵ the decision by the art agency Creative New Zealand. Prime⁶ Minister Jacinda Ardern is among the critics. She also was a former student actor who took part in the program.

Ardern said, "I was a participant in Shakespeare in Schools. I thought it was a great program."

She said students interested in drama and debate have limited opportunities to connect with other students from different schools.

She said, "I was one of those kids. And so I would like to continue to see other kids have those opportunities."

Ardern added that the financial decision was not up to her or the government. Creative New Zealand receives financial support from taxpayers⁷ but is run independently.

The Shakespeare Globe Centre New Zealand has run the school programs, workshops, and events for about 30 years. Students act, direct, make clothing for plays, or create musical performances. The plays are set in current times or have different story elements from the ones written by William Shakespeare more than 400 years ago.

The center has received about ten percent of its yearly⁸ budget from the government agency.

Dawn Sanders is the center's chief. She said she was not expecting the rejection⁹ last month. It remained in place after a recent meeting. She criticized the decision.

Sanders said more than 120,000 students have been involved in the events and programs over the years. Many go on to work in the theater or film.

Others, she said, have used their acting¹⁰ skills in their jobs. For example, lawyers can become better at arguing their cases and doctors at talking to patients.

Creative New Zealand did not comment.

In its 11-page rejection note, however, one agency member said the center had "proved the ongoing¹¹ value" of its local and national Shakespeare competition model. Some 4,600 young people join 24 events each year.

The agency official wrote, "The application does make me reflect on the ongoing relevance of Shakespeare." The person questioned if supporting Shakespeare "is most relevant¹² for a decolonizing Aotearoa in the 2020s and beyond." Aotearoa is a native name for New Zealand.

The group that made the decision said that the Shakespeare center seems "paternalistic" and that its request for financial support did not show the relevance to art of current times.

Sanders said she would try to find other financial support and promised the program would continue. Since the dispute¹³ became public, she said, people have already given thousands of dollars online.

Former Deputy¹⁴ Prime Minister Winston Peters wrote on the social media site Facebook about the decision. He strongly criticized the officials responsible.

Ardern said it would be wrong to take a single financial decision and make it a statement about society. She did not say what Shakespeare role she had played as a student, saying it would steal attention from the situation.

She said, "So I might just leave out the details for now."

Words in This Story

relevance – adj. relating to a subject in an appropriate way

imperialism – n. the effect that a powerful country or group of countries has in changing or influencing the way people live in other, poorer countries

drama – n. the art or activity of performing a role in a play or show

opportunity – n. a situation in which it is possible for you to do something that you want to do

assess¹⁵ – v. to make a judgment¹⁶ about (something)

reflect – v. to think carefully about something

paternalism – n. the attitude or actions of a person or organization that protects people and gives them what they need but does not give them any responsibility or freedom of choice

society – n. people in general thought of as living together in organized communities with shared laws, traditions, and values

1 playwright   

n.剧作家，编写剧本的人

参考例句：

• Gwyn Thomas was a famous playwright.格温·托马斯是著名的剧作家。
• The playwright was slaughtered by the press.这位剧作家受到新闻界的无情批判。

2 agency   

n.经办；代理；代理处

参考例句：

• This disease is spread through the agency of insects.这种疾病是通过昆虫媒介传播的。
• He spoke in the person of Xinhua News Agency.他代表新华社讲话。

3 relevance   

n.中肯，适当，关联，相关性

参考例句：

• Politicians' private lives have no relevance to their public roles.政治家的私生活与他们的公众角色不相关。
• Her ideas have lost all relevance to the modern world.她的想法与现代社会完全脱节。

4 imperialism   

n.帝国主义，帝国主义政策

参考例句：

• They held the imperialism in contempt.他们鄙视帝国主义。
• Imperialism has not been able to subjugate China.帝国主义不能征服中国。

5 criticized   

vt.批评(criticize的过去式)v.评论，批评( criticize的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The decision was criticized by environmental groups. 这个决定受到了环保团体的批评。
• The movie has been criticized for apparently legitimizing violence. 这部电影因明显地美化暴力而受到了指责。

6 prime   

adj.首要的，主要的；最好的，第一流的

参考例句：

• The prime minister spoke of the general insecurity in the country.总理谈到了全国普遍存在的不安全。
• He met with the Prime Minister of Japan for an hour.他和日本首相会见了一个小时。

7 taxpayers   

纳税人，纳税的机构( taxpayer的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Finance for education comes from taxpayers. 教育经费来自纳税人。
• She was declaiming against the waste of the taxpayers' money. 她慷慨陈词猛烈抨击对纳税人金钱的浪费。

8 yearly   

adj.每年的，一年一度的；adv.一年一次地

参考例句：

• The flower show is a yearly event in our town.我们镇上的花展一年举行一次。
• The yearly rental of her house is 2400 yuan.她这房子年租金是2400元。

9 rejection   

n.拒绝，被拒，抛弃，被弃

参考例句：

• He decided not to approach her for fear of rejection.他因怕遭拒绝决定不再去找她。
• The rejection plunged her into the dark depths of despair.遭到拒绝使她陷入了绝望的深渊。

10 acting   

n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的

参考例句：

• Ignore her,she's just acting.别理她，她只是假装的。
• During the seventies,her acting career was in eclipse.在七十年代，她的表演生涯黯然失色。

11 ongoing   

adj.进行中的，前进的

参考例句：

• The problem is ongoing.这个问题尚未解决。
• The issues raised in the report relate directly to Age Concern's ongoing work in this area.报告中提出的问题与“关心老人”组织在这方面正在做的工作有直接的关系。

12 relevant   

adj.有关的，贴切的

参考例句：

• I don't think his remarks are relevant to our discussion.我认为他的话不切我们的议题。
• These materials are relevant to the case.这些材料与这案件有关。

13 dispute   

n.争端，分歧；v.争论，争吵，辩论，辩驳

参考例句：

• They are trying to find a way of settling the dispute.他们正设法寻找解决争端的办法。
• The parties to the dispute should be more polite to each other.争执双方应相互礼貌些。

14 deputy   

n.代理人，代表，副职；adj.代理的，副的

参考例句：

• John will act as a deputy for me during my absence.我离开期间，约翰将代理我的职务。
• She is the deputy headmistress of the school.她是那所学校的代理校长。

15 assess   

vt.对…进行估价；评价，评论

参考例句：

• They assess his house at 15000 yuan.他们给他房子的估价为15000元。
• We should equitably assess historical figures.我们应该公正地评价历史人物。

16 judgment   

n.审判；判断力，识别力，看法，意见

参考例句：

• The chairman flatters himself on his judgment of people.主席自认为他审视人比别人高明。
• He's a man of excellent judgment.他眼力过人。