ABSTRACT
This chapter will consider what is understood by ‘government’. It will then consider the historical relationships between governments, the arts and culture and why they occur. For example, what advantages do governments see with their engagement with the arts. The chapter will then address the different models and approaches used by governments with the arts. It will consider the influence of different political systems on the way the arts are approached, funded and supported. It will reference the status of various art forms in relation to government and why/how cultural infrastructures are created. It will also consider how the arts are framed within a funding hierarchy and how this influences preferences and outcomes. It will consider too how government engagement with the arts is viewed by artists and what influence governments may have on arts practice. Finally, it will talk about the relationship between governments, sponsors and the arts and explore its complexity.
