Ralph Allen Quotes

We have to support our local artists. It's just that simple. Otherwise, we will have no art.

When younger writers and poets, musicians and painters are weakened by a stemming of funds, they come to me saddened, not as full of dreams and excitement and ideas. I am then weakened and diminished, and made less rich.

All the arts are predominantly national, and therefore the Australian Film Commission should be funding us. The battle gets more and more vicious each year.

I really wish people - maybe it's naive - wish people had priorities and were willing to be artistic patrons.

Cleveland is really good about recognizing its artists because of the Arts Council.

Unfortunately, America doesn't have a minister of culture, and I don't understand why. It's really bad for young people.

When I was in high school, I thought I might be an artist. I was very good at drawing and painting.

My paintings have gotten to be pretty popular and I've taken a little bit more interest in painting the last few years. In fact, my novel that I wrote not too long ago, 'The Hornet's Nest,' I painted the cover picture for it and I do a good bit of painting now.

[I am not for] spending the public money in the encouragement of the Fine Arts. Whether it is to be painting or sculpture, or both; if painting, what sort of painting, what are to be the subjects chosen, and who are to be the artists employed? All these questions furnish ample food for discussion, difference, and dispute.

If you want to honor me, give some young boy or girl who's coming along trying to create arts and write and compose and sing and act and paint and dance and make something out of the beauties of the Negro race-give that child some help.

China has set its cultural industries as pillar industries.

Must we be put to shame by much smaller and poorer countries, by Ireland, France, Austria or Sweden, who have understood that a nation's support of its arts is a matter of both national pride and cultural survival?

I would go to sketch groups and draw. I really enjoyed the subject matter, but I wasn't good at it.

It's a big responsibility to help someone express themselves as an artist.

I was brought up on art. My father thought I had a great hand at art and sent me to art school. But he did not want me to become a photographer.

Less money for public media means less access to the arts.

I've always loved painting and drawing. I wish I'd developed it more and exhibited.

All my siblings became artists. One's a novelist, my brother is a painter, my sister was a costume designer.

Only a bad artist thinks he has a good idea. A good artist does not need anything.

Youth must go ahead and prosper. These young painters are all very talented people, but they all paint frescoes.

London gives birth to amazing talent but is rubbish at helping maintain it.

I went to film school at UT Austin. I learned a lot, and that school's good for puking up all your bad movies early and quick. But ultimately, no one can teach you to be an artist.

Our films have the ability to tell global audiences who we are, and this is something the government should feel compelled to protect. My film, 'Bend it Like Beckham,' for example, would not have been made without the backing and support of the U.K. Film Council.

I was always interested in the arts as a child - drawing, painting, and piano - but acting became a favourite. I was a major theatre geek in high school - if I wasn't in the drama room at lunch rehearsing, I'd be in the art room finishing up some type of project.

Sometimes people think drawing and painting is mucking about when actually it is a highly skilled activity.