Art, Imagination and Public Service

‘Great teachers use dance, music and art to inspire young people and build their confidence, and none of us are ever too old to learn. I can thoroughly endorse the vital message of this important book that the arts are central to public service – and in sometimes really quite imaginative ways.’
Ed Balls



Do the arts have a role in public affairs, or are they a mere distraction? Three dialogues, recounted here, bring together experts from the seemingly disparate worlds of creativity and authority to seek an answer.

Michael O’Siadhail and David Blunkett explore how poetry can engage politicians’ hearts in governing alongside their heads; Hughie O’Donoghue and Brenda Hale find commonalities in how their respective fields of painting and the judiciary seek out and assess truth; and James O’Donnell and Clare Moriarty examine leadership and authenticity in the making of both music and policy.

This book is part of the collection of publications for Westminster Abbey Institute.

ISBN: 9781913368180

Paperback

96 pages

Authors: David Blunkett, Michael O'Siadhail, Brenda Hale, Hughie O'Donoghue, Clare Moriarty, James O'Donnell