What’s the point of the arts? Is there any social utility in studying humanities subjects? Should the state fund the study of such things? Should we be pleased at the withdrawal of state support for university-level study? Should such creative and scholarly practices be freely marketised? Can the arts and humanities develop without university study and scholarship? How do the arts and humanities survive in times of economic crisis? Do they benefit from poverty? Is there a current state of emergency in the arts? Comedian and co-founder of the Arts Emergency Service Josie Long, writer Philip Pullman, and world-renowned graphic novelist and magician Alan Moore discuss the value, the purpose, and the current discourse surrounding the subjects, disciplines and practices which universities commonly label the arts and humanities.

The session is organised by Oxford Brookes University in association with the Arts Emergency Service, www.arts-emergency.org and is chaired by Dr Simon Kövesi, the university’s head of English and modern languages. Note: Writer and comedian Stewart Lee has had to wihdraw from this event due to unforeseen circumstances and Philip Pullman has stepped in as a replacement.