Since the start of this year, the project has been relentlessly criticised by politicians and the press over everything from its name to disputed audience figures.
Elaborate art installations on decommissioned oil rigs might seem a bit crude given the currentbut if the best art is something that elicits an emotional response, well it certainly achieved that. Just not necessarily in the way organisers intended.
MP Julian Knight, chair of the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee, says it has proven to be a"colossal waste of money"."There was certainly some stigma over the phrase 'festival of Brexit' at the start for certain artists, but the reality is that this was clearly a failure of the project. It was a failure in terms of having an idea and actually having something that resonated with people.
But Mr Batty insists the successive Conservative governments that have overseen the project from its inception through to now have all been happy with how the money was spent. "We've had really good feedback from all four governments - they're really pleased to see the results today but they're also excited with the way we've used innovative approaches to commissioning to bring out the very best of our science tech engineering and arts sector and put on a programme that the whole of the UK could enjoy."One of the aims was to take events to towns, cities and rural areas less well served by major cultural programmes.
"I've seen the joy in the faces. I've seen the skills learnt, I've seen the sense of pride actually in seeing themselves up in these productions across the country on our landmarks."
Belgique Dernières Nouvelles, Belgique Actualités
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