Discuss + give opinions.

Some people think that government funding should not be used to support art
and culture. Others think supporting cultural activities may be beneficial for
the population.

I. Opening (4 sentences)
1 – Context (government funding)
It is widely recognized that state funding should be directed towards the
betterment of citizens’ life quality.
2 – Topic (art & culture)
Because of this, what governments should spend on has always been a topic of
debate. (Discussion)
3 – Paraphrase (opinion)
While some people argue that art and culture are unworthy of government
subsidies, there are those who fervently believe that investments in these fields
would be of tremendous benefit to the public.
4 – Answer
In this essay, I am going to demonstrate how it is unwise to undermine/ overlook
the importance of art and culture before showing the merits of injections in these
domains.

II. Body
Body 1
1 – Topic sentence: It is understandable why some people deem art and culture
trivial and think that they do not merit government funding.
2 – Reason: The key rationale is that citizens are unlikely to benefit directly from
progress in these areas. Economy or healthcare, on the other hand, seem like
sectors where the money invested would yield immediate results for the
population.
3 – Counter: However, such thinking is short-sighted, as artistic and cultural
activities also help drive economic growth.
 4 – Example: Historical sites draw an enormous number of foreign visitors, for
example, and spawn thousands of jobs, contributing to the very lucrative tourism
industry which is the backbone of many economies.
5 – Meaning of example: This is a testament to how cutting financial support for
art and culture may actually do a country a disservice.

Body 2
1 – Topic (link to Body 1) In addition to being an economic driver, another
reason why art and culture should be given financial aid is the fact that they help
preserve national identity.
2 – Explain – Obviously, a country’s distinctive culture is often manifested in its
traditional arts, and these values may be at stake (~ at risk) if more efforts are not
put into protecting artists and cultural heritage.
3 – (brain-drain phenomenon) If the citizens in a country are not aware of their art
and culture, it is likely that they may become less appreciative of their roots.
4 – Explain – generalize harm: This concern is quite pertinent (~ relevant) in this
day and age when foreign influences have wormed into/ permeated many
different societies and the brain-drain phenomenon seems to be getting worse.

III. Conclusion
In conclusion, while there may be some justifications for attaching less
importance to the arts and culture, I believe these fields play a pivotal role in
society and government funding for artistic and cultural activities should be
perpetuated.