SIR – I was heartened to see a response to my letter about the crisis facing the arts during this pandemic but then heartily disappointed to see that the correspondent completely misses the points I made.

Malicia Dabrowicz (Four decades of decline in arts, May 20) says I ask why creative industries are in such a dire state. No I most certainly don’t… please read my letter again!

In fact, I go to great lengths to explain precisely why the arts are in crisis, namely because the 1960s rock millionaires and other wealthy entertainers of that era are not supporting the industry that created their riches in the first place.

Sorry, but talking about the Arctic Monkeys and providing me with a list of obscure local bands is a complete irrelevancy, Malicia.

I am then informed that rock has always been a medium for protest and a medium for social change. Well, I never. The significance of being young in the 1960s and playing guitar and harmonica semi-professionally in several bands quite obviously escaped me.

And while government does indeed have a role to play in supporting the arts, the general concert-going public has the greater responsibility.

The unpalatable truth is that while a petition for yet another fried chicken outlet in Worcester has historically, and will always attract thousands of names, interest in preserving artistic endeavour round these parts is slender, to say the least.

Finally, there’s nothing wrong with angry letters to newspapers. Like rock n’ roll, it’s also a medium for protest… and perhaps even social change, too.

John Phillpott

Worcester