I'm not quite sure why the New Statesman asked me to guest edit the arts section of the magazine. None of my predecessors had been given the privilege. I was first approached last November. Up until then, my only contact with the magazine - as arts minister - was firing off a reply to a particularly mean-spirited piece from Rosie Millard, welcoming me to the job. "She knows zero about the arts," Rosie declared. "For heaven's sake," I replied.
But the offer was serious. Not only was I going to get to write this little piece, but I could tell the regulars what to write about and commission others.
There were some limits, though. So my plan to send Rosie to Siberia in January to look at its ice sculptures was ruled out.
To begin with, I put forward about 20 ideas for pieces and a fanciful list of suggested writers. As a politician, with a well-developed sense of accountability, I first tried to cover everything - each of the art forms, nothing too London-based, a balance of men and women, and a proper acknowledgement of the diversity in the arts sector. I knew I would have only one crack at this. I had to try not to upset anyone, or omit anything, in a single week. My ministerial postbag is quite full enough without unintentionally swelling it by "snubbing" any particular group or faction.
I ended up getting most of what I wanted. Mark Kermode on the critical vacuum surrounding Bollywood films, Richard Cork on the much-misunderstood Government Art Collection and Michael Portillo on a Creative Partnerships scheme where Birmingham schoolchildren worked with the Birmingham Royal Ballet. Some of the children were from my constituency, and I'm pleased it was a fellow MP reviewing their work. Michael knows just how protective you become of your constituents and their achievements.
But I didn't get everything. I wanted my literary hero Sebastian Faulks to write about the First World War poets. When I read the incredible Birdsong, I couldn't understand how his description of the battlefield had as powerful an effect on me as the words of great poets who were actually there. I wanted to read what he thought about Owen and others, 90 years on. Unfortunately, he was too busy with his new book. But I did get a lovely personal e-mail back from him, which I shall treasure.
I was also turned down by Loyd Grossman, whom I had asked to write about culture and food - the way museums, theatres, concert halls and cinemas feed us. I thought that he, with a foot well and truly in both camps, would be ideal for the job. Having said no, he then persuaded me to let him write about his beloved Liverpool. The searing expose of which arts institution offers the most expensive smoked-salmon sandwich in the world will have to wait.
Some items wrote themselves.
The Frayling/Lebrecht debate took off without any further prompting from me. It will come as no surprise that I'm more sympathetic to Christopher's stance, but it was a passionate debate - as the best are. So it is with the vox pops on how successfully my department has lived up to its mission statement 12 years on. I didn't want - or expect - consensus, although it was interesting to see how rarely the respondents simply called for more investment. The debate has moved on, I think.
This is a timely issue. Later in the year, the Chancellor will let us know where the money is to go over the next three years. To begin with, it's how the big sums are divided: money for education, health, social services and so on. Later in the year, Tessa Jowell and her team, including me, will cut the slice further, and the arts will find themselves in competition with sport, tourism, heritage and broadcasting.
But one thing is clear. Success is more likely to come to those who present their case as a narrative. By this I mean a well-argued account of what more could be done with further investment, rather than merely assuming a claim on the taxpayer's money. A "why" rather than a "why not?".
So, there we are. It's been enormous fun, and I'm very grateful to the New Statesman for giving me the chance to do it. Normal service will resume next week.
