Unboxed Festival: A Spectacle of Waste or a Vision for the Future?

The Unboxed Festival was supposed to be a highlight of Brexit Britain, a celebration of newfound freedom and artistic expression. However, it quickly spiraled into a series of endless jokes and a massive waste of money. This event, which ultimately cost around ￡120 million, has reignited debates about the government's spending habits and the impact of Brexit on the country.

The Cultist's Dream

For those trapped within the Brexiteer cult, the Unboxed Festival was never meant to be a success in the conventional sense. Rather, it is seen as a long-term touring project that might not see any form of real success until much further down the line, effectively implying that it will never succeed. This event embodying their mantra of turning everything they touch into chaos and failure, typified by their expensive and often misguided policies.

Wasting Money Amidst a Crisis

The ￡120 million spent on the festival is a stark reminder of the UK government's willingness to burn through vast sums of money, particularly in the midst of a national cost of living crisis. Martin Williams humorously suggests that the festival could be a way to publicly demonstrate how much money the UK supposedly has after its chaotic withdrawal from the European Union. However, the reality is far more bleak.

Mr. Williams’ claims that the Unboxed Festival is a wonderful way to burn over ￡500 per attendee are plausible when we consider the scale of the festival and the current economic climate. The idea of burning ten ￡5 notes would take over 2777 days, or nearly 8 years. Yet, with the new plastic ￡5 notes not burning well, the government opted for the “Unboxed Festival” as a more creative (and expensive) alternative.

A Shining Art Showcase or a Waste of Money?

Was the Unboxed Festival a celebration of a successful Brexit or an art showcase? That remains a point of contention. Martin Williams suggests it was a majestic showcase of art, which given the scale and complexity of the event, may not be far from the mark. However, many still see it as a colossal waste of money.

There is an ongoing debate about whether the festival was truly worth the investment. Critics argue that such a large sum of money could have been better spent on more pressing issues like housing, healthcare, or supporting small businesses struggling with the economic fallout of Brexit. These concerns echo the broader national conversation about the priorities of the UK government post-Brexit.

Perhaps one of the most telling points is the longevity of the festival. It remains ongoing, making it difficult to conclusively assess its value for money. Like many other projects in the past, the Unboxed Festival was deemed a failure before it even began, only to turn out to be more successful in the end. This pattern underscores the fickle nature of government spending during uncertain times.

Conclusion

The Unboxed Festival stands as a testament to the questionable priorities of the UK government in the wake of Brexit. Despite being plagued with logistical issues and financial wastage, it persists in the hopes of creating something lasting. Whether it succeeds in its grand vision remains to be seen, but it undeniably highlights a critical conversation about the use of public funds during a period of economic crisis.