“If you’re going to play the game of cards, you must play with the cards you are dealt,” goes a famous quote from cardiologist David Palmer. The words are as appropriate for today’s frugal card players as they were for Palmer in his later years. With that said, it is good to remind ourselves how important a role budgeting plays in any card player’s life and how the discipline of a budget can help ensure long term success. We live in a world in which scarcity drives many of us to stretch every dollar we have and there is nothing wrong with being a cost cutter as long as the money spent is wisely used. If you are cutting back expenses, chances are you will save money in the future as well.
“The state of the nation’s finances is dire,” noted William Lazonich in Ufa: A Nation Under Debt. “This isn’t surprising if you look at our recent history. Between the global collapse and financial turmoil in 2008 and the recession that followed, many household budgets have been severely disrupted. For families and households in Pakistan and India, however, it’s no laughing matter.”
As Lazonich notes, the global credit crunch combined with lack of monetary discipline in the global scene has had a serious impact on the performance of the Pakistan State Opera and other major performing arts organizations. “There was a time when the state supported the development of professional theaters and cultural events. This support waned as quickly as the credits dried up,” he said. “But now, with the economic situation in mind and the threat of terrorism in mind, we need to be more practical in our spending. The only way to do that is to reduce costs where we can, trim expenses where we cannot, and continue to build our artistic endeavors.” While this may not seem like an easy task, especially given the current state of our economy, it is necessary in order to sustain artistic development.
As a solution to the current crisis, Ufa emphasizes that the government must find ways to increase revenues. “One way is to encourage state-supported businesses to participate in the production of ufa plays and ballets,” said Mustafa Ahmed, secretary general of the Pakistan State Opera. “We need patrons, especially those who are our competition.” With these and other similar theater promotion ideas, the government can definitely help strengthen the theater scene in Pakistan and Asia.
According to a recent article by CCTV, a prominent news agency in China, Ufa is planning to expand its presence in China and Asia by promoting theaters in these two countries. “They will not just give money to the theaters and performance theatres but they will also give cash to other industries of the Chinese government,” the article noted. “This is very important for China and Asia-Pacific countries such as India and Russia,” continued CCTV. “A strong China and a stronger Asia-Pacific will be in everybody’s interests.” It is not known how far Ufa will get when it comes to promoting the theaters in China and India. However, it appears as if ufa will not only join forces with these two countries but will also collaborate with them on a global scale.
Besides getting involved in the production of ballets and opera productions in Asia and China, UFA will also be participating in various international events such as the Vienna International Play Festival held every year, which is attended by prominent actors and actresses from all around the world. Last year, Ufa was also invited to take part in the bashkortostan, a premier classical dance and drama festival in central Russia. Ufa has also expressed interest in participating in another important cultural show to be organized in Russia this year and is expected to make every effort to do so.