_The Creative Wealth of Nations_ Eventually, parents began to see that playing music was keeping their kids out of trouble, some even reclaiming children they had previously abandoned.

Soon there were more children wanting lessons than there were instruments, so Chávez and [Nicolás Gómez] “Cola” one of the garbage pickers experimented with making some out of recycled materials from the landfill. String and wind instruments are made with oil tin cans, forks, bottle caps, and whatever is around. ‘Eventually the recycled instruments were improved, and in many cases, they now sound better than the wooden Made In China instruments the more able children play on.’ The recycled instruments serve another, more practical purpose: The kids can safely carry them. ‘For many children, it was impossible to give them a violin to take home because they had nowhere to keep it and their parents were afraid they would be robbed or the instrument would be sold to buy drugs.’ The Orchestra had remained unheard of for many years. The launching of the Landfill harmonic short teaser on the Internet triggered ... social media events that changed this. ‘More things have happened in the last 7 months, than in the last 7 years on our lives.’ The Orchestra has grown from just a few musicians to over 35. Their recent fame [has stimulated] the interest of the families and children of the community in such [a] way, that many children are now enrolling for music classes. The music school of Cateura, does not have their own building yet, but teaches music and how to build recycled instruments to more than 200 kids of the landfill.”<sup>91</sup> Source: Landfill Harmonic In philosophical matters, as noted on _60 Minutes_ , it is difficult to tell which direction the Recycled Orchestra of Cateura will take as it becomes famous.<sup>92</sup> The donations coming in now include instruments from well-wishers. This well-intended kindness may actually diminish the creativity that was propelled by necessity (this catch-22 is not new in development aid). All in all, however, this example shows how the arts can inspire a better existence.

While this orchestra was not started to fight climate change per se, it nonetheless reminds us that we can find meaning and beauty in recycling. Recycling helps curb climate change. But is it diligently practiced? Climate action requires systematic multidimensional policy architecture and changing mindsets (or attitudes). With a Vice Presidency and Special Envoy for climate change, the WBG is surely giving attention to the environment. But it could increase its application of the arts in climate action. For specific examples on the WBG’s possible interventions, see Part II.

# **|| 4 || Data for Arts Policy**

The argument for sound arts policy in development is often weakened by the lack of data. The reasons for this include: The difficulty to measure the true value of the intangible and tangible aspects of the arts in purely quantitative terms; the reluctance of some in the arts community to push for what they see as the “commodification” of the arts; and the fact that a lot of arts services are cash-related transactions, if reported at all. With respect to the performing arts, the UN explains, Income from performing arts derives from box-office revenues, national and international touring, performance royalties and taxation, for which data are seldom collected or reported nationally [even in developed countries]; consequently, it is impossible to conduct a global comparative analysis. Performing arts are a special case, since their products are expressed as an intangible or

> 91 Ibid.

92 “Price of Success: Will the Recycled Orchestra Last?” CBSNews, November 17, 2013, accessed July 28, 2014, http://www.cbsnews.com/news/price-of-success-will-the-recycled-orchestra-last/.

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