SR - Arts & Entertainment
As serious as the Republican drive to succeed is the citizens' desire to enjoy themselves. Republicans prize their rich artistic history and diversity. From the high sweeping mountains of Reunion, to the impressive Asparas Waterways of Ankara, the Republic is replete with locations where artists, poets, weavers, philosophers, and others find vision. Because of this, a disproportionate number of Terra Nova's truly inspired original works have originated within the Republic. Oddly it is the Republic's governmental system that is given a great deal of the credit for igniting the passionate fires of creativity among her citizens. The Republic's tyrannical repression of the absolute right to free expression, through the stymieing of political opinions, has forced public frustrations to be vented through other outlets, notably the arts. While often moody and somber, Republican art is meant to inspire and thrill.
Entertainment in the Republic takes as many forms as there are mediums. Covering the gamut of organized sporting events to evenings of trideo viewing, entertainment i s what a citizen makes of it. Sports and dining are often seen as the most popular social activities, the former attracting large crowds and strengthening Republican pride over a diverse crowd, the later bonding circles of friends ever closer.
There are many outlets for artists and entertainers in the Republic, from street fairs to galas to huge mega-concerts, but perhaps the most sought after is the ArtScene series of publications and broadcasts. Originally founded with grants from the Ministry of Culture, ArtScene Magazine was first published in TN 1825 and covered the fine and performing arts in Ashanti and Port Oasis, placing a great deal of focus on the most patriotic displays. The magazine was highly successful and became very influential both in artistic centers and among those who lived elsewhere but still wished to have a taste of the "good life" i n the capital. Soon enough ArtScene expanded to include other publications covering architecture and literature, to sponsor its own trideo shows and publish columns in major newspapers.
In the last four decades, ArtScene has become a power in its own right, largely independent of the Ministry of Culture or the Fine Arts Directorate. The approval of the government i s no loner a prerequisite for exposure in an ArtScene publication or broadcast and works that are indifferent to patriotism are getting a great deal of exposure. Some within the editorial board of the conglomerate believe in the so-called "purity of art," a concept holding that art should be aesthetic and personal, rather than political and societal; several ArtScene publications - most clearly the alternative art magazine Edgescene - have devoted a great deal of attention to art that questions the status quo. Others seem to have different ideas, however, since Saragossan peace activist and painter Milaine Sutako was recently the subject of a three part Edgescene retrospective which has garnered the publication reprimands from the Ministry of Culture and bomb threats from the SPFI.
Architecture
The architectural styles adopted in the Southern Republic clearly reflect the league's imperialist culture by utilizing structures from the most influential empires to exist on Earth. Modern architects strive to emulate the grace and power of the Roman and Greek cultures of pre-ice age Earth and the post-ice age utopian society of Greater Samarkand in design and functionality. Each city-state has its own character and inspiration.
Greco-Roman styles are very prominent, best demonstrated by the inner cities of Port Oasis and Siwa Oasis. The colonnades, amphitheaters, forums and arches found in the inner cities of both city-states are often reproductions of the refurbished historical landmarks that were lost when the second ice age swept over Rome and New Athens. Ankara was designed after the ancient Roman city of Agrigento, with the institutional district representing the seven hexastyle Doric temples that resided on the Rock of Athena. The Roman theme is in almost all areas of Ankaran architecture, with the industrial district being the exception and the temple like housing complexes being the rule.
Timbuktu was constructed as a variant of Greater Samarkand's perfect city, but opting for a web layout in opposition to the concentric circle pattern that typified that era. Reunion has developed a sculpted appearance that utilizes its stone and wood construction to blend into the surrounding countryside. This form of construction emulates the Scandinavian architecture of the Norse and Viking eras, not only in design and materials, but in craftsmanship. Saragossa adopted a three-tiered fortified city design to take advantage of the slopes of Mount Melek. This combination of military and residential architecture is reminiscent of the Castilian era of ancient Spain.
The top architecture school in the Southern Republic is Ankara Architectural College, a part of Ankara University. Specializing in the Greco-Roman style that the city-state displays so well, AAC nevertheless has faculty knowledgeable in a wide variety of styles. The student body is drawn from across the league and also includes a variety of foreigners from elsewhere in the Allied Southern Territories. The greatest debate currently gripping academics and students alike at ACC is whether a truly Republican style of architecture can be developed. Historically, the Republic has looked to other great empires for its inspiration - ranging from the ancient Rome to Greater Samarkand. A movement to evolve design away from Earthbased design concepts and toward a distinctive new style has gained more and more steam since the War of the Alliance. The use of constructs based on the typically Terranovan oasis tower is one characteristic of this school of thought, although this association with the Badlands is rejected by Republican elitists.
Sports
The national sport of the Southern Republic is soccer. From little leagues all the way to international teams, citizens love to watch, play and discuss this sport. Virtually all Republicans have played the game because it is a required physical education course in schools, and those who do not love the game still have respect for their nation's premiere sport. The Southern Territories Soccer League (STSL) is by far the most popular aspect of the game. Consisting of twenty-four teams, including eleven from the Southern Republic itself, the league operates on a two-cycle schedule. Each team plays every other team twice during that time, and the top four teams make the playoffs. The semi-finals are one game elimination matches, whilst the final is a best two out of three.
The Port Oasis Red Vipers have won a staggering 24 championships in the last 99 cycles, and citizens of the capital are fanatically devoted to the Vipers. Last summer, the Vipers' netminder Carlo Dimassi was acquitted of the charge of assault (he had broken a man's arm with a bar stool because the man had said the Aquitaine Razorbacks would win the championship) as the defense argued that this was an insult to his client's honor.
The second biggest sport in the Southern Republic is Gear Dueling. With thirty teams in the Republican Federation of Duelists, it is the largest dueling circuit on Terra Nova. Operating on a two cycle schedule, the RFD is well known for its spectacular duels; the championship Coupe DeLyon is watched by millions of Terranovans and is recognized as being the most entertaining championship on the professional dueling circuit. Popular teams include the Port Oasis Dragons, the Marabou Sentinels, and the Aquitaine Army Skags.
Other important sporting events include the Ashanti 200 naval race and the Timbuktu Grand Prix, both of which draw in millions of viewers every cycle. The batte leagues of Ankara are also very popular, and recently another event in this citystate has risen in popularity: the icejet plunge. Built on the slopes of Mount Agnes, it is a four kilometer run of ice in which contestants must negotiate the tight twists and turn on a specially built sled which can reach speeds in excess of a 100 kph. The most spectacular moments are the three ravines and the 120 meter cliff that the participants must clear. Each year, several athletes crash their sleds into the icy walls on the run; not all survive. Smaller icejet runs exist in this area, but none compare to the unforgiving Agnes.
Literature
With over 20 major publishing companies and cities rich in literary history, such as Reunion and Ashanti, the Republican literary world has flourished over the centuries. Many styles have cropped up and the mood in the Republic dictates the style of which literature will flower and that which shall wither. Political tolerance is very hard to come by, however, and inflammatory or seditious texts often face penalties.
The Republic has set up the Commission for the Promotion of Literature. This commission meets 3 times a cycle (twice in Ashanti and once in Reunion) to discuss the trends in the literary world. They are also responsible for distributing grants and fines. Fines are given to writers whose work is deemed anti-Republican. The process starts with the commission reading the original draft and making their comments. The writer has two seasons to correct or abandon his work or else he will be fined 500 dinars. Some writers have been known to try and publish their books anyway, only to have the shipment blocked and receive fines large enough to make them see the light, ruin and in most cases bankrupt them.
The best writers, such as Saskia Arelieant, are those who stay away from politics but stay on the fine line between acceptable and treasonous work. Most of these great writers are located in Ashanti. The Republic, still feeling shame for the destruction of their library by the Marabou Marauders during the First Unification Campaign, is somewhat lax towards Ashanti. The Ashantites have their own watchdog organization to weed out anti-Republican texts, but their view of what is seditious does not always coincide with the government's literature commission.
Music
Innovative, inspiring and revolutionary, musical composers and performers in the Southern Republic constantly strive to be on the cutting edge of popularity, always ready to push themselves and their audiences to the limit. Concerts are held on a nightly basis throughout the land and young performers can be found showcasing their abilities at any number of clubs or on available street corners. Although not completely stereotyped, some clear divisions in listening preferences can be seen among the Republic's social strata.
Popular among the elite, classical music is a tradition that thrives in the Southern Republic. The Port Oasis Philharmonic Orchestra, generally considered the Republic's showcase outfit, regularly sells out any venue where they perform. Playing music drawn from pre-42nd century Earth, this orchestra clings to ancient traditions of wood and reed instruments, and has toured throughout the South and even the North to rave reviews.
At the other end of the spectrum, lies the latest in billowdark shock. This music is as offensive as it is loud, making it extremely popular in youth-filled clubs and amongst radical elements. Marisa Sting(lead singer of the band My Demon) is commonly acknowledged as the ambassador of billowdark, and has often been accused of inciting violence at her band's concerts. Oddly, proving that diversity is the key to Southern society, one of My Demon's biggest fans is Jacques Molay.
Tearing through the veil that separates Republican tastes is primal dream, a sweet blend of Gospel harmonies and low haunting music. Paul Larouche is primal dream's founder and chief statesman. His music has successfully appealed to a large portion of Republican society, making primal dream the most popular Southern musical style. Many artists have been quick to follow him, but are now questioning the decision because, while primal dream sells extremely well in recorded format, concert turnouts are consistently disappointing.
The hub of popular music creation and promotion in the Republic is Port Oasis. Music companies in the capital seek out, and frequently exploit, new talent. Port Oasis' reputation for excellence is such that young artists signed by Oasian agencies are almost assured of success. This is because the marketing divisions of these companies are so strong that their artists are assured plenty of air time, regardless of their ability. This has, unfortunately, left some truly talented musicians and composers out in the cold.
Fine Arts and Theater
The Fine Arts Directorate of the Southern Republic (the FAD) is responsible for overseeing the artistic community. This immense organization tightly scrutinizes all publications, pieces of art or presentations that are to reach the public. Art that criticizes or opposes the Republican government is generally censored; (the few exceptions are pieces produced in Newton) while art that supports or glorifies life in the state is richly rewarded. As a result, these artistic endeavors reach a much wider audience simply due to their better funding. It is interesting to note that in a land so proud of its artistic freedom and values that the FAD will restrict any mention of the Gentle Prophet or any other religious icon of the North. The reasons for this are unclear to many, although fanatical Republicans see it as common sense to prevent any Northern foolishness from damaging the minds of the young.
At present, theater is the most widespread and successful form of art within the Republic. With such widely acclaimed plays as Rochebois, le maitre des lions, and DeRouen: architecte reaching phenomenal success both in and out of the league, good writers have made a name, and a fortune, for themselves. As far as the visual arts go, the FAD generally criticizes any abstract art, seeing it as the main vehicle for Northern agitators. The surviving artwork does, however reach astounding beauty and depth of spirit. The best examples of these are to be found in Port Oasis' Musee des Beaux Arts as well as the cyclic Exposition Republicaine sponsored by none other than Louis Philippe deRouen. The Prime Minister also presents a cyclic prize to the most outstanding art in the fields of theater, painting, sculpture, literature, dance, film, and photography. These prizes have been dubbed the deRouen prizes and consist of either a government contract or 100,000 dinars, depending on the recipienfs choice. For the most part, recipients will choose the government contract, because it involves far greater sums than 100,000 dinars.
Away from the mainstream, a growing movement of guerrilla art is sweeping through the rare centers of anti-state resistance within the Republic. Saragossa and Newton are the centers of these activities, with graffiti and street theater being common tactics. The Saragossan People's Front for Independencehas made especially good use of this technique, using illegal street art and pirate trideo broadcasts to show the people of the besieged city that Republican forces are not truly in charge. Prefect Lo Samant has made it a high priority to stop these displays of support for the SPFI because they undermine his authority more effectively than almost any other tactic. The appearance of graffiti in the heavily fortified Saragossa Hightown is of especially great concern for Samant.
In Newton, underground art and theater is used by almost every protest group and is generally tolerated by the local authorities - under orders to allow Republican youth to "sow their wild oats." Many of the Newtonian displays are indeed innocent, consisting of ludicrous farces made at the expense of local Sheriff Jean Renaud or other authority figures. Others are of graver concern and are used by such groups as the SPFI-backed Open Mind Society to promote revolution, sedition and terrorism. Sheriff Renaud is well aware of the dangers but feels constrained by Republican policy.
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