National Campaign for the

Arts Oireachtas Joint Committee on Environment,

Transport, Culture and the Gaeltacht

Tuesday 17 AprilWith Janice McAdamMona ConsidineWillie White

2009

NCFA is …

• Independent, volunteer – led, grassroots

organisation

• National - in 43 constituencies nationwide

• 3000+ members

• Artists, arts organisations, arts workers,

audiences and all those who value the arts

Bodies to be rationalised, amalgamated or abolished

• IMMA, National Gallery &

Crawford Art Gallery

• National Archives & Irish

Manuscripts Commission

• An Coimisinéir Teanga /

Language Commissioner

with Ombudsman Office

• National Library &

National Museum

Bodies for Critical Review

• Culture Ireland

• Heritage Council

• Placenames Commission /

An Choimisiúin

Logainmneacha

• Chester Beatty Library

We believe

… in a society that values creativity,

imagination and expression 

… the arts enrich our lives

… that everyone should have the

opportunity to participate in and

enjoy the arts

… in the value of the arts 

INNOVATION

CULTURE

INNOVATION

CULTURE

WELL BEINGWELL BEING

CITIZENSHIP

CITIZENSHIP

JOBSJOBS

EDUCATION &

LEARNING

EDUCATION &

LEARNING

REPUTATION

REPUTATION

TOURISM

TOURISM

ECONOMY

ECONOMY

BUSINESS

BUSINESS

SOCIAL INCLUSIO

N

SOCIAL INCLUSIO

N

Value

SENSE OF

IDENTITY

SENSE OF

IDENTITY

The arts provide jobs …

21, 328

… contribute to the economy

• We contribute €382 million in taxes

e.g. Cultural and creative industries*• Exchequer expenditure €330 million• Exchequer revenue approx. €1 billion

e.g. Irish Film Board*• Invested €17 million in 36 film, TV and

animation productions• €80 million expenditure in Irish economy

*2008 figures

… help foster a culture of innovation• Studies report direct links between the arts, creativity and innovation1

• The arts equip the next generation with skills of the future – creativity, adaptability, discipline and rigor

We are innovators e.g.• Bealtaine – world leader of national participatory festival celebrating

creativity in older people. Template for festivals in Wales, Scotland and have invitation from Australia

• Open Window Project –world’s first clinically proven arts and health project

• New Stream - Bank of America and Business to Arts initiative, model of best practice in fundraising capacity building

• Sing out with Strings – model being adopted internationally

1 The art of innovation – how fine arts graduates contribute to innovation NESTA September 2008

… drive tourism

• Cultural Tourism is worth over €2 billion to the economy –both domestic and overseas tourism.

• 1.6 million overseas tourists attended museums/galleries (2010)

• 433,000 attended festivals/events

• 80,000 people visited the Book of Kells in two months

• 18% of tourists visited because of Irish film

• 27% of Galway Arts Festival audience from overseas

… enhance Ireland’s reputation

Imagine Ireland festival 40 States :: 1000s of artists :: Reaching

100,000s $$m of positive media coverage

Imagine Ireland festival 40 States :: 1000s of artists :: Reaching

100,000s $$m of positive media coverage

… work well with business

• Now mutually beneficial relationship

• Deliver brand awareness, engage staff and

leverage community support

• Examples of best practice e.g Ulster Bank’s

sponsorship of the Dublin Theatre Festival

• Attract and impress the best e.g Bank of America

Merrill Lynch

.. help create well-being

Waterford Healing Arts Trust Music Network St. Doolaghs Care & Rehabilitation Centre

Arts & Minds National Centre for Arts and Health Arts Initiative in Mental Health

Westmeath County Council Wexford County Council Arts Ability Programme Anam

Beo Waterford City Council Kildare County Council Arts Service Beehouse Arts

Cork University Hospital Campus Arts Committee Limerick County Council Arts

Office Sligo Arts & Health Programme South Tipperary County Council Art Centre St

Luke's Hospital Arts and Health Programme, Dun Laoghaire Rathdown Create Kerry

County Council Music Alive Helium The Arts Council Carlow Local Authorities

Galway University Hospitals Arts Trust Arts Office, Waterford County Council Clare

Arts & Health Arts Office, Kilkenny County Council Embrace Programme for Arts &

People with disabilities Laois County Council Cork Arts and Health Programme The

Twilight Programme, St. Patrick's University Hospital Cork City Council Woodview

Arts and Crafts Leopardstown Park Hospital West Cork Arts Centre Raheen Community

Hospital and Day Care Centre

It has boosted the children’s confidence. They’ve learned how

to work together, how to co-operate with each other. They’ve

learned literacy skills and their language has really improved.

Principal

… promote learning and create citizens

… forge communities and create a sense of identity

Shelter me from the rain – community opera Carlow

The arts are enriching our lives, contributing to our society and building

our nation more than ever.

So … how do we make this work?

Funding for/Investment in the arts

• Arts Council €63.2 million

• Local Authority €42 million ??(including salaries for arts officials)

DOWN 25%from

€84.6m

in 2008

DOWN 25%from

€84.6m

in 2008

Our recommendations

• Establish the facts about Local Authority funding

• An official with dedicated responsibility for the arts within Department of Environment, Community and Local Government

• Bring about shared thinking and understanding between key

stakeholders – relevant departments, Local Authorities, Arts Council etc

• Make Local Authority funding for the arts compulsory

cont…

Our recommendations II

•Local Authority experience on the Arts Council

•Resolve Local Authority and Arts Council funding for venues

•Research - build an evidence base of the value and impacts of arts provision and of participation e.g. co- fund a pilot programme within six Local Authority areas

•Active collaboration between government departments specifically Environment, Community and Local Government, Education and Skills, Justice and Equality, Social Protection, Health, Children and Youth Affairs

The arts are a necessity. Not a luxury.

The arts are an asset. Not an overhead.

.

Culture is what

we grow in

Culture is what

we grow in