I thank all the ladies for joining us today. They are all very welcome, as are my colleagues. Our second session today is with representatives from Screen Ireland, the Arts Council and Creative Europe Desk Ireland. We are going to have a round-table discussion on Ireland in a creative Europe. This, of course, is on the back of the recent Europe Day, so it is a very exciting and interesting topic for us to be discussing. We are looking forward to hearing all about our guests' participation in and access to the Creative Europe Programme 2021–2027. Having said that, I need to be excused as I have a short meeting to attend to. In my absence, if there are no objections from my colleagues, Senator Warfield will take the Chair. Is that agreed? Agreed.
Creative Europe Programme 2021-2027: Discussion
This meeting is convened today with representatives from Screen Ireland, Creative Europe Desk Ireland, and the Arts Council for a round-table discussion on Ireland and a creative Europe, Ireland's participation in and access to the Creative Europe Programme 2021-2027. This engagement is particularly timely given that we celebrated Europe Day this week. This year, Europe Day is of particular note. The conflict in Ukraine underlines the importance of the ideas of peace and prosperity on which the European Union is based.
I welcome our witnesses to the meeting: Ms Stephanie O'Callaghan, arts director with the Arts Council; Ms Teresa McGrane, deputy CEO of Screen Ireland and co-ordinator of Creative Europe Desk Ireland; Ms Eibhlín Ní Mhunghaile, head of Creative Europe Desk Ireland media office; and Ms Katie Lowry and Ms Aoife Tunney, joint heads of the Creative Europe Desk Ireland culture office.
The format of the meeting is such that I will invite our witnesses to make an opening statement, which will be followed by questions from committee members. Witnesses may be aware that the committee may publish the opening statement on its website following the meeting.
Before I invite the witnesses to deliver their opening statements I wish to explain some limitations on parliamentary privilege and the practice of the House with regard to references the witnesses may make to other persons in their evidence. The evidence of witnesses physically present, or from those who give evidence from within the parliamentary precincts, is protected pursuant to both the Constitution and statute by absolute privilege.
Witnesses are reminded of the long-standing parliamentary practice that they should not criticise or make charges against any person or entity, by name or in such a way as to make him, her or it identifiable, or otherwise engage in speech that might be regarded as damaging to the good name of the person or entity. Therefore, if your statements are potentially defamatory in relation to an identifiable person or entity you will be directed to discontinue your remarks. It is imperative that you comply with any such direction
Members are reminded of the long-standing parliamentary practice to the effect that they should not comment on, criticise, or make charges against a person outside the Houses, or an official, either by name by or in such a way as to make him or her identifiable
I now call on Ms Teresa McGrane of Screen Ireland to present to the committee on behalf of the Arts Council, Screen Ireland, and Creative Europe Desk Ireland.
Ms Teresa McGrane
I thank the committee very much for the invitation here today. We are delighted to meet the members and to talk about the Creative Europe programme. As the Acting Chairman has outlined, it is timely because of Europe Day. We would also like to talk about some of the other activities we do within the audiovisual and culture sector around our partnerships with Europe. We have prepared an opening statement and have given some background briefing notes. We also will leave for the committee some further background briefing documents on the programmes.
Creative Europe is the European Union's funding programme to support the culture and audiovisual sectors. First launched in 2014, the programme saw the previous media and culture programmes come together under one umbrella with a cross-sectoral funding strand addressing both sectors. The Creative Europe Programme 2021-2027 was agreed and publicly launched in May 2021 and has a budget of €2.44 billion, which represents a 50% increase on the previous programme.
The media strand supports the European film and audiovisual industries to develop, distribute and promote European works, as well as funding markets, networking and training opportunities. The culture strand supports a wide range of cultural and creative sectors, as well as encouraging co-operation and exchanges amongst cultural organisations and artists at European level. The cross-sectoral strand aims at reinforcing collaboration between the different cultural and creative sectors, in order to help them address the common challenges they face and find innovative new solutions.
Through the previous media funding programme from 2014 to 2020, €13 million was awarded to more 80 Irish companies across film, documentary, animation, TV and, more recently, in video games sectors. Almost €2 million of the overall €13 million was awarded to the audiovisual and video games companies in the west of Ireland, with €500,000 invested in Gaeltacht companies, representing 3.8% of the total Creative Europe media funding to Ireland.
Beneficiaries include the Cork International Film Festival, the Galway Film Fair, all of Cartoon Saloon’s Oscar-nominated animated features and, recently, Element Pictures’ Oscar-winner, "The Favourite".
Through the culture funding strand, 98 Irish organisations were involved in projects and activities, with more than €6.3 million coming directly to these organisations. The successful projects featuring Irish partners covered a range of art forms including visual arts, dance, music, theatre, literature, circus, craft, architecture, design and cultural heritage. Some notable and interesting projects include: Craft Hub, led by Carlow County Council; Cultural Adaptations with Axis, Ballymun, and Codema, Dublin; and Keychange, with First Music Contact and the Irish Music Rights Organisation, IMRO.
Despite the delayed launch of the first funding calls in June 2021 and a shortened application window, the 2021 results for Ireland have been very positive. While all results are not yet available, the funding total for Ireland to date is €4.6 million: nearly €2.3 million from the media strand; over €1.8 million through the culture strand, and €540,000 under the cross-sectoral strand.
I will now turn to innovations in the new programme. There are a number of welcome changes to the programme intended to facilitate greater access and offer more targeted supports to the cultural and creative sectors across Europe, recognised by the EU as having been adversely affected by the Covid-19 crisis. The expanded programme provides new opportunities for the Irish cultural and creative sectors including higher co-financing rates in order to expand access to the programme; support for artists and creative professionals to apply directly under the artists’ mobility strand; support for new sectors such as news media, fashion and sustainable tourism; creative innovation lab; support for journalism partnerships and media freedom and pluralism; stronger emphasis on transnational creation and innovation to make the audiovisual and cultural sectors more globally competitive; targeted sectoral supports including the music, architecture, and cultural heritage sectors across Europe; European media and audiovisual action plan; and media invest, which is a new equity fund designed to help fund the post-pandemic recovery of Europe's audiovisual industry, to be launched in May of this year.
Creative Europe Desk Ireland is the designated contact point for the Creative Europe Programme 2021 – 2027. The national co-ordinator for the desk is Screen Ireland, which is delegated by the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, and there are three information desks focusing on the cultural and creative sectors across Ireland. The cultural office is based in the Arts Council and is funded by the Creative Europe programme with matched funding from the Arts Council. Katie Lowry and Aoife Tunney are joint heads of the culture office.
The MEDIA office in Dublin is a company limited by guarantee and has an autonomous board of directors. The office is funded by the Creative Europe programme with matched core funding from RTÉ and Screen Ireland, and receives funding from the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland, BAI, sectoral development fund for events. Orla Clancy is the head of the MEDIA office in Dublin, which has a national remit to advise the audiovisual sectors on the Creative Europe programme. The MEDIA office in Galway is a company limited by guarantee and has an autonomous board of directors. The office is funded by the Creative Europe programme with matched core funding from Údarás na Gaeltachta, TG4, Screen Ireland and Ardán, and receives funding from the BAI sectoral fund. Eibhlín Ní Mhunghaile is the head of the MEDIA office in Galway and works closely with the Dublin office, while also prioritising the audiovisual sectors in the Gaeltacht regions and the west of Ireland focusing on Irish-language projects.
The three offices share responsibility for the cross-sectoral strand of the programme and work together to promote the calls, which include the Creative Innovation Lab and a new news initiative with funding calls for journalism partnerships and media literacy.
The remit of the desk is to promote the programmes at local, regional and national level and to provide expert advice and assistance to the Irish cultural, creative and audiovisual sectors in order to facilitate Irish participation in the programme. The desk gives expert advice on how to access Creative Europe funding and works closely with the companies and organisations in the respective sectors to ensure that they submit high quality funding applications.
The desk has an important role in representing the Creative Europe programme on a national and European level and feeds into the European dialogue on EU AV policy. The desk is a key interface between the Irish cultural and creative sectors and the European Commission. It also collaborates closely with the European and national agencies and stakeholders on relevant policy initiatives and strategy.
That is our opening statement. The team is here and happy to answer any questions the committee may have.
I thank Ms McGrane. I appreciate that. The witnesses are all very welcome.
I thank Ms McGrane and all of the panel. I have two general policy questions. One relates to the development of Creative Europe post Brexit, with the UK having decided to no longer take part in this programme. There is substantial collaboration between Irish artists in the creative industry here and artists in the UK. Where do the witnesses see co-operation developing? How can we ensure that will continue, particularly with the UK's decision not to take part in the programme?
The second question is specifically about audiovisual matters. As the witnesses are probably aware, the Seanad will, later today, debate Committee Stage of the Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill. One issue in the transposition of the audiovisual media services directive is the question of the content levy and the extent to which we may be able to use it for further content creation and Irish production. Will the witnesses give their thoughts about how we can respond to issues relating to Brexit and the content levy?
Ms Katie Lowry
I will start from the culture side of things to give context to the collaboration of Ireland and the UK in the latest programme. The programme sets out a need for geographic diversity. Historically, the UK was not our main partner in culture. Ireland partnered with a diverse range of countries, involving 34 out of 40 or 41 participating. The latest seven-year programme ran from 2014 to 2020. A total of 300 partner organisations were involved with Irish projects. Only 52 were from the UK, which represented approximately 17% of all projects. Two were from Northern Ireland. We are conscious that Brexit has been a devastating change for the culture sector here, but the UK was not the mainstay or pillar of partnerships in the latest programme. The Creative Europe desk has worked with organisations based in the UK or Northern Ireland that have relocated and incorporated here to take part in the programme.
How many have done that?
Ms Katie Lowry
Four directly. We have had many queries, but four have set up here. Unfortunately, we cannot publicise the latest ones, because we know them in confidence, but there are two, one of which was based in Northern Ireland and relocated here, while one was based in the UK and relocated here. There is scope within the programme for UK artists and cultural workers to be involved, but they are now designated as a third party. That collaboration will continue. That is the culture background to the question.
Will the witnesses address the content levy?
Ms Teresa McGrane
I might address Brexit first if that is okay. The UK exited the Creative Europe programme. Ms Ní Mhunghaile can speak more about how that worked and the previous co-operation between Ireland and the UK, which is now more limited. It is important to note that the instruments to allow co-operation between Ireland and the UK are Council of Europe instruments, so they have not really been changed by Brexit. A UK-Ireland audiovisual co-production is still covered by the Council of Europe's European Convention on Cinematographic Co-Production. That has remained intact and the relationship is preserved, although Brexit has created certain difficulties relating to the movement of goods between Ireland and the UK. The instrument that protects that relationship is still intact. I ask Ms Ní Mhunghaile to address the Creative Europe programme.
Ms Eibhlín Ní Mhunghaile
The media side is different to culture because, in most cases, stand-alone companies apply directly. They do not need the same level of partnership that the culture side of the programme needs. That being said, we have a new scheme under the new programme called European co-development. For single projects, companies are obliged to work with a company in another EU country. It would have been useful, particularly for the Irish language, if the UK was still involved, because Irish language companies tend to work with Scotland and Wales often, while English language companies have many contacts in the UK. Nevertheless, on the audiovisual side, people are at the markets and work internationally. It is not a major problem to work with other European countries. There are slight complications relating to distribution. Ireland has always been bundled in with the UK as a territory for distribution. It is slightly more complicated for a European distributor to distribute a European film within Ireland and not have the UK attached. That will evolve and change in time as people adjust to new business models because of Brexit.
The only other adverse effect that we have seen in the first year of the programme is in the television programming scheme, where organisations can apply for funding for up to 20% of the production budget of television and online projects. Some of the television companies that broadcast in multiple territories are based in London, so that element of the funding is not considered eligible. It has caused an eligibility problem for at least one company that I know of. That is the reality, which we all have to adjust to and deal with as it is.
I am conscious that I am over time. I ask for a brief response on the content levy and how the witnesses envisage it operating. It would be useful to inform our debates.
Ms Teresa McGrane
Will the Senator repeat the question on the content levy?
The AVMSD provides for a content levy to be introduced on streaming services here with a view to supporting independent production in Ireland and possibly partnering with some of the companies that the witnesses are working with in the audiovisual sector. From their perspective, how do they think that would best operate? If we legislate or provide for this content levy to be introduced, how would it best operate to help to support content creation and independent production companies in Ireland?
Ms Teresa McGrane
The introduction of a content levy is among the most important audiovisual legislation to come into Ireland since the establishment of the Irish Film Board, the tax incentive for film production and the establishment of TG4. It is a significant development and Screen Ireland welcomes it. We see a content levy having the most impact by moving Irish content makers, production companies and creators out of a difficult situation with putting together finance for projects and making the industry one of scale. This is the most important thing that the levy could contribute towards. It contributes to the long-term sustainability of the industry and to being able to make projects at a larger scale.
It is no secret that this audiovisual marketplace we are working in at present is incredibly overcrowded. It is very noisy and there is a lot of content out there for content to rise to the top.
Ms Teresa McGrane
If we are looking at Irish companies and looking at some of the work that, perhaps, Cartoon Saloon has done, they need to compete on the international stage. Projects have to be financed at scale and one must be able to access talent at scale. If there was a wish that the content levy could address, we started as a cottage industry and we now have some scale in the industry and the wish is to move that into much more internationally-focused, sustainable projects of scale. That is how I see it.
I thank our guests. I have two questions. In 2018 or 2019, or possibly before that, the European Commission, through Creative Europe, provided a fund of €120 million for a cultural and creative guarantee fund to be managed by the European Investment Fund on behalf of the Commission. The expectation was that this would generate hundreds of millions of euro in lending to the creative and cultural sector. I am not sure if a financial intermediary was ever approved in this State, but perhaps our guests could shed light on that and if there is a need for such a fund again or if there is one in place. I would appreciate any comments they have on that.
The second question is a general one about Irish partners' performance in co-operation projects. How have the past couple of years been for Irish partners in co-operation projects? How have they performed in accessing Creative Europe funding? What are the principal obstacles to arts and cultural organisations that either hope to apply for or apply for Creative Europe funding? Are they networking costs and travel costs? In the past, there would have been calls for research and development funding from the Government aimed at domestic artists and organisations. Is there anything, therefore, the State can be doing to increase the draw down of EU funds for Irish partners?
Ms Eibhlín Ní Mhunghaile
I will take the question on the guarantee fund. The guarantee fund was launched in 2016 for the cultural and creative sectors. It proved to be very successful. It was operated by the EIF and additional funding was provided on two different occasions. In the end the final amount that was allocated to it was €258 million. It was expected that approximately €2.5 billion would be leveraged through that fund. It was a guarantee fund guaranteeing bank loans or loans from other financial institutions. Unfortunately, although we had briefed the Irish banks on multiple occasions and we also had a briefing with the Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland, SBCI, there was a focus particularly on Brexit at that time and no Irish bank or financial intermediary participated. However, there were a number of banks in Europe and some Irish projects, particularly on the audiovisual side, were supported through the French banks, with which we do a lot of business anyway.
Since the most recent programme ended in 2020, that financial instrument has moved into InvestEU and is no longer part of Creative Europe. There are 14 different sectors covered within InvestEU and one is devoted to the cultural and creative sectors. It is no longer in Creative Europe and we do not have a remit to promote it anymore. However, next week at the Cannes Film Festival it is due to launch another instrument called Media Invest. It is different from the guarantee fund of the latest programme, which was aimed at bank loans. This will be about equity investment. It will be to support SMEs to access equity investment by having a similar leveraging fund available. We do not have the detail of that because it is due to be launched next week, but once it is launched we hope to promote it in Ireland and to deal with different agencies involved with equity investment, such as Enterprise Ireland and the Western Development Commission. Of course, we also liaise with Screen Ireland and Screen Producers Ireland.
Ms Katie Lowry
I thank the Senator for his question. It is really the hundred million euro question. This is the core of our work and it is great to be able to speak to that. Under the past programmes, Ireland's participation has constantly been increasing, which has been great to see. If we look at the latest programme across co-operation projects, which is the main funding strand, and support for European platforms for emerging artists and literary translation, 80 projects received funding, representing 78 Irish organisations. This was a significant result and in cash terms it is approximately €5.2 million. The main profile for Ireland's participation for as long as I have been in the job has been as a partner. When one talks about a lead and a partner, a lead is really an administrative lead but the partnership is considered an equal artistic partnership by the Commission. It is important to emphasise that. There has been a lot of alignment here nationally, and Ms Tunney can speak to this later, among funding agencies in terms of policy or strategic priorities that are aligning quite clearly with what Creative Europe wants to fund, so Ireland is very well positioned.
Regarding some of the main barriers, historically these are large-scale partnership projects that require match funding and that has always been a barrier. My colleague, Ms O'Callaghan, from the Arts Council, can speak to Arts Council supports, but one of the key innovations of the new programme that is going to be significant is that the Commission has raised the amount that it will put into a project. The maximum for the small scale, for example, would be 80%, so now an Irish organisation might only have to raise 20% of the budget. That is significant. Overall, European funding is bureaucratic, as many of the committee members probably have experience with either themselves or through their network of contacts. It is a technical process. Applications take a lot of work and a long time, and capacity is an issue. That is one that we work to a lot in the Creative Europe desk.
In Ireland, there will be organisations applying to take part in and deliver pan-European projects, but they are also delivering significant volumes of national work to their base here. Capacity is an issue and we work a lot on that in the desk with our clients. One of the things we always tell people is that if they want to take part in a European project as a small or micro arts, culture or heritage organisation, they need to start working it into their longer-term planning and talk to their board and their funders. If somebody is going to make an application under the Creative Europe culture strand, it will probably take at least a year. It involves long-term planning and assessing honestly one's own resources and seeing how they can be apportioned or allocated to a European project. That is a lot of our work. On the technical side of the process, that is what we are funded to do. On an ongoing basis we will give a great deal of one-to-one support around the deadline and going through applications with people, but we also run technical workshops.
One of the things is that our geographical position makes it inherently more difficult to mount one of these projects. We are not based in the centre of Europe. We are three or four countries and a train journey away, so that is an issue. We found during the Covid-19 crisis that networking and partner searching is happening virtually, which has been brilliant.
The other thing that enables organisations in the arts and culture sector to get funding is that we have quite a strong infrastructure of arts centres, venues and funded organisations. In 2016, it was brilliant to see that the Arts Council piloted a Creative Europe co-funding award. Within the Creative Europe programme and all the countries taking part, you find that a number of them have dedicated funds for organisations that achieve Creative Europe funding. The Arts Council created that fund in 2016, not only to support organisations that have achieved the funding but also to act as an incentive to help organisations start to imagine these types of projects.
Ms Stephanie O'Callaghan
I thank the committee for the opportunity to come here. As Ms Lowry stated, in consultation with colleagues, we recognised in the Arts Council that the requirement to raise funding domestically was becoming an impediment, even at the outset, for organisations to even consider making applications. In 2016 we introduced a co-fund which provided successful applications to the Creative Europe programme with co-funding for the activities that occurred in Ireland. That has been successful to date and so far 25 applicants have been awarded nearly €600,000 in that co-funding award. That has realised total EU grants of just over €1.7 million, with an Irish spend of just under €1.2 million, and it has seen projects funded in Dublin, Galway, Cork, Kilkenny, Limerick and Waterford. That has given the programme a momentum because from its introduction in 2016, its success has bred success and it has demonstrated to other would-be applicants that this was available and in a way it cut out one of those other barriers to making a project successful in Ireland. We intend to continue with that because the evidence to date suggests it is working well and is breaking down one of those other barriers to engaging with the programme. We will continue to deliver that. It is a key part of the Arts Council's commitment to develop work internationally and to support international collaboration, which we would see within the EU and in the context of the UK as well, to refer to the earlier question. We have other supports that we make available and we encourage that through our policies.
If Senator Warfield is happy with that we will move on. I call Deputy Cannon.
I thank the witnesses for their enlightening presentation. The questions I will ask are based on the fact that the witnesses operate at the cutting edge of the promotion of Irish culture internationally. I want to get the witnesses' wisdom and observations on a couple of things. Video games were mentioned. I refer to what we are trying to do to drive job creation and innovation in our regions. We recently discovered the power of remote working, which was somewhat forced upon us, and we are now drawing conclusions as to the power it can have in the future. If the witnesses were in a position to shape the Irish landscape for the promotion and development of video game creation outside our larger urban centres, how would they go about doing that or are we destined to have that happening in our urban centres? Is there a creative ecosystem that only allows it to happen in larger urban centres?
Ms McGrane spoke about sustainable tourism and I am wondering where the crossover point where culture evolves into sustainable tourism is? What is the nexus whereby we can promote sustainable tourism? Again, I would argue for initiatives like Ireland's Hidden Heartlands. I was recently cycling around north Roscommon and south Leitrim, which have stunning landscapes that are not well promoted, and those areas do not avail of the opportunities available in tourism internationally. If you look at what happened in Loop Head over the past ten years or so, a group down there has won numerous awards for its sustainable tourism offering. How can this programme support the development of other such models around the country? What sort of interaction, if any, happens between programme directors like our guests and our local authority arts officers throughout the country?
From the witnesses' engagement at EU level, is there a country or countries that are seen as the exemplars in how best to maximise the opportunities presenting to this programme. If so, what are they doing that we are not doing? If Ireland is not an exemplar, what support would the witnesses need, as individuals, to ensure that it can be an exemplar?
Ms Teresa McGrane
I might take some of those questions, the first of which was on video games. The video game sector presents an exciting opportunity for new audiovisual work to come out of Ireland. We have quite a healthy and young video games industry. Interestingly, much of it is located in the west of Ireland. From Screen Ireland's point of view, the other witnesses will be aware that the Government has approved a new tax incentive for video games, similar to the film production tax incentive. That is going through EU approval for the cultural test and hopefully that will be rolled out towards the end of the year. We are positive about what the impacts of the tax incentive will be. As the Deputy points to sustainable job creation, the video game sector is one that can do that. In the last 18 months, Screen Ireland has rolled out a number of hubs. One is in Galway and it is a film and TV talent hub and another is the animation hub for the animation sector. Because the industry has been growing so much, we have rolled out three crew hubs in Limerick, Wicklow and Galway. It is our intention to roll out a video games hub, the location of which is the subject of discussion. This will act as a hub to train up the next generation of video gamers. Many great things are happening in the video games world.
I might hand over to my colleagues to talk about sustainable tourism, although I could take about film tourism. Perhaps that is not the same thing.
Ms Aoife Tunney
I will respond from a Creative Europe point of view and talk about our cultural area of work. In the European Year of Cultural Heritage 2018, the Deputy might remember that there was a large programme of events in Ireland which connected back to a pan-European programme of events. On foot of that, it was recognised that cultural heritage in Ireland and across Europe was an underdeveloped or under-recognised area of work and that there were innovative possibilities there for development. In this programme, it has been a sector that has been specified as a priority, under specifically co-operating projects where 20% of the budget is allocated to target that area and to look at qualitatively implementing the European heritage label, which looks at heritage sites and increasing their visibility and impact.
Built heritage.
Ms Aoife Tunney
Yes, and, as Ms Lowry mentioned, intangible heritage. Sustainable tourism is a way to bring visibility to that. There are a huge number of priorities or guidelines given as to how it will be rolled out but that is the plan for this programme. The budget is directly allocated to that.
Ms Stephanie O'Callaghan
What I wanted to say does not specifically relate to Creative Europe but it is more in the context of the role that the Arts Council has in looking at this. Sustainable tourism is not quite the motivation around it but the Arts Council seeks to support festivals on a year-round basis. The Arts Council makes a significant contribution to arts festivals, both major festivals and the over 150 small festivals throughout the country.
Moreover, there is wonderful infrastructure of arts centres and venues throughout the country.
The Arts Council has an almost 40-year partnership with the local authorities and, in fact, was instrumental in setting up the arts officer role in 1985. It seeks to animate local communities and areas, with spin-off effects regarding wider tourism and other benefits in that regard. I thought I should nakedly grab the opportunity to outline some of the ongoing work we are doing in that regard.
Ms Eibhlín Ní Mhunghaile
To add to what Ms McGrane said about video games and the Deputy's question about the regional possibilities in that context, almost half of the funding in the previous programme went to games companies in the west. There is a cluster of games companies in Galway, including a famous US company, Romero Games, that moved there, although, obviously, it is not eligible for the funding. Independent companies there have received support, some of them on more than one occasion. Furthermore, a company in Ramelton, Donegal, has received support. Because it is computer based, it is the kind of industry that could locate anywhere. The companies tend to cluster together naturally given everyone needs peers in their work, but there are definitely possibilities.
Only €6 million annually from the entire Creative Europe programme goes to video games. The programme supports only a particular type of video game, namely, those that have a narrative component from beginning to end. They are the kinds of projects that are nearest to audiovisual. Nevertheless, the industry has significant potential. I expect many more companies will access the funding available under the current programme.
I thank our guests for their interesting presentations and for the amazing work they are doing. My question relates to Screen Ireland in general, but there may be an opportunity to tie it in with the issue of Creative Europe funding as well. It concerns the potential for funding small to medium-scale film and TV studios. Our guests referred earlier to the innovation programme, transnational creations and audiovisual content creation. From the fantastic brochure outlining the various projects in which Screen Ireland has been involved, it is clear much drama and television has been invested in.
I come from west Cork - the other committee members will roll their eyes to heaven because I talk about west Cork and what is going there at every opportunity I get - and some of the productions Screen Ireland has funded have been shot there. That includes "Sparrow" and "Float Like a Butterfly", which was made by Carmel Winters from just west of Skibbereen and which is an amazing film. Screen Ireland is involved in individual projects, but could that be extended such that it could get involved in, invest in and fund the setting-up of film and television studios? There is a project in Skibbereen at the moment and it has blown my mind because I had not realised west Cork was so full of film and television expertise, from art directors and designers to producers. I am not even referring to David Puttnam or Jeremy Irons; they do not even come into the equation. The expertise also includes set-makers, carpenters and artists in general, who are everywhere in west Cork. They have come together with the idea of creating a small to medium-sized television studio in Skibbereen that could take on large productions. They have just been granted planning permission to convert a furniture-manufacturing unit into a TV studio, so the building is already there. To get it up and running, however, they need funding for sound-proofing, lighting and the various other aspects that constitute a TV studio.
I am not sure whether my question fits within the parameters of Creative Europe, but I certainly think Screen Ireland should get involved in this. It is predicted that the total cost will amount to about €1.5 million for the conversion of this furniture-manufacturing unit into a studio that could take on large-scale productions from the likes of Netflix, Apple, Amazon and a range of streaming or non-streaming producers. Could funding be invested in that type of project, as opposed to just in individual films and television series?
Ms Teresa McGrane
A couple of years ago, we dug down into our ability to fund studios and our funds come under the 2013 Cinema Communication. It is project based and relates to funding for production and development, training and some specific industry initiatives. It does not extend to funding studios, which is an industrial activity under the Cinema Communication, which expressly states that is not covered. Our funds are not state-aid approved to do that. The Deputy mentioned projects in which we have been involved, such as "Sparrow", "Float Like a Butterfly", and "Holding", the adaptation of Graham Norton's book. Many of the projects we have worked on have been in west Cork, and I am familiar with the set-up in Skibbereen the Deputy referred to. We can fund projects to locate there but we are not involved in the bricks and mortar.
Where else can these projects turn? An Ireland Strategic Investment Fund of €150 million, State money essentially, has gone towards a €300 million project in Greystones. That is a massive project, ad it probably will not be delivered for a number of years because it will have to go through the process. In west Cork, there is an almost shovel-ready project, whereby a building that already exists could be converted for very little funding, but there is nowhere for it to turn for help. We can imagine the very significant direct and indirect benefit from bringing these productions to a smaller town such as Skibbereen, which is close to many incredible locations, from Kinsale in the east to the Beara Peninsula in the west, where filming could be done. If not to Screen Ireland, where can these projects go?
Ms Teresa McGrane
That is not the easiest question to answer. The Ireland Strategic Investment Fund has attached to some projects but, of course, they have to be able to demonstrate a commercial return. In some instances, including Limerick, the local county council took the initiative to secure the site, which was the old Dell site in the case of Limerick. Funding has come from a number of sources. When the infrastructure is in place, Screen Ireland can then come to the table and, as the Deputy suggested, harness the talent in the local area and provide project funding, but it is not the most straightforward of questions to answer. The county council has to play an important part. In the case of the Limerick model, that is what happened.
Ms Eibhlín Ní Mhunghaile
I might add that although we do not yet know the detail of it, the new scheme Media Invest could be interesting in terms of equity investment. While it is not listed in the brochure, a company in west Cork known, Harvest Films, was supported under the previous programme for a film called “Silence” and it is indirectly involved in a project that was supported in the previous programme, namely, the adaptation of John McGahern's That They May Face The Rising Sun that is currently being filmed in Leitrim. A Kerry company, South Wind Blows, received the funding for that but it is in co-production with Harvest Films.
The list of projects funded is amazing. Ms McGrane referred to "Holding". It was shot mainly in the small village of Drimoleague, which is my father's home village. I hope I do not upset anyone in Drimoleague by saying there was not much going on there previously. Next thing, these Hollywood stars came to town and it brought a vibrancy to the village. There was definitely an added benefit. One can imagine the benefit that would come from having a studio in west Cork.
Ms Aoife Tunney
We do not cover capital grants within Creative Europe specifically but we are discussing more Structural Funds at EU level. INTERREG is an example of funding for which projects could consider applying because it relates to infrastructure and development across Europe. My colleague reminded me not to forget another west Cork project, namely, READ ON, that we funded in the most recent programme, which is great.
My apologies again for being absent for our guests' initial presentations. I have tried to quickly catch up. This is so exciting. Much of it is new to me. I want to focus on promoting the work our guests do and engaging with organisations. I am looking at the map produced by Europa Cinemas, which is really interesting. Sadly, I do not see too much happening in the Border area from which I come or in the midlands. Why is that the case? Why is that engagement lacking there? I refer to the Garage Theatre. I know there is a kind of a network. Why are the Garage Theatre in Monaghan or Townhall Cavan not involved in this? Our guests have kind of answered my question. I do not know if they are familiar with Maccana Teoranta. It is a film company in Cavan that is really innovative, energetic and dynamic and has big ideas. There is that gap in the Border region. To where does one go to get the moneys to get the physical infrastructure in place to nurture the talent and give the crews an opportunity to get up and running in that area? As was stated, they probably all tend to cluster together because that offers peer support. I ask our guests to comment on that.
On education, this may have been covered while I was absent from the meeting. Is there any way for schools to be involved in the work being done on the ground in the context of a creative Europe? How is that being nurtured? How is the information being disseminated into schools and education? Which of our guests would like to go first on all of that?
Ms Eibhlín Ní Mhunghaile
I will answer the question on Europa Cinemas and the map it has produced. Basically, Europa Cinemas is funded through Creative Europe to provide supports to European cinemas that programme a high proportion of non-national European films. Access Cinema is an Irish organisation-----
I know it well.
Ms Eibhlín Ní Mhunghaile
-----that receives support for exhibiting European films and the-----
It gets the funding from-----
Ms Eibhlín Ní Mhunghaile
It gets funding from Europa Cinemas. Creative Europe funds Europa Cinemas and it, in turn, funds individual cinemas throughout Europe. Access Cinema is involved in many more film societies-----
It was in and out of the Garage Theatre when I worked there.
Ms Eibhlín Ní Mhunghaile
-----than are listed there but those are the cinemas that are showing European films via Access Cinema. That may be why some cinemas are omitted from the list.
What was the Chairman's second question?
I was endorsing the remarks of Deputy Christopher O'Sullivan regarding to where companies can go to get that infrastructure funding in place. I acknowledge what Ms Tunney stated in respect of INTERREG. In my area, we also had the avenue or opportunity of PEACE funding, which sometimes can do that too.
My third question was on education. How do our guests promote the work they do? How do artists get to know about Creative Europe and engage with that process? Is it happening within schools? Is there a spin-off or benefit for schools in the context of awareness of Creative Europe and the European project in that regard?
Ms Eibhlín Ní Mhunghaile
To go back to the question on companies in Border regions not accessing support, the bar is very high on the media side to be able to access the funding. One needs to have a proven international track record. It is not for newcomers; it is for companies that already have an established reputation and a track record of distributing projects internationally. As a desk, what we often do for companies that are not ready or in a position to access the funding is to direct them to European training programmes. There is a training initiative within the media strand but it is aimed at upskilling professionals rather than at second level or undergraduates at third level. It is more training than education. We can direct newcomers or people starting out to those training programmes. They are often high-level European training programmes. It is where they meet their European peers, find-----
They get the opportunity to network and make those relationships.
Ms Eibhlín Ní Mhunghaile
Exactly. People find their co-producers by going to training programmes------
Who is the contact in Ireland for that?
Ms Eibhlín Ní Mhunghaile
We promote all the training programmes.
Creative Europe does that at the desk.
Ms Eibhlín Ní Mhunghaile
Yes. Under the media literacy call last year, NUI Galway received support under the creative innovation lab for a project. It is kind of developing digital tools that will help promote European cinema and it can also be used towards second level schools. It is developing digital tools that could be used and replicated across Europe. Apart from that, support is more directed towards professionals working in the industry. We do not really get involved at that level of second level schools. It does not really come under the remit of the media strand but it may come under the culture side.
Ms Katie Lowry
We are a two-headed hydra - my colleague and I are conferring. I will speak to the Chairman's point in respect of children and young people in schools and promotion. I do not have the details to hand but a significant number of projects supported under the Creative Europe culture strand engage actively with children and young people in schools and other settings. We referenced the READ ON project in west Cork. That was delivered on the ground. The project rationale related to young teenage boys having stopped reading. It was about how to address that on a pan-European level. The West Cork Chamber Music Festival partnered with Cork county library to deliver a programme of events in schools. There are numerous projects such as that. It is to be hoped that the projects are planting seeds among that constituency.
Is it also planting the seed of how important Europe is?
Ms Katie Lowry
Yes, 100%. I tell people that before they start thinking about the application form and what they have to do; it is a hearts and minds exercise. European funding is there to deliver on social and political ideals. In the context of the regions - Ms Tunney and Ms O'Callaghan may wish to come in on this as well - the paradox is that this is very large-scale funding but the best projects are delivered at a local level. Nothing makes the Commission happier than a project that is in a community that might not have access to these types of arts activities or have seen a lot of EU funding.
On that point, I have spent months as part of the Conference on the Future of Europe in Strasbourg. That is from where I am coming. The worrying part is that young people may feel disconnected from the whole European project and not realise the benefit that being part of Europe is for us. From what our guests are telling me - it is all news to me - there is significant opportunity in what they are doing and how that can nurture the importance of being part of that bigger picture. Are we achieving that?
Ms Katie Lowry
We are not the youth funding programme. The committee may wish to hold another meeting on the Erasmus+ programme, which is the main youth funding programme. This is the European Year of Youth, so-----
When Creative Europe is delivering projects such as the one in west Cork to which reference was made, how much emphasis is given to the organisations that are delivering in terms of emphasising that this is part of a bigger picture of a creative Europe and nurturing that ethos?
This is with regard to the concept that this is not just another music project we are part of, but that it is a very special project that is funded by Europe.
Ms Katie Lowry
This is a major part of it.
How does this manifest in a project?
Ms Katie Lowry
It is a big part of the activities. What happens relates to platforming non-national European work. It is about European artists. It is a constant exchange. It is about European artists and European artworks being seen by an Irish audience. It is also about Irish artists or cultural workers travelling to Europe in exchange. To be funded by Creative Europe the core has to be that the project could not happen nationally.
I get that. The artists will be very aware of what they are doing, why they are doing it and who is funding it. I am thinking beyond that to the audiences.
Ms Katie Lowry
I went to a show in the Ark that was part of a large-scale European initiative called the BIG BANG project. There was a festival about a month ago. I went with my two children. It involved European musicians. The audience saw work that was probably quite different for them. This exposure is happening because audiences are seeing things that they would not necessarily see otherwise.
This exposure is exactly what I am talking about. We have become a little bit complacent about where we are and about the next generation's appreciation of being part of Europe. We saw what happened with Brexit.
Ms Katie Lowry
It is certainly worth further discussion or investigation. The Erasmus+ programme deals with higher level education. It also delivers youth and adult vocational programmes. Some of the funding is managed here at Irish level. This is different to Creative Europe. Léargas is the national authority. It is the contact point for the European Year of Youth. A huge part of the year is about giving children and young people visibility of European projects and activities. I will send on contact details and links after the meeting. I will ask Ms Tunney to speak about promotion.
Ms Aoife Tunney
Between the media and culture offices, we collaborate and hold joint events. We also have individual events. Our last report showed we had 78 events over the course of the year. As Ms Lowry pointed out, they are not specifically for a youth audience. Our funding is not directly for this. Each project has up to a maximum of ten partners throughout Europe. We have showcasing for every event, such as those in the Ark or projects funded through PUSH+, for example, to cover what has been happening. In our promotion, we try to showcase projects. It is the best way for people to understand how it works, who collaborates with whom, what the programme is about and how it can be accessed. It is mostly about accessing funding, but it is also about the promotion and dissemination of information on the projects.
With regard to the policy priorities in Europe, we spoke earlier about how our national policies have been aligning with European policies. Many of these are about sustainability, the environment, climate action, inclusivity and diversity. We work with these priorities. They come into our promotion of programmes and events. We are looking at various media and cultural events this year. These are the information points and detail that we want all audiences, including young audiences, to know about and be part of. Creative Europe promotes this. They are the real priorities that are very important in general with regard to how cultural projects can be part of this and contribute to it.
Ms Katie Lowry
The Chair spoke specifically about the Border region and some of the counties and areas that are not as represented in European funding. This is a real consideration. Prior to Covid we often programmed events to serve these regions. Ms O'Callaghan might speak about how the Arts Council provides national funding. It is important to recognise this.
Ms Stephanie O'Callaghan
There is the national funding infrastructure. The Chair mentioned the Garage Theatre. The Arts Council funds it as part of its arts centre infrastructure. This is tilting away from the conversation on Creative Europe. The Arts Council recently published a spatial strategy looking at equality of opportunity and the breath and balance of opportunity for access to arts and culture. We are very mindful in what we fund that there is a spread and that there is access to arts and culture through the supports and funding provided by the Arts Council.
With regard to the point on information and how people hear about Creative Europe, the more successful we are and the more Irish organisations are successful in drawing down funding and have successful projects, the more it will be self-perpetuating for other organisations that are tentative or apprehensive about it. The evidence of success is the best sell for organisations.
May I ask a question?
Ms Stephanie O'Callaghan
Audiences want to experience the best of culture and best of art. When it comes from other countries it enhances the experience and richness of the experience. It might be too much for them to make distinctions between performers. Certainly the enhanced experience is evidence of greater co-operation.
Creative Europe's programme for 2021 to 2027 was launched in May of last year. With regard to the size of projects funded by Creative Ireland, will the witnesses give an indication of where they start and what is the top end? Perhaps it is not a fair question and the witnesses cannot answer it,
Ms Eibhlín Ní Mhunghaile
On the media side the programme has changed a little. In the previous programme small companies could receive support of €25,000 for a documentary. It could be this small. Companies could apply for Slate funding for between three and five projects and receive a maximum of €210,000. These amounts have increased in the current programme. The amount for Slate funding has increased to a maximum of €100,000 per project. This is for high-end TV dramas. There is a sliding scale up to this maximum. What has changed in the programme is that small documentary companies can no longer apply for a one-off project. These companies must now apply with a company in another European country. This makes it slightly more complex but it encourages networking and collaboration throughout Europe. This is the upside of the new scheme.
I thank the witnesses. I have to say the meeting has been educational. I am very excited because we need to promote the work Creative Europe is doing.
We need to make our audiences, constituents, peoples and children more aware of the benefits of being part of Europe and we could not ask for a better avenue to nurture that than the work the witnesses do.
I thank Ms Pathe, clerk to the committee, and the secretariat for creating the opportunity to have the witnesses in. We should, and will, do it again. A funding stream was launched in June and the witnesses are going through the applications at the moment. Is that correct?
Ms Eibhlín Ní Mhunghaile
The programme was officially launched in May 2021 and the calls were launched in June. We have results for some of those calls, but not all. Those results are not official yet but we will announce some of them soon. New calls and deadlines are here for the 2022 work programme but we will not have those results until later in the year.
Where are those calls advertised?
Ms Eibhlín Ní Mhunghaile
They are advertised in the European journal and on the EU funding and tenders portal. We also have a website where they are all available. We direct them to the portal and do monthly newsletters and call alerts to our database, so people are informed that way.
Hopefully through the committee, the witnesses will get many more calls after this meeting and my colleagues will be more aware of what they are doing. We will be able to tell our constituents in creative industries to jump on and give themselves a chance of some funding.
I thank the witnesses for presenting. Hopefully we will have them back again soon to talk about some of the projects funded this time. I thank my colleagues for attending and the secretariat for organising the session. It was a long session for our folks who have had to listen to and record every word said since 1 p.m. I thank them for that.