I propose to take Questions Nos. 235, 239, 242 and 243 together.
The Government's policy on the arts is to promote and strengthen the arts in all its forms, to increase access to and participation in the arts, and to make the arts an integral and valued part of our national life.
Primary responsibility for the promotion and support of the arts at all levels throughout the country is devolved to the Arts Council. The Council is funded by my Department and is statutorily independent in its day-to-day operations, and specifically in its funding decisions. In 2014, the Arts Council received an allocation of over €56.8 million in funding and I have maintained that funding level for the Council in 2015.
The Arts Council supports for a range of arts forms are set out in its strategic overview documents, which are available on the Council's website at www.artscouncil.ie. These set out the key strategic principles that inform its funding decisions. Details of all funding provided by the Arts Council to arts practitioners, arts groups and venues, including arts centres, are also available on its website.
The Arts Council’s funded organisations contribute hugely to the cultural heritage of Ireland. The Council supports over 50 multidisciplinary venues (also supported by local authorities), large festivals (such as the Galway, Kilkenny and Earagail Arts Festivals), a significant number of artform specific festivals and up to 150 small-to-medium sized festivals spread all through the country.
In January 2013, the Arts in Education Charter was launched as a joint initiative with the Minister for Education and Skills. The Charter places new responsibilities on Government Departments, agencies, cultural institutions and arts organisations to provide and promote arts-in-education among children and young people.
A High Level Implementation Group, chaired by Professor John Coolahan, Professor Emeritus, NUI, Maynooth, was set up to oversee the implementation of the Arts in Education Charter. Progress is being made on a number of initiatives, including increasing the number of Artists in Residence
in colleges of education and developing a website/portal as a key communications and information channel for both the education and arts sectors. Suitable models for artists to become involved in the programme are also being examined by this Group.
There is a range of ways in which my Department is supporting arts, cultural and heritage initiatives in conjunction with local groups and communities. These include:
- The St. Patrick's Day celebrations;
- Culture Night;
- Heritage Week;
- Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann for the promotion of the Irish traditional arts;
- Web-based projects being developed by my Department to promote greater appreciation and understanding of Ireland's heritage for residents and visitors alike; and
- Funding by my Department to support the work of National Association of Principals and Deputy Principals (NAPD) in developing arts projects in second level schools.
A full list of capital, current and philanthropy payments made in 2013 by my Department is available on its website at www.ahg.ie. Further details are also available from the Arts Council website and from Culturefox , the free online arts events guide.
