Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 27 September 2017
44. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht her plans to increase Arts Council core funding by at least 20% in budget 2018, excluding oneoff commemorative events or Creative Ireland initiatives, in line with the calls from an organisation (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40531/17]
View answerThe national campaign for the arts has called on the Government to begin implementing a commitment to match average GDP spending on the arts and culture in the European Union. Will the Minister commit to increasing Arts Council funding by at least 20% in budget 2018, excluding once-off commemorative events or Creative Ireland initiatives, in line with the request by the national campaign?
The Deputy will appreciate that it is not possible for me to comment on the outcome of budgetary negotiations at this stage. However, the Government has already shown its determination to deliver on the commitment in A Programme for a Partnership Government to work to progressively increase funding to the arts, including the Arts Council and Irish Film Board, as the economy continues to improve. To this end, I secured significant additional funding for the Arts Council in budget 2017. The increase in the Arts Council's allocation in 2017 was €5 million or 8%. This will assist the council greatly in implementing its ten-year strategy, Making Great Art Work 2016-2025, including under its new funding framework.
In terms of the Creative Ireland programme, it is important to note that the Arts Council plays a central role in delivering the objectives of this all-of-Government initiative to mainstream creativity in the life of the nation. The programme is being led by my Department in partnership with other Departments and agencies, the national cultural institutions, the Arts Council, the Irish Film Board, local authorities, the third-level sector, arts and culture organisations, media organisations and relevant non-governmental organisations.
Significant progress has been achieved in the delivery of the ten actions identified for 2017, both it home and abroad. It is my intention to build on this progress by strengthening all aspects of our arts and cultural infrastructure, including the Arts Council, as resources permit.
I thank the Minister. As she is well aware, the increases of late have come from a low base. For seven years, the arts suffered severely. My understanding is that public funding for the arts and culture represents just 0.11% of GDP, which places Ireland at the bottom of the European league table. The average European level of funding is more than four times what we provide. While I am sure the Minister is doing the best with whatever money comes her way and she must work with what she has, is it not time that the Government took a more positive approach to the needs of the arts community? There should be a strong acknowledgment of the importance of the arts and their positive effect on a people. The money being provided to them does not reflect that, however.
We have been able to increase funding to arts organisations every year for the past three years, for example, the Arts Council, the Irish Film Board and cultural institutions. The arts were impacted upon by the economic downturn and the difficult time that we went through, but I am glad that we have been able to improve funding year on year. Through the Creative Ireland programme, we are putting culture and creativity at the heart of Government policy and Irish society. We have been able to introduce a number of initiatives that will benefit artists.
The Deputy mentioned the statistics. Our national statistics need to be improved if we are to make meaningful comparisons and an accurate input into EUROSTAT. Working on statistics takes resources though, and my focus has been on directing our resources towards supporting arts and cultural activities. I am committed to examining the issue of statistics, however, because Ireland does not have accurate data.
Through Creative Ireland, we are putting culture and creativity at the heart of Irish society. Under the five pillars, we will work with children and communities, work on investing in our cultural institutions, work on investing in and promoting media production, and project our image globally. A great deal is happening in this sector, which the sector welcomes, but there is always more to do. I will be making the case for the arts in the upcoming budget negotiations.
The pilot social welfare initiative has been a good idea, but it is confined to writers and visual artists, which means that it excludes many people. In a place like Dublin, a large number of artists occupy studios that are now closing because of high rents. While the economy is recovering, it is becoming more difficult for artists to survive. This specific issue should be examined. Consider Block T in Smithfield, the Joinery in Stoneybatter, the Exchange in Temple Bar and the Mabos studio on Hanover Quay, which is now occupied by Airbnb, a business that is one of the reasons rents have increased in the city centre. Many people from across the arts are being pushed out of these spaces, which creates difficulties.
Will the Minister consider this matter? Can we help to find spaces for these people, many of whom are being evicted because of rising rents?
I acknowledge that the Deputy has often raised with me the issue of giving artists social protection supports when they are out of work. I was delighted that the Government was able to launch the pilot initiative this year. It will allow self-employed artists who apply to the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection for jobseeker's allowance to avail of social welfare assistance when they need it. This was welcomed. It does not apply to everyone at the minute, as it is a pilot scheme for visual artists and writers. The initiative's design involved significant work by my Department, the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection and the Arts Council, which worked closely with us, as well as consultation with artists' representative organisations, specifically Visual Artists Ireland and the Irish Writers Centre. I was glad to be able to roll out this pilot initiative. We will review its outcomes at a later stage and, hopefully, improve on it.
I acknowledge that studio space is difficult to locate in the city. We are examining that matter.
