Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 11 November 2021
158. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media if she will provide the funds necessary to build 500+ performance spaces in Dublin to address the dearth of such venues in Dublin; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [55230/21]
View answer173. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media her views on the absence of cultural spaces in Dublin specifically for performance and artistic exhibitions; and the actions she plans to take to address same. [55229/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 158 and 173 together.
I am not aware of research that identifies a shortage of performance spaces in Dublin of the scale to which the Deputy refers.
The Programme for Government contains a number of proposals under the heading Creative and Cultural Infrastructure which contain measures to increase the provision of affordable workspaces for artists and creative practitioners.
Progress is on-going in relation to provision of workspaces for artists and creative practitioners as well as delivery of the arts and culture capital infrastructure set out in Project Ireland 2040. Funding has been made available under the National Development Plan for a culture and creativity investment programme. This investment programme is closely aligned with the Creative Ireland Programme and includes a range of investments in regional arts and culture facilities which include a number of artists’ workspace projects among other initiatives. Based on this investment we can expect to see the delivery of significant redevelopments our National Cultural Institutions including the Abbey Theatre and the National Concert Hall as well as investments in regional arts and culture facilities.
Local authorities have important functions with respect to the provision of artists' work spaces. My Department has allocated up to €3 million to Dublin City Council for capital development of studio workspaces towards funding provided under the urban regeneration development fund on sites owned by the city council. This level of investment will be of significant benefit to artists in the area and address the deficit in artist workspaces in Dublin city.
Recent decades have seen the development of a nationwide infrastructure of venues and arts centres, many of which were initiated and funded by local authorities. These centres are also supported through capital schemes largely operated by my Department. Projects supported included the provision of new integrated art centres, theatres and studio space and the refurbishment of existing performance spaces. Support provided to these arts centres by local authorities and the Arts Council is critical to ensuring that a stable and vibrant network can be maintained. Capital funding schemes operated by my Department continue to be focused on enhancing this existing stock of arts and culture centres throughout the country. Recent capital schemes are being informed by the strategic Review of Arts Centres and Venues commissioned by the Arts Council and CCMA, as well as the Arts Council's published Arts Centre Policy and Strategy 2019, which sets out its funding criteria for arts centres from 2020 onwards.
The Cultural Capital Scheme 2019-2022 is a €4.7m capital investment scheme for arts and culture centres which is being administered by my Department. The scheme will run until 2022 and focuses on enhancing the existing stock of arts and culture centres throughout the country. Projects that provide additional capacity for artists and artistic production particularly in arts centres are favoured. The Cultural Capital Scheme 2019-2022 is constructed of a number of funding streams one of which is Stream C which is aimed at upgrading visual artists' workspaces and is run by Visual Artists Ireland (VAI) on behalf of my Department. Funding of approximately €79k was announced in October 2020 by VAI for Stream C to 10 applicants.
In response to Covid-19, capital funding towards the pilot Outdoor Public Space Scheme 2021 by my Department is intended to fund local authorities to adapt, equip or otherwise improve public spaces for cultural and events activities, taking account of public health guidelines and of the needs of the local arts community. Outdoor public spaces that can provide year-round use can improve well-being and contribute positively to the public realm.
The Deputy may be aware that I established the Night-Time Economy Taskforce on 30 July 2020 as one of the priority actions for the Department and on foot of a commitment in the Programme for Government. The report, which I help launched last September, contains recommendations that aim at having a more diverse and inclusive Night-Time Economy sector. These include bringing more venues into late night use by linking promoters and artists with existing spaces as well as increased collaboration across Government to deliver a high impact and well-functioning public realm to encourage more outdoor activities in the Night-Time Economy. The report is published on my Department’s website and can be accessed at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/publication/c1ba7-report-of-the-night-time-economy-taskforce/. Aligned with the Night-Time Economy report, the Arts Council plan to launch its spatial policy later which I understand will prioritise funding for new artist’s workspaces in 2022.
It should be noted that the Arts Council operates a number of schemes and initiatives that have been established for the particular support of visual arts, including the Visual Artists Workspace Scheme. The purpose of the Visual Artists Workspace Scheme is to support artists’ workspaces throughout the country to provide the best possible working environment for visual artists and, where feasible, to enable a level of subsidy for the artists working in these spaces.
County and city development plans are being drawn by local authorities and I understand that the new draft City Development Plan 2022 – 2028 for Dublin City Council proposes addressing the deficit in Artists Workspaces. This can be accessed at the following link: www.dublincity.ie/ga/node/8052
