Joint Oireachtas Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport & Media publishes its Report on the Development of Local and Community Arts

Speaking on the release of the Report, Committee Cathaoirleach Deputy Niamh Smyth TD said “Our Committee believes that the Arts and culture should be accessible to all people, irrespective of where they live or who they are. It is essential that all communities are empowered to make art and to engage with the arts within their localities and across communities.”

The Cathaoirleach said “Important themes which emerged throughout the course of the Committee’s deliberations include funding structures and supports for the arts in urban and rural localities, support for amateur arts provision, inclusivity of disabled artists and audiences as well as artists and audiences from migrant and ethnic minority communities, arts and health policies, supports for older people engaging in the arts, as well as policies governing public art murals.”

Deputy Smyth said “This report calls for a number of actions including for the development of an arts capital and equipment programme for investment in local and community arts of a similar scale and structure as its Sports Capital and Equipment Programme, to build on Stream E of the Cultural Capital Scheme which is currently in place.”

Full Report

Some of the Recommendations from the topics analysed by the Committee are:

Developing Arts in Irish Localities

The Committee recommends that the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media develop an arts capital and equipment programme for investment in local and community arts of a similar scale and structure as its Sports Capital and Equipment Programme, to build on its current Cultural Capital Scheme – Stream E.

Arts and Disability

The Committee recommends that the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media develops interdepartmental cooperation with the Department of Social Protection and the Department of Health to resolve all issues relating to social protection payments and Medical Card retention faced by disabled artists who avail of arts grants, bursaries and Basic Income for Artists payments.

Arts and Cultural Diversity

The Committee recommends the development of a mentorship programme within The Arts Council and/ or local authorities to actively promote the integration of artists from minoritised communities within the broader arts community, and that State agencies/Departments would consult and collaborate with minoritised communities when designing such programmes to ensure that they are both of relevance and accessible to these communities.

Arts and Health

The Committee recommends that The Arts Council review and update its Arts and Health policy and strategy document of 2010-2014 to inform policy direction in the area of arts and health.

Arts and Older People

The Committee recommends that the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media increases investment in the Creativity in Older Age Scheme for its continued operation and to further develop the Scheme in home, community and healthcare settings and to facilitate increased engagement with professional artists.

Public Art

The Committee endorses the principles of the Public Art Mural (Exempted Development) Bill 2023 and will follow with interest its passage through the House(s).

Read more about the work done by The Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport and Media  

Committee proceedings can also be viewed on the Houses of the Oireachtas Smartphone App, available for Apple and Android devices.