Léim ar aghaidh chuig an bpríomhábhar
Gnáthamharc

Arts Promotion

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 6 March 2014

Thursday, 6 March 2014

Ceisteanna (154)

Bernard Durkan

Ceist:

154. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the extent to which he and his Department continue to promote the arts through the education system, with particular reference to primary and second level schools; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11469/14]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

As the Deputy is aware, in January 2013 the Minister for Education and Skills, Ruairí Quinn, TD, and I jointly launched the Arts in Education Charter. This Charter places new responsibilities on Government Departments, agencies, cultural institutions and arts organisations in terms of providing and promoting arts education to children and young people. Both Minister Quinn and I believe passionately in arts education and want to see a joined-up Government approach across Departments, education agencies and arts organisations. The Charter will see organisations like the Arts Council, the National Cultural Institutions, the Colleges of Education and the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment working with both Departments in order to bring the arts into the classroom and learners into the institutes for the arts.

A High Level Implementation Group was established to oversee the implementation of the Art in Education Charter, chaired by Professor John Coolahan, Professor Emeritus, NUI Maynooth. The membership includes the Director of the Arts Council, a representative of the Irish World Academy of Music and Dance at the University of Limerick and senior officials from my own Department and the Department of Education and Skills. The Group has been meeting regularly and has been proactive in meeting organisations from both the arts and education sectors. Progress is being made on a number of initiatives, including developing a website/portal as a key communications and information channel for both the education and arts sectors. Suitable models for art-rich schools and for artists to become involved in the programme are also being examined by this Group.

In 2012, I announced the introduction of a new philanthropic initiative on a pilot basis for arts and culture organisations. €210,000 was made available to arts organisations under this scheme and last year the initiative was directed towards arts and culture organisations seeking support for projects that included an education component. In 2013 almost €200,000 was made available under that programme.

Barr
Roinn