Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 10 April 2019
8. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the engagement she has had with a theatre (details supplied) in Galway city; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16599/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraWhat engagement has the Minister had with this theatre group? The group is called Theatre 57 because it started out as a group with 57 participants. That has now grown to more than 80. It is a collective of Galway-based, independent theatre artists who came together because of their exclusion in respect of culture in Galway. What engagement has the Minister had with that collective of artists on the ground?
I have had no direct engagement with Theatre 57 but I understand it is a collection of theatre artists, which has increased in number from the original 57. It was formed in May 2018 and officially launched in January 2019. I also understand the artists have come together to provide support and resources needed by the arts community in the capital of culture. I also understand, from reports, that the group sees Galway 2020 as an opportunity to build an infrastructure for the arts that will continue in the future. The group was established to address the challenges and benefits of making work as independent artists in Galway and have commented that theatre in Galway is made against the odds and that the city lacks effective resources for independent artists. It appears that this group is focused on supporting independent artists and it is hoped that it will work positively with Galway 2020.
Galway is the home of two of Ireland's most prominent and internationally renowned theatre companies in Druid Theatre Company and An Taibhdhearc. The latter is supported by my Department and operates from its theatre in Middle Street in Galway, a facility with 148 seats, projection facilities, stage blacks, a cyclorama, a lighting rig and a full sound and PA system. It has acoustics which are suitable for live music and cinematic presentations. I understand tonight sees the start of a short run of "The Father" by Florian Zeller as translated by Christopher Hampton.
Druid operates from the Mick Lally Theatre and is supported by the Arts Council. I congratulate Druid on its recent successes at The Irish Times theatre awards where its theatre festival production of "Richard III" at the Abbey Theatre won a number of awards, including best production. Druid is currently touring nationally with a production of Sonya Kelly's "Furniture". There is much good theatre work happening in Galway which I am sure the Deputy is aware of, as she is from the area.
I know the Minister gave out some of this information in answer to Question No. 4.
No information has been given on Theatre 57. I appreciate the Minister's comments about Druid and An Taibhdhearc. Indeed, d'oibrigh mé go crua chun an Taibhdhearc a choinnéal i gcroí-lár na chathrach. This is a specific question about a group of people and I am disappointed to hear the Minister has had no engagement with them and I hope that she will today confirm she will have contact with them. This is a group of performing artists who have come together about sustainable careers for artists in Galway. The group now comprises 82 members who are involved in theatre in a range of roles. They have no permanent rehearsal space, nowhere to have meetings, no office space and no guaranteed funding, despite Galway's reputation as Ireland's capital of culture. The careers they have are precarious and they believe that Galway's cultural reputation is not sustainable unless front-line artists are acknowledged and supported. They are concerned about the commodification of the arts and value being put on it for the economy, which is good, but not value on art for art's sake. That is the group I am talking about.
I thank the Deputy. As I said earlier, I have had no direct engagement with Theatre 57. I am not aware of any contact they have made seeking to meet me unless it has not been brought to my attention. The Deputy says she is disappointed but I have no awareness of the group trying to contact me in any way. I am aware of Theatre 57 but not of any intimation that its members want to meet me.
The Government is focused on increasing funding for the arts. The Taoiseach has repeatedly committed to double funding over a ten-year period and this year's Estimates contain a 13% increase in funding for my Department. There was a €6.8 million, or 10%, increase in funding for the Arts Council which is very important and should, I hope, help the group the Deputy has referred to, which could now be called Theatre 82 with its increase of members. Obtaining this funding may help those members of the group who are interested in broadening their careers. There is also €1.2 billion in capital funding for culture, heritage and the Gaeltacht under the national development plan.
I welcome the increase in funding but that does not take from the stark figures. The European average for arts funding is 1% of gross domestic product and Ireland is at 0.6%.
I appreciate the Minister might not have received a formal letter from this group but her Department would be fully aware of the group, as would the organisation Galway 2020. The facts speak for themselves. The average salary of a dancer is €10,000 and that could be somebody who is recognised internationally as the best in his or her field. One third of performing artists live precarious lives. One third earn less than the minimum wage of €9.55 an hour. These are established and acclaimed artists.
My time is limited. All of these figures are stark and, if anything was to come out of today, I would like it to be that the Minister will meet this group on the ground, not just about Galway 2020, but also about sustainable lives for artists. This Government relies on artists and rolls them out for photo shoots and photocalls.
Deputy Ó Snodaigh's question is coming but this is a different question. Does he want make a quick comment on this topic?
The questions are not grouped now.
They were grouped.
They are not any more.
This is a separate question.
I understand.
The Deputy can make a quick comment and we will get through the question.
It is welcome that Theatre 57 has organised as a collective. I hope they will be an example to other struggling artists around the country of the need to organise in such a way to ensure that, when events are happening in their area and there is State investment, there can be a legacy afterwards. I am not talking about a bad legacy where people are disenchanted with the State but a good legacy where artists are left with some hope that they can sustain themselves and not be forced to leave the city. Many artists who originally founded Theatre 57 have had to leave the city in recent years because they cannot afford to live there or sustain themselves. That, if nothing else, should be concentrated upon.
Even though they may not have asked, I encourage the Minister to seek them and other such groups throughout the country out to discuss with them how to create a sustainable culture for artists and the like in the future.
I will take the Deputies' comments into account. My door is open. My Department and I have an awareness of the particular theatre practitioners. I have outlined what the Government is doing. We must remember that, for decades, an artistic pursuit in this country and across the world has been incredibly difficult. If I had a magic wand, I would increase funding significantly, but I do not. However, I have secured a significant increase in funding this year for artists, primarily for the Arts Council which is at arm's length from my Department and makes its own decisions on the assistance it provides for artists. There is an investment programme of €460 million for the national cultural institutions. A great amount of good work is being done. I am acutely aware of the difficulties faced by everyone endeavouring to engage in any artistic pursuit, be it theatre, the wider field of drama, dance or music, and do all I can to assist in every way.
