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Arts Funding

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 13 May 2020

Wednesday, 13 May 2020

Ceisteanna (1336, 1337)

Richard Boyd Barrett

Ceist:

1336. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if it will be ensured that artists, arts workers and organisations can plan for next year by guaranteeing that at least the same level of increased investment in the Arts Council and Culture Ireland will be committed for 2021. [5428/20]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Richard Boyd Barrett

Ceist:

1337. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if a roadmap will be created in order to address the way in which arts investment will be doubled by 2025; and if a commitment will be given to double investment in the Arts Council and Culture Ireland over the same period. [5429/20]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

I propose to take Questions Nos. 1336 and 1337 together.

The COVID-19 crisis gives rise to many challenges for the nation as a whole and is having an unprecedented impact on the on the arts, culture, heritage and Gaeltacht sectors. The full financial and economic implications of the crisis are not yet known, as further information continues to come to hand and having regard to the fact that the impact on the sectors supported by the Department could extend well past the lifting of any COVID-19 restrictions.

Since the advent of the crisis, officials from my Department have been actively engaging with the arts sector and have met and continue to meet with arts and cultural organisations under its aegis, as well a broad range of sectorial stakeholders including resource organisations, advocacy groups as well as individual artists and arts practices

In the context of the wider cultural sector, officials of my Department have met and continues to meet with the State Bodies under its aegis. The Department is continuing to work with the Arts Council and Screen Ireland as well as other parts of Government, to assess and measure the effects of COVID-19 on the cultural sector and continue to plan how best to manage through this crisis. A number of measures have been taken to date to support this sector by the Department and its agencies.

My Department and the Arts Council are providing detailed advice for arts and arts organisations on their websites. Priority is being given towards supporting the artists and arts workers.

The Arts Council responded quickly to the impact of COVID-19 on the arts sector. At the start of the COVID-19 emergency, the Council introduced a series of measures to help artists and arts organisations manage their businesses during the period of the COVID-19 crisis. These can be accessed on its website at the following link: http://www.artscouncil.ie/COVID-19/

These measures include honouring all existing funding commitments and asking regularly funded arts organisation to prioritise their own payments to artists in turn. Since March 12th the Arts Council has fast-tracked the payment of up to 90% of funding to organisations and individuals.

The Arts Council has announced that there will be no financial penalties for arts organisations and individuals unable to deliver programmed events and activities arising from the impact of the COVID-19 crisis.

The Arts Council is in daily contact with a broad range of artists and organisations to understand how COVID-19 is impacting the sector. The Council continues to operate fully throughout the COVID-19 crisis to support artists and arts organisations through this difficult time. Regular updates are being provided on its website and its social media channels.

The Council has also undertaken detailed surveys of arts organisations to get a deep understanding of how COVID-19 is impacting the arts sector. This is helping to identify the impact on audiences, employment and finances for March, April and May as well as a survey of artists seeking information of the economic impact on individuals. .

With regards to Culture Ireland, a new grant scheme was announced in early April, to support professional artists and enable the live presentation of their work on online platforms for an initial period of 4 weeks. Funding of €100,000 has being made available on a match funded basis by FACEBOOK Ireland and Culture Ireland, a division of the Department. All successful artists have been awarded €1,000. The scheme is being managed by Culture Ireland in conjunction with First Music Contact and Poetry Ireland.

Full details are available at www.cultureireland.gov.ie .

My Department will continue to engage with the agencies under its remit and other sectorial stakeholders to ensure that there is the greatest level of awareness of the supports that are available, and to ensure that optimal use is made of available resources to best support the sector at this challenging time.

During this emergency period the first phase of recovery has been the introduction of exceptional measures such as the pandemic payment and the wage subsidy schemes. My colleague Minister Doherty recently announced that over a million people across several sectors are now receiving some sort of state income support which is unprecedented in this nation’s history. These are divided between the COVID-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUPs), those on the Live Register and workers who are benefiting from the Wage Subsidy Scheme.

I look forward to working with my colleagues across government on the type of measures that will be needed to allow the economy recover and to see sectors such as the arts and cultural sector play a full role in the recovery phase.

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