Arts Council Newsletter

Newsletter

Issue 3 Volume 15 | 12 August 2021

Welcome to the August Edition of our Newsletter

Last week we published our report on the impact of Covid and we identified a number of priority areas for government in support for our request for a budget allocation of€150 million. You can find a copy of the report here. Unsurprisingly, the report shows that the crisis for the arts continues. Our research shows that without state support 4 out of 10 jobs would have been lost. Those state supports, including increased funding to the Arts Council, have been vital. But even with these supports, the research shows that 39% of artists experienced a 50% drop in income. And almost half of the artists surveyed considered abandoning their careers in the arts over last year. That makes for very sobering reading.

The report also highlights the central part that the arts have played in Irish life in the last 17 months. During this time, when we have had to stay home and to stay apart, artistic expression has enabled us to come together safely – whether that’s online, in person via small scale events and experiences on our doorsteps or down a phone line, or from vans and trucks as is currently happening across several locations. From audio tours to opera screenings at lighthouses, a myriad of ingenious and imaginative ways have been found to present work for the public in villages, in cities and in towns all over Ireland.

I recently heard architect and Aosdána member Valerie Mulvin speak of the beauty and uniqueness of the Irish town - her excitement for the topic was infectious. Our lockdown experience has certainly made us look afresh at our local environments. Towns which have been hollowed out by the pandemic will be revived through the injection of high quality artistic expression, and initiatives like our Creative Places programme will play a critical part in this process. You can read about the expansion of Creative Places here.

We hope that before too long artists and all who work in the arts can return fully to doing what they do best – bringing joy and meaning and colour to our lives.

And we hope you all stay safe and well.

Maureen Kennelly

Director

A programme for places around Ireland that have not had opportunities to benefit from sustained investment in the arts and creativity.

Culture Night / Oíche Chultúir

The sixteenth edition of Culture Night will take place on Friday 17 September 2021.

Brought to you by the Arts Council, Culture Night is a national moment celebrating all that makes up the richness and diversity of culture in Ireland today; connecting people to cultural activities locally and nationally and opening up pathways to ongoing engagement.

For more information see the Culture Night website and if you are interested in getting involved or putting on an event please contact your local Arts Office.

In the Open / Faoin Spéir

In the Open / Faoin Spéir is an Arts Council funded programme for 2021 which will see a variety of outdoor arts events taking place in public spaces around Ireland.

Each area will have a variety of events appealing to a broad range of audiences and interests which will range from performances, film, projections, music, street art, trails, spectacle, installations, visual arts, literature, spoken word and much more.

Exhibitions showcasing the Arts Council Collection taking place this Summer & Autumn 2021

The Arts Council is delighted to highlight the following exhibitions taking place this August showcasing artworks from the Arts Council’s outstanding Collection of modern and contemporary Irish art.

Upcoming Theatre Clinics

The Theatre Team is holding a series of funding clinics directed at individual artists. Hosted by Bea Kelleher, we will cover upcoming funding opportunities including the Agility Award Rd 3 and all four strands of Projects 2022, along with a guide to the overall funding landscape of the Arts Council.

Grants and Awards

2021 Autumn School on Cultural Diversity and Collaborative Practice

Create and Counterpoints Arts are pleased to announce the 2021 School on Cultural Diversity and Collaborative Practice for up to 12 artists.

The Autumn School is an initiative of The Arts Council’s Artist in the Community Scheme, managed by Create.

Arts and Disability Connect 2021

The Arts Council and Arts & Disability Ireland are delighted to announce Round 2 of the Arts and Disability Connect Scheme this year.

A new addition to Arts and Disability Connect is the Easy Read guides describing the scheme and how funding decisions are made.

Artist in the Community Scheme Bursary Round 1 2021

The Artist in the Community Scheme Bursary Award is an initiative of the Arts Council’s Artist in the Community Scheme, managed by Create.

This Bursary is offered in the area of Collaborative Arts and Cultural Diversity and is offered in partnership with the Immigrant Council of Ireland. It is designed to support individual professional artists whose practice centres on collaboration with individuals or groups (non-arts professionals).

Agility Award 2021, Round 3

Deadline: 5.30pm; Thursday 9 September 2021

The window for making an application will open on Tuesday 10 August 2021.

The Agility Award is open to individual freelance artists and arts workers, and is available across all art forms and arts practice areas supported by the Arts Council. We welcome and encourage new applicants from all areas of the community.

News from the community

Job Opportunity: Music Generation Development Officer (Limerick County)

Limerick and Clare Education and Training Board is now inviting applications for the role of Music Generation Development Officer (Limerick County).