Arts sector’s plan for survival
The Government must recognise that money invested in the arts is money well-spent and must accept that sector has the “expertise, wisdom and acumen” to emerge from the current crisis.
That’s according to the National Campaign for the Arts (NCFA), which gave a presentation to TDs from all constituencies this week on the dire state of the sector.
The NCFA, which has strong Galway representation, insists that arts workers must not be left behind as Ireland emerges from the Covid-19 lockdown.
“Attempts to re-stimulate the arts and culture sector down the line will be unachievable. There will be far too little left for any meaningful revival of the ecosystem that salves, sustains and sells our country,” warns the group.
The NCFA has presented TDS with a plan for the survival and recovery of Ireland’s arts and culture sector.
It was drawn up following cross-sector surveys, research, discussions, financial analyses and projections by artists, arts workers, arts organisations and agencies nationwide.
As an immediate response, the NCFA wants the Government to invest an extra €20 million in Arts Council funding to support workers in the sector.
Extending the Pandemic Unemployment Payment, meanwhile, would assist artists and arts workers affected by the crisis, while arts organisations also need to receive the Covid Wage Subsidy Scheme until they are viable again.
The NCFA wants the Arts Council to provide a range of investments that “respond directly to people’s needs, including new schemes and considerable increases to project awards, commissions and bursaries”.
When it comes to grant applications for next year, the NCFA calling on the Arts Council to “streamline and simplify” the tortuous process that many applicants have to go through annually.
The Arts Council should also regard this year’s grant allocations as a basis for next year, and “find resources to guarantee at least repeat funding to all organisations in 2021”, says the NCFA. It’s calling on the Government to facilitate this by increasing funding to the Arts Council.
For more, read this week’s Galway City Tribune.
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