The Government's plan to bring culture to the fore and place it "at the centre of our lives . . . for the strengthening of our society" is a bold and ambitious one and the thinking behind Creative Ireland has to be commended. If the promised investment materialises to rectify the low level of arts funding in this country (compared to our European neighbours) that too merits applause. If it corrects the lack of attention in public policy to the value of creativity it warrants all the praise it receives. For now it stacks up to a number of "ifs".
The notion of a five-year programme to capitalise on the success of this year’s 1916 commemoration has received broad welcome in the arts sector. Many of the commemorative events over the past year highlighted “the interdependency between culture, identity and citizenship” that Taoiseach Enda Kenny rightly believes should be further supported.
References to increased access to, and participation in, the arts is well and good but will come at a cost. There will of course be a beneficial economic spin-off, but the priority has to be the more idealistic “betterment of our people”.
I've spent most of today having long conversations with excellent people about #CreativeIreland https://t.co/3jMHS1OiUq via @IrishTimesCultr
— Laurence Mackin (@LaurenceMackin) December 8, 2016
Here the classic #TedTalk about "Which Country in the World does the most good?" #EssentailViewing #CreativeIreland https://t.co/yspVJrLy2X
— John Concannon (@JCGalway) December 10, 2016
An invitation to the entire country to get involved in something truly inspirational #CreativeIreland @creativeirl https://t.co/zpMJYNPtoB pic.twitter.com/MorORDg2V8
— Ireland 2016 (@ireland2016) December 8, 2016
Brilliant to see the new #CreativeIreland cross-government programme focus on film and animation pic.twitter.com/MJwFk1WOsN
— Louise Ryan (@LouLouRyan) December 8, 2016
#creativeireland plan, v impressive and lovely to see culture and economics coming together at highest levels! pic.twitter.com/xYg3yAF1oQ
— David McWilliams (@davidmcw) December 8, 2016
Outreach and all that jazz is part of the job. But others, who aren't salaried full time academics, often get asked to do stuff for nothing.
— Niamh Puirséil (@NiamhPuirseil) December 8, 2016
Cultural capital is grand but not accepted by most landlords, utility providers or supermarkets in lieu of currency.
— Niamh Puirséil (@NiamhPuirseil) December 8, 2016
The arts are an intangible resource, their “transformative potential” – as the Taoiseach put it – never fully apprehended or appreciated by most politicians.
Two strands – or pillars – of the five-year roll-out are of particular significance: early and proper access to cultural experience for children. This has been repeatedly put on agendas over many years but with little done to make it happen.
The other is a fuller involvement by local authorities in supporting the arts. There is one unsettling aspect to this new-found regard for culture – the amputation of the arm in the “arm’s length policy”.
As the Department of the Arts, and now the Taoiseach's department increase their role in decision-making as well as financial allocations, that policy and, indeed, the function and autonomy of the Arts Council could be diminished.
The establishment of the council had as one of its purposes the avoidance of direct political patronage. This must be maintained.