Arts: The Minister for the Arts, Sport and Tourism, Mr O'Donoghue, has secured a 16 per cent increase in funding for the Arts Council - €61 million compared to last year's allocation of €52.5 million. Gerry Smyth reports.
The chairwoman of the Arts Council, Ms Olive Braiden, welcomed the news on behalf of the council which had sought €68 million in the wake of recent grant applications for 2005.
The National cultural institutions - the National Museum, IMMA, the National Gallery, the Chester Beatty Library and National Archives - are to share a 22 per cent rise in State support.
Cork, the Capital of Culture 2005, is to get €3.175 million next year but this money had already been committed as part of an overall €6.35 million to the city. The Minister recently made an extra, and unexpected, €1.5 million available to Cork, bringing total State funding to €7.85 million.
The Minister is setting aside €2 million for the promotion of Irish art abroad - this will be channelled through a new agency for Irish cultural activity overseas which will replace the Cultural Relations Committee. Mr O'Donoghue said that about €700,000 is for work traditionally carried out by the former CRC but the balance would be available for new initiatives to be developed by the new agency, which will be appointed in the near future.
On the increase for the Arts Council, the Minister said "total funding for the Arts Council will have increased by some 38 per cent in just two years, from €44.1 million in 2003 to €61 million in 2005".
Welcoming the increase signalled in the Book of Estimates, Ms Braiden said the council would begin work on the process of making allocations for arts events and organisations in 2005. "It should be remembered, however, that €61 million will only partially meet the ambition of the arts community's projects and plans for 2005," she said.
While the council has sought €68 million for next year, it has said it received demands for funding, of €100 million.
Theatre Forum, which represents the performing arts, said it appreciated the efforts of the Minister but the €61 million "fell far short of what an enlightened Government should be for the arts".