THE Arts Council meets today to select a new director. For the first time, the successful candidate is almost certain to be a woman, since no men remain on the shortlist of three.
Dr Brian Kennedy, assistant director at the National Gallery, was originally short listed after the first round of interviews, but has withdrawn.
One of the short listed candidates is Ms Patricia Quinn, cultural director of Temple Bar Properties and a former music and information officer at the Arts Council. The other candidates are also Irish, but have spent most of their careers working in arts administration in Britain. One of them has worked on Irish projects for the Gulbenkian Foundation, and currently works as a consultant for the UK Arts Council.
The previous director, Mr Adrian Munnelly, resigned unexpectedly last June, after 13 years in the job. He has moved to Carr Communications.
Several senior arts figures tipped for the job decided not to apply, some of them citing the still unresolved relationship between the council, established in 1951, and the relatively new Department of Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht, set up under Mr Michael D. Higgins. Others suggested that the very active role played by the current chairman, Dr Ciaran Benson, had diminished the potential influence of an incoming director.
However, Dr Benson said yesterday: "This is one of the most exciting arts jobs in the country at the moment. I completely reject the view that it is a poisoned chalice. At a time of change, I greatly admire the courage of those who have thrown their hats into the ring. The new Ministry has made the council stronger than ever, giving it direct access to the Cabinet table, through the Minister, who acts for us. I challenge anyone to give me one instance of Ministerial interference in the council's autonomy".