Sir, – I commend Deirdre McQuillan on her forceful piece on the omission of textiles, design or craft in the definition of art in the Arts Act of 2003 (“Our fashion designers make waves globally, so why don’t we value their cultural contribution here?”, Opinion & Analysis, August 18th).
Government, including the Revenue Commission, depend on the Arts Council for guidance and a proactive stance on all matters artistic.
It is clear that the Arts Council has failed in relation to an area that is of huge significance to Ireland, culturally and economically.
My own career path was in the fashion business, working in haute couture for many years and watching the very creative designers I worked for. For more than 50 years, I have been involved in textiles in all its forms, both in fashion and textile art.
Using textiles in art is not new so why should it not be considered art?
Why should the Arts Council discriminate against undergraduates, who choose to follow their passion and commitment to textiles and fashion design, by denying them and the economy the recognition they so richly deserve?
The wonderful creations designers come out with from the fashion design courses here in Ireland are surely works of art.
It’s time for the Arts Council to wake up to reality and press for an urgent amendment to the Arts Act of 2003. – Yours, etc,
DEIRDRE O’DALY JUDGE,
Dún Laoghaire,
Co Dublin.