Sir, – In his article “No, Minister: the arts cannot save Ireland” (Opinion and Analysis, July 15th), Mick Heaney sounds like Mr Gradgrind. Heaney clearly favours business ventures, things with a good “bottom line”, and a “canny commercial programme” over any “airy” and “lofty instincts”. The subsidised arts sector apparently “blew it”, for failing to “make us more contemplative and self-examining”, and not even managing to turn us all into “reflective aesthetes”.
Heaney cites four writers, and perhaps that’s a clue as to how Heaney likes his artists – working away quietly in a garret, and not annoying their business masters with requests for funding to promote things like “landscape, traditions and customs”.
Sure don’t tourists come to see the cows? And there’s plenty of auld green fields around the place, isn’t that what most of them want? Maybe a man on a fiddle someplace. And sure, not that many people visit the National Library or the National Gallery anyway. Not really. Businesses are too busy reflecting on profit margins to worry about airy-fairy codology about spiritually uplifting art. Art? Bah, humbug. – Yours, etc,
Sir, – Mick Heaney is right that many arts centres and “vanity projects” were built throughout the Celtic Tiger years.
However, the challenges faced by many of these centres cannot be blamed on the local population’s lack of appreciation of the arts, but rather the lack of proper budgeting provision for long-term programming and staffing of these centres. It is also important to note that many of these centres have flourished and forged lasting and positive connections with the communities they serve.
Throughout those years, the artform we are best known for internationally, literature, has never benefited from largesse of any kind or from any building projects. Most of the undersigned literary organisations operate in unsuitable, cramped and rented accommodation. Indeed some have experienced “upwards only” rent agreements.
It is laudable that Minister for Arts Jimmy Deenihan is seeking a landmark building, be it the Bank of Ireland or another site, not just to house literature organisations but to showcase literature in general. Literature has earned a far better reputation and income for this country internationally than Irish banks ever have.
Given Dublin’s recent designation as a Unesco City of Literature and the exceptional wealth of its creative writing, we should applaud the Minister’s vision and effort in this regard.
The arts, whether they be subsidised, commercial or amateur contribute to society. The assertion that they can play no part in our nation’s economy has been disproved by many reports, most recently the Assessment of Economic Impact of the Arts in Ireland by Indecon. A permanent resource dedicated to Ireland’s writers and their work, will be of both national and international importance. Let us for once embrace a good idea with an open mind. – Yours, etc,