BRIAN PRIOR,
A chara, - The letter (November 26th) from a paid official of the Arts Council regarding the Arts Bill is significant for a number of reasons:
(a) heretofore a small select group of Arts Council clients spearheaded the opposition to the Bill;
(b) the Council, a statutory body, now obviously deems it necessary to join openly in the campaign;
(c) a disingenuous attempt is made to focus on Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann to the exclusion of the many other worthy groups and individuals who support the Bill; and
(d) a calculated mispresentation of funding available to Comhaltas.
Is the official's letter written with the approval of the Arts Council and does it approve of the pilloring of a cultural movement in this way?
The Arts Bill is a reflection of a widespread consultative process involving a Green Paper, several hundred submissions and a consultative weekend for all those who participated in the process. This was presided over by Price Waterhouse Coopers. Their findings were unambiguous as follows:
"In order to develop Irish traditional arts to their full potential there is now a need for a broad-based policy framework to be developed and substantial resources devoted to: development initiatives, promotional/marketing activities, research and educational initiatives."
Price Waterhouse Coopers' findings also concluded that whatever structure was put in place to cater for the effective application of new resources that it should be statute-based, have an appropriate budget, and be accountable under the normal conditions which apply to public service bodies.
Price Waterhouse Coopers stated that: "The structures required for the effective application of these resources could be put in place in either of the following ways: The Arts Council, appropriately restructured and resourced; or set up a new developmental body to cater specifically for the need of Irish traditional arts."
Price Waterhouse Coopers also concluded that: "There is a cultural imperative to preserve the deep heritage and social capital inherent in all the Irish traditional art forms."
The foregoing should form the basis of informed debate and not evasion and misrepresentation. The Arts Council and the client groups participated fully in the consultative process. They may not like the findings but their alternative smacks of undemocratic elitism.
While our specific remit is Irish traditional arts, we also support the provision of adequate resources for all art forms; a policy-driven arts programme; and accountability to the Oireachtas.
The Arts Bill has widespread support. In addition to Comhaltas, also included are 14 independent traditional festivals; Comhdháil Náisiúnta na Gaeilge which represents 21 national organisations; several traditional ensembles; 13 cultural/arts centres; Seisiún Network Ireland, operating in 17 counties; and many, many more.
On the question of Comhaltas funding, it is most unprofessional of the Arts Council to refer to specific sums without relating them to the calibre and extent of the artistic activity involved. To highlight the limited non-State sponsorship which Comhaltas has achieved as an argument against the State funding surely is contrary to the Arts Council's own guidelines and practices. Not to mention that the Department informed the Arts Council that the Department subvention to Comhaltas was essentially for its Irish language programme of activities seems an incredible omission by a statutory body. To assert that Comhaltas could avail of Fás schemes and to ignore the fact that many Arts Council clients do likewise is partisan to the extreme.
Many single-entity clients of the Arts Council would receive as much grant aid as all the meagre resources of Comhaltas put together. From these resources Comhaltas operates 400 branches on four continents; 45 fleadhanna cheoil annually; 600 classes; Cultúrlann na hÉireann; an Irish traditional music archive; the Scoil Éigse; TTCT Teachers Course; Tionól Leo Rowsome; national and international concert tours, etc., etc., - several hundred projects in all.
The fact that the Arts Council would seek to dismiss this huge traditional arts programme of 50 years standing with an irrelevant and evasive tactic is in itself revealing. It is reasonable to assume that the Arts Council is conducting a damage-limitation exercise to obscure the fact that Irish traditional arts receive less than 1 per cent of the Arts Council budget of €48 million. Incidentally, the Arts Council is on record as stating that they regard this allocation to native artforms as adequate! - Is mise,
BRIAN PRIOR, Oifigeach Tionscnamh, Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann, Cearnóg Belgrave, Baile na Manach, Co Átha Cliath.