Madam, - I write in support of Louise Donlon's article (August 28th) concerning the lack of provision for touring theatrical productions in this country.
While Druid applauds - and indeed has been one of the many beneficiaries of - the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism's enlightened and hugely successful initiative that is Culture Ireland, we too are increasingly frustrated by the difficulty in bringing our productions to venues and locations throughout Ireland because of the continued absence of an Arts Council touring policy and attendant financial support.
As a pioneer of the touring network in Ireland over the past 30 years, Druid believes that no one should be denied access to State- funded theatre because of geographic location.
In the 24 years to 1999 when Druid received specific and additional Arts Council funds to tour, the company performed 78 productions at 83 locations in Ireland from Letterkenny to Listowel and from Carlow to Castlebar.
This important funding for touring was withdrawn in 2000 and since then, Druid's capacity to reach its regional audience has been seriously curtailed.
The current vacuum is benefiting no one.
Venues (established with Arts Council funding), production companies (financed by Arts Council funding) and audiences (whose taxes finance Arts Council funding) are all left wanting under the current system.
Druid therefore welcomes Louise Donlon's comments and hopes that the Arts Council will respond positively and soon with a dynamic touring policy - and the funding to back it up.
In the absence, but hopefully in advance, of such a policy, Druid is delighted to be an integral part of the NASC Touring Initiative with Dunamaise Arts Centre and others which will see Druid's production of John B Keane's The Year of the Hiker tour in November and December to Tralee, Cork, Ennis, Letterkenny, Dún Laoghaire, Newbridge, Longford and Portlaoise - a challenging pilot project brought about by the determination of leading regional venues and a touring-focused company to respond to audience demands to see theatre within their own communities.
Let the vision and imagination which has allowed Culture Ireland achieve such a tremendous international impact in a very short timeframe be now applied with equal determination and skill closer to home. - Yours, etc, GARRY HYNES, Artistic Director, Druid Theatre, Galway.