Editorial: About the Money
What is new in the Arts Council’s relationship with the traditional arts?
Our
lead article by Dermot McLaughlin takes issue with the progress made by
the Arts Council in the traditional arts since the turning point three
years ago when the Special Committee on the Traditional Arts delivered
its report.
What
is significant about that Committee is that it received 87 submissions
from the traditional-arts public, everything from short letters to
comprehensive documents containing a wealth of insights and innovative
ideas. It indicated an extraordinary degree of interest in Arts Council
work from an arts constituency that at that point was receiving no more
than 2.4% (€891,150) of the Arts Council’s total revenue budget of over
37 million. Many of those making submissions had never had a funding
relationship with the Arts Council.
The
energy behind those submissions arose from a feeling that this was a
unique opportunity to try and shape the future of the traditional arts.
Were they right? Since 2004, the Irish Traditional Music Archive has
moved to new, much larger premises; Na Píobairí Uilleann has
refurbished its premises and appointed its first CEO; a traditional
musician has been elected to Aosdána for the first time; there has been
a stream of traditional-music books, CDs and DVDs; and more festivals
have appeared and others have consolidated their work.
However,
ITMA and NPU had been working steadily towards their new premises and
organisational development for years beforehand, Dónal Lunny’s election
to Aosdána had little to do with Arts Council policy, and there was a
long history of entrepeneurialism across the traditional music
community which produced CDs, books and festivals for years, and would
no doubt have continued to do so.
What is new, therefore, in the Arts Council’s relationship with the traditional arts?
There
is no mistaking the financial injection, a direct result of more people
applying. In the first three months of this year alone, €174,146 was
awarded to 25 traditional artists and organisations under the Deis
scheme. Also this year, as part of the Small Festivals Scheme, €282,445
went to 51 traditional-arts festivals. In revenue funding, 12
traditional-arts organisations received €1,868,300 this year, almost
one million more than they did three years ago – although in this case
it can be seen as part of a tide that lifted all boats, for traditional
arts remains at 3% of the overall revenue budget.
This
must be seen as progress, but many of the above 87 submissions
displayed imaginative thinking beyond the obvious criterion of finance.
The Committee made 46 recommendations in response, many of which
related to the status of the traditional arts in the contemporary arts
landscape.
You see, it’s not exclusively about the money. Is it ever?
Toner Quinn is a traditional fiddle player and Editor of JMI.
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