Does anyone else think that this is a waste of money??

millertime78

Esp given these recessionery times. €15k for an art project ....:eek:

http://www.galwayindependent.com/local-news/local-news/artists-invited-to-put-forward-ideas-for-carrowbrowne-art-project-/

Mike...

bigtime waste of money, €15k for art in a halting site????
wtf

ScumLord

I don't know, depends where exactly the money came from but even if it is all tax payers money I'm not against art, especially in a place that sells itself as an important artistic Irish city. There's no point in giving it to the roads crowd because they'll just throw it in a ditch to make sure they get more.

PCPhoto

what people in galway should do is find out which politicians are in favour of this "art" and not vote for them .... they obviously dont think theres a recession going on....and think its OK to waste public money.

ScumLord

PCPhoto wrote: »

what people in galway should do is find out which politicians are in favour of this "art" and not vote for them .... they obviously dont think theres a recession going on....and think its OK to waste public money.

They've thought it was ok to waste money for years, it's nothing new. I'd say 20% of all council money is simply wasted.

PCPhoto

ScumLord wrote: »

They've thought it was ok to waste money for years, it's nothing new. I'd say 20% of all council money is simply wasted.

yes but we have all been wasting money for years - but since the "R" you would have thought they would think twice before proposing such a project....obviously they think they can still squander money.

nerophis

Up to 1% of the funds for publicly commissioned facilities (e.g roads) goes to public art up to a maximum of 64k. This means the halting site cost at least 1.5million euro. How can such a basic facility cost so much when the site was already owned by the County Council?

JJRocket

is this art project for the new 'proposed' site that may be built in C-Browne? its a lot of money alright, signs of how this country is run really.

pablodunlop

Very interesting article on county and city councils here:
http://m.thepost.ie/quickPage.html?page=16934&content=18945284&pageNum=-1

In a recent briefing note to councillors, Galway City Council manager Joe McGrath said: ''This requirement, coupled with the absolute necessity to maintain a stable financial situation, requires the implementation of essential and unavoidable measures . . . expenditure across all programme groups is being adjusted downwards."


Galway

Galway City Council manager Joe McGrath's briefing note to councillors highlighted the problems faced by most local authorities nationwide. ''The deterioration in both the national and local economy has rapidly accelerated, evidenced by the number of businesses in the city going into receivership, liquidation or contraction over the first six months of the year," he said.

Similar to other large urban councils, Galway's city authority - which has cut its staff by 12 per cent in less than a year - has relied on commercial rates for a third of its income.

The city council has had to revise its anticipated rate intake. It expects that it will be unable to collect up to 11 per cent of invoiced rates - or €3.4 million in total. Neighbouring Galway County Council is one of the worst hit.

In its briefing, county manager Martina Moloney told councillors that the local authority had a €39 million hole in its finances. The winter roads maintenance budget has been spent by the middle of the summer. Debt at Galway County Council is growing by more than €1 million a week.

Mrs OBumble

15k is chicken-feed compared to the rest of the council's budget.

However it will be a very welcome commission to which-ever struggling artist wins it, and it will save the government from paying them JA for a while.

If the money can also manage to engage some members of the Travelling community with the rest of society even just a little, then that would be A Good Thing. (NB the best security for the art-work will be to have it done by a family-member of the people who live there.)

Yes, there's a recession on. But totally cutting back arts expenditure, in a city that relies heavily on tourism and the arts for it's living, would be folly.

So no, I don't think it's a waste, except perhaps if they spend it on a performance art piece that doesn't have something concrete to show afterward (and I say that as a participant in several "performance art" activities).

nerophis

JustMary wrote: »

tourism

To Carrigbrown halting site?

ScumLord

Everyone would be much better off focusing their anger at government spending on the ridiculous way they handle their money. This project has probably been on the cards for a while and is probably another one of these "we have to spend it" moves.

Councils in Ireland that come in under budget are punished, a fair percentage of the road works you have to go through in Galway are pointless wastes of time just to use up resources, the council actively goes out of their way to use up money on pointless projects and it's well known by everybody involved from top to bottom.

Maybe some people will get some enjoyment out of this piece of art, maybe it'll help travellers feel more settled and respected, even if it just becomes an eyesore it's better than letting councils piss the money into the hole they just dug to use up the left over tar and stone that was over ordered.

Wompa1

nerophis wrote: »

To Carrigbrown halting site?

Come marvel at the Pony which is forced to live on paving, Wipe your eyes in disbelief at the sight of the rapidly declining standard of living within the new rennovated site, Get stabbed and have a story to tell your friends

mikom

I suppose a statute of Padraig Nally is out of the question.

kodute

mikom wrote: »

I suppose a statute of Padraig Nally is out of the question.

Sir, I tip my hat to you for making tea come out of my nose at work!

LadyMayBelle

I think this proposal is ridiculous. I'm all for art but think 15k is a bit much. Especially when that money could be used to improve living standards/education etc

inisboffin

15k is chickenfeed imo. And I think art IS essential. Some artist will be very happy and off the pot noodles for a whole year!

sparklingdude

I'd rather they cut the dole before cutting off the "arts."

Fracture

They waste 15k on art work but they cant spend 15k on an airshow? wtf is that about.

Mrs OBumble

nerophis wrote: »

To Carrigbrown halting site?

Firstly, the arts shouldn't just be confined to tourists: all ethnic groups that live in this country should have access.

Secondly, a commission like this may well give an emerging artist, who happens to be a Traveller, the background and experience to win commissions in larger places that are on the "tourist trail".

I know that to someone on a student's budget, 15k sounds like a lot. But really it would pay for perhaps 25% of one teacher for one year (guessing average salary around 45k, total cost including employer PRSI, professional development, sick leave etc would probably be a third again). That wouldn't make much difference in anyone's lives.

sparklingdude

Fracture wrote: »

They waste 15k on art work but they cant spend 15k on an airshow? wtf is that about.

air shows are gay