an open letter to political representatives of Ireland

Jasondeans86er

I have recently sent the following to my representatives at local, national and European level. I will post the replies I will get. (if this is in the wrong section please move)

Hello,

I am contacting all of my representatives at local, national and European level in the coming days about an issue that has been in the press for negative reasons over the last few weeks.

The issue I refer to is the arts, negatively it was to do with the placing of a FG senate candidate on the board of the Irish Museum of Modern Art (IMMA) and the announcement of this years budget. As a practicing artist, both these developments have affected me along with all in our sector.

Firstly let me express my anger at what occurred with the IMMA board appointment. Some of you have gotten an e-mail in relation to this matter from me already but I will restate that it was not an artist issue or an issue with the running of IMMA (that has dealt with budget shortfalls for several years and has done the best with what they have had as the main institute of contemporary art in Ireland) it was a government policy to try and shoehorn in their candidate and as such has to be addressed from government and changed at the source and only people who are qualified and invested in the arts should be appointed to such positions. Throughout the arts this appointment was met with condemnation and a feeling of belittlement for our profession.

The announcement of this years budget at first seemed like a welcome sight but on breakdown it is found wanting. The focus on the commemorations of Easter 1916, while these should be rightly commemorated, there is a sense that the arts are being wheeled out when the eyes of the world are on the country and will be forgotten about come October 2016. Indeed the increase in the budget accounts for only this, 4 million is to be allotted to these commemorations and the rest stays the same, (with inflation).

http://www.irishtimes.com/culture/no-budget-change-in-arts-funding-says-department-1.1964341

The arts are at breaking point, initially it was hoped that this budget would lead to an easing of institutional burden but once again we have been left in the cold.

As I have stated I am a practicing artist and a constituent of yours, as such let me state this. I am an artist now, I will still be an artist come October 2016 and I do not want to be forgotten as soon as the nation has had its moment in its spotlight and everyone has patted themselves on their back. Irelands artists need and will still need support, opportunities and funding or we will continue to struggle as we have done over the last 7 years, institutions need continual funding as do art organisations.

On this note I address local councillors directly, yes I am keenly aware that there is a housing crisis, my practice directly comments on the hardship that the Irish people have had to deal with over the last 7 years and indeed one budget does not make all these issues go away but asking ‘why do we need an arts office?’ is beyond reproach, many of us had thought we had put this argument to bed in the 90’s when the arts were finally recognised as a career and the arts ministry was imbedded as a legitimate ministry (something that was fought hard for) organisations such as Visual Artists Ireland and the National Campaign for the Arts continue to fight for our cause as professional artists. Arts offices around the country do wonderful jobs with little or no funding and as such should be supported not ridiculed and belittled to fight for their budgets on arguments of ‘What good are the arts?’ on this issue I direct you to John Carey’s book ‘What Good Are The Arts?’ it is a very good analysis of the UK arts and its affect on society.

While many of you were elected on single issues (water charges, housing crisis, etc.) as a councillor you have to be aware of all the issues to be a good representative, you have to represent all the people of your constituency. I am one of your constituents and this is the issue that is important to me, this is my life, my career, my future.

“Artists are the bedrock of our culture and they continue to represent us at home and abroad with great distinction.”

That was Minister Humphreys talking in response to her budget allocation, I know many of you oppose her party and that is your prerogative, as it is any voters right in this country but she makes a valid point. We as a nation often promote the arts when state officials come to this country or when we export our ‘Irish brand’ as such we the artists need the support network to be the faces of a nation through our work.

Often this is through the Arts Council and arts offices in local government, through financial support, studio support or expertise support, etc. Without this support we will flounder, many of us in the past would have supported our careers through lecturing, teaching or if lucky selling our work. All of these avenues are currently very difficult to explore, we need this support network to produce our work.

To the TDs the arts need your support, as I have said we are floundering, many artists can not afford to heat our studios (this is often the first topic of conversation when studios are mentioned; the heating situation) let alone purchase materials to produce work. It was hoped that this budget would see the end of austerity for some, it may have in some small way but for artists we once again will have to struggle. We as artists have seen an unfair wedge of our budget removed over the last number of years and it has been brought to your attention in the past, we need you to represent us and to say enough!

Lastly to our MEPs I ask that you continue to support us in Europe, issues such as cadmium bans directly affect art production (it is a pigment used in paint) and European budgets directly fund many projects in Ireland. Look to how arts budgets are allocated, how it is funded in other countries and how it is supported.

There are many great artists, arts organisations and institutions contributing immensely to Irish society, it has been well documented the positive affect the arts can have in society. I have seen this, working with marginalised aspects of society who found a voice in the arts and started to come out of their shell and again engage positively with society. Art may not have any tangible monetary value at times but it has a value that is priceless in the soul of society.

Regards

Jasondeans86er

Thanks for your email. The points you have articulated are well made. The IMMA board appointment was deeply insulting to anyone who has any interest in the Arts.

I am strongly supportive of the arts. The only thing that I would change about the way the arts programme is delivered by Fingal County Council is that I would like to see it more geared towards marginalised communities who have less access to the arts than society as a whole.

Best Regards,

Cian O' Callaghan

Independent Councillor

Jasondeans86er

Menu thanks for the email.

I do not support taxpayer funds being used to support the arts.

I realise you may not appreciate my answer but honesty is better than politicking in my opinion.

Kind regards
Keith Redmond
Fine Gael

Jasondeans86er

​Thanks Jason. I would agree with what you are saying. I am also disappointed that more funding was not granted to our National Library.


Mary McCamley (cllr) Labour

Jasondeans86er

Hi Jason,

Thanks for an excellent outline of your views. I believe you have every right to speak with every layer of administration in this country to outline your views and advocate for what you believe in.

I am happy to meet you in my constituency office in Main Street Blanchardstown should you wish to discuss these issues with me in person.

Kind Regards,

David

Councillor David McGuinness

Fianna Fáil Dublin West

Jasondeans86er

Hi Jason

Thank you for your email. I know the Council and indeed all Councillors are committed to the arts in the County. There has never been a suggestion that we would consider diverting funding from the arts to other areas such as housing. The arts have take enough of a hit since 2008 and certainly the draft budget for 2015 is showing no reductions. In fact there is a recommendation for an additional €1M to develop a Swords cultural quarter at Swords castle. All nine ward Councillors and the Chief Executive are absolutely committed to delivering on this over the next five years. The link here gives more detail: http://www.fingalcoco.ie/planning-and-buildings/architectural-conservation/conservationplansandreports/

So the total amount in the draft budget for the arts is €5.6M an increase of €1M on 2014.

I'd be happy to discuss any of this further and if you have suggestions I would of course bring them to Council.

Best wishes

Justin Sinnott IND Councillor

Jasondeans86er

Hi Jason,

Thanks for your email. Are there specific things that you feel councillors can do?

All the best,

Roderic O'Gorman Green Party Councillor

The_Minister

Jasondeans86er wrote: »

Menu thanks for the email.

I do not support taxpayer funds being used to support the arts.

I realise you may not appreciate my answer but honesty is better than politicking in my opinion.

Kind regards
Keith Redmond
Fine Gael

Say what you want, it is honest.

Sacksian

The_Minister wrote: »

Say what you want, it is honest.

It's honest but I'm pretty sure that position would put him at odds with his party's stance on the arts and that they'd have trouble defending his views on this (and a lot other stuff) publicly.

gunny558

The_Minister wrote: »

Say what you want, it is honest.

I was just thinking that myself. Id love to see some of our councillors/TDs take a leaf from this guys book.... theres something to be said about a politician who can tell it straight and doesnt pussy foot around the issue or give you some vague non-comittal answer.

gunny558

Sacksian wrote: »

It's honest but I'm pretty sure that position would put him at odds with his party's stance on the arts and that they'd have trouble defending his views on this (and a lot other stuff) publicly.

Not really. Nobody supports their party views 100% and frankly if someone did support every single little thing their party does it would raise questions.

Sacksian

gunny558 wrote: »

Not really. Nobody supports their party views 100% and frankly if someone did support every single little thing their party does it would raise questions.

Well, if that was the only issue, I'd agree with you. But he seems to generally disagree with public funding (and the idea of equality and progressive income taxes among other things).

I admire his honesty and I appreciate the fact that he has a clear ideology to which he's committed - it means that a lot of his views are quite consistent. But it's not an ideology that Fine Gael could publicly support.

He's a PD and Fine Gael know that you won't win an election in Ireland with PD policies, which is why I said they'd have trouble defending his views on lots of things publicly.

nuac

Interesting that so many so far have answered, including one respondent with the guts to say he disagreed with such funding.

With respect to the OP, I thought it was on the long side, especially for busy public representatives.

Jasondeans86er

Dear Jason,



Thank you very much for your email and I apologise for the delay in responding to you.



Personally, I do not come from an Arts background myself but I would certainly be a citizen who is proud of our Artistic heritage. One of my political heroes growing up was Michael D Higgins and I was always proud of his role as the first Minister with responsibility for the Arts. I certainly feel the Arts should not be sacrificed on the alter of austerity or budgetary constraints.



In local elections, candidates can run on single issues or a small number of issues, and become elected. I focused my campaign on the Housing crisis and increased community participation in local politics. But as you correctly mention, good local representatives need to represent their entire constituency and constituent body.



I would be very happy to meet with you at some stage and discuss further anything I can do as a local Cllr in Swords to protect the Arts and I will be happy to brign any lobbying power I have on the matter within the wider Labour Party.



Thank you again for your email,



Kind regards



Duncan Simith Cllr Labour

Jasondeans86er

Dear Mr. Deans,

Many thanks for your mail and I would like to acknowledge receipt on behalf of Nessa Childers MEP. As a former substitute member of the Culture and Education Committee within the European Parliament Ms. Childers has always been a strong advocate for the Arts and though no longer on this committee she will remain so.

With regard to the ban on cadmium pigments, the European Chemicals Agency is due to report in December of this year regarding the matter- of course the Arts community is calling for a repeal of this proposal preferring that correct disposal of waste be considered as an acceptable solution rather than an outright ban as desired by the Swedish Government in the first instance.

Nessa will of course continue to review this issue- especially if it should appear before the European Parliaments Environment and Public Safety Committee, of which she is a member.

Your consideration is greatly appreciated.
Your co
Regards,
Maggie Pym

Jasondeans86er

Hi Jason,

Thank you for your email and sorry for the delay in coming back to you. I had a quick look at your website and your work is very impressive. You and the arts continue to have my support, no matter the various state of the economy over the years. Our Country has benefited greatly from successful artists in various fields and this improves our image and brings back investment and goodwill that makes every penny we spend more than worthwhile.

At the moment I am sitting through our annual budget meeting and this year the estimate for the Operation of the Arts Programme for 2015 is EUR 5.6 million. For last year 2014, the estimated outturn was EUR 4,678,400. This includes Heritage / Interpretive Facilities Operations.






Best regards,

Darragh

COUNCILLOR DARRAGH BUTLER FF

Jasondeans86er

Dear Jason,

Thanks for your e mail, Jason, and sorry for late reply. (I've included the Dail e mail above which may be quicker in future.)

I agree with what you say regarding the underfunding of the arts, as with all sectors it has been savaged by austerity in the last six years.

I'm hoping to have a slot shortly where I can directly put Questions to the Minister for the Arts and I intend to put the issues you've raised into that Question. I'm also on the Arts sub-Committee and the Minister will be appearing before that shortly, so I can raise it there too, particularly, as you point out, that 1916 is getting all of the increase in the Budget.

I will send you on replies. (You can also keep in touch on my Facebook page, Ruth Coppinger TD.)

Kind regards,

Ruth Coppinger.TD Socialist party