Budget Day – How did the arts fare?

First of all we want to say well done. We achieved a lot this year. 

An unprecedented effort was made to meet as many local and national politicians face to face to explain why the arts are vital and why public funding is needed. More than 85 TDs were met. Presentations were made to Oireachtas Committees, local councillors, as well as a variety of conferences, seminars and university groups. Members of the public and many of us who work in the arts sent nearly 12,000 emails to their TDs.

Thanks to those of you who helped make this happen. You have helped the arts in Ireland. Funding will be down in 2011. The impact on individual artists and organisations won’t be known until next year. However we made the case. We were listened to. The cuts at national level are nothing like as bad as many had feared.  (We won’t know how much local funding is cut by until later next year). 

Here’s the initial news we have about the Budget and the arts:

• The Arts Council -5%
• Culture Ireland +71%
• Irish Film Board -4%
• IMMA, Chester Beatty Library, National Concert Hall, Crawford Gallery -8%
• National Gallery -3%
• National Library of Ireland -14%
• National Museum of Ireland -6%
• Cultural Projects
• (Dublin Contemporary, Hunt Museum, Foynes Flying Boat Museum, Science Gallery, James Joyce Centre, March’s Library) -3%
• Cultural Development
• (ACCESS Arts Capital funding & the Cultural Technology Grants) -50%
• National Archives -12%