NCFA Donation Appeal – Jo Mangan Chair

As the newly appointed Chair of the National Campaign for the Arts, I would like to thank you for your generous support of the Campaign over the last few years. The NCFA has worked hard to get cultural policy and the arts firmly on the political agenda. We believe the work carried out at national, regional and local level ­by all of us ­has provided the Arts with much needed profile and some small protection funding wise.

Unfortunately the funding threat to the arts continues. Funding is now lower than 2005 levels, down over 5% this year alone ­and we know there is at least one more austerity budget to come. It is more important than ever that we are united in focus and equipped to protect our sector. We must all work hard to make sure the arts survive, thrive and make their essential contribution to contemporary Irish life and to our society. To do that I am asking for your continued support and help.

We want to build on the campaign’s momentum and profile to strengthen the argument for the arts beyond simple economics. This year’s campaign will focus on communicating the core importance of the arts for everyone alongside highlighting the low levels of investment in Ireland in relation to other EU countries. We will endeavour to put arts and culture on the political agenda across key government departments, to affect how the arts work within our wider society and to protect principles of access in the arts in relation to Education, Health, Local Government, Tourism and more. It is also our intention to keep the arts at the forefront of political and media debate to remind the government and the public of the vital role the arts play in our everyday lives. The importance of continually communicating this message cannot be overstated.

We’re asking you to contibute what you can to help the NCFA in its fight this year. As a voluntary group, we work hard, but cannot achieve all we would wish to due to all our other commitments. We need to ask for your help to allow us to hire a part-time coordinator for the lead up to Budget 2016 as well as the 2016 elections to help improve our ability to campaign effectively.

Your contribution will ensure we have a strong voice with which to lobby at every level ­locally, regionally, and nationally ­for the arts – our arts. Please go to https://www.ncfa.ie or send a cheque or EFT payment to the address below, to make your donation. Today.

Thank you in advance and for your support to date.

Jo Mangan
NCFA Chair