NCFA What Next – Minutes of Meeting 15 June 2016

What Next? Minutes of Meeting | 15 June 2016

In attendance: Robert Blake, Michelle Browne, Iseult Byrne, Eoghan Carrick, Tom Creed, Karina Lundstrom, Shelly McDonnell, Fiona Reilly

Political progress and meetings:

– 14/06 NCFA met with Brendan Howlin, Joan Burton and Kevin Humphreys

• Discussed Culture 2025, the lack of consultation and shortcomings in the strategy
• Howlin has since secured the agreement of the Taoiseach that the draft will be referred to the Oireachtas Committee for debate and amendment prior to finalisation

– Fianna Fail have put forward a motion on Arts to be discussed in the Dail next Tuesday evening (21/06)

– Separate cabinet committees to be set up: Arts & Gaeltacht / Rural Affairs & Regional Development

– Independents 4 Change to chair the cabinet committee for Arts & Gaeltact

– NCFA Constituency reps have been meeting with TD’s in their regions:

• All of the letters to local TD’s having an impact
• Particular support from Niamh Smith (Fianna Fail, Cavan), Regina Doherty (Fianna Gael, Meath East), Kate O’Connell (Dublin Bay South)
• Meeting Micheál Martin early next week (FF, Cork SC), Tom speaking to Frances Fitzgerald (FG, Dublin Mid-West) later today
• Continued difficulty getting response from Michael and Danny Healy-Rae (Independents, Kerry) and Eamon Ryan (Green Party, Dublin South)

Public Engagement:

– NCFA met with Bricolage (Yes Equality Campaign). Willing to work with us on pro bono basis on planning our public engagement – branding and focus groups.

– What is our message?
• investment not subsidy
• UN right to participate in cultural life
• Arts and Education – STEAM, culture as a mode of communication and critical thought
• Culture experienced by all
• Investment in world class culture

– Update public facing website:

• assess immediate changes that can be made and email to Tom Creed
• Tom and Iseult to follow up with designers and make changes

– Organise NCFA roadshow to constituency groups (August?)
– Workshops /training /online info on campaign Top 10 questions and example answers

– Sectoral support:

• Call to action for salaried cultural practitioners and administrators to contribute working hours to campaign/ offer in-kind support
• contact Arts Management/Policy and Practice tutors and graduates in Dublin and Galway (tutors Pat Cooke UCD, Maeve Mulrennan NUIG)
• contact Cultural Geography Departments, Maynooth (Gerry Kearns), NUIG (Pat Collins)

– Discussed: possible actions to engage with the public
• Videos and images visualising life without culture – a day in the life narrative

– Videos sharing personal stories: Impact of arts on individuals, artists and audience

• arts and health
• education
• community
• influence growing up
• case study eg Stuart Carolan
– Open call for videos taken by supporters and shared online
– NCFA reps at Culture Night documenting events
– College roadshow in Autumn
– Fairness – making the time and labour visible
• videos behind the scenes
• recording a days/weeks work in the sector, clocking in and out

To Do:
-

Everyone to email Tom and Isault re website changes
- Michelle and Shelly to start planning college roadshow
- Aim to meet all TD’s by 7 July

Next meeting:

– 22/06/2016 at 8.30am
- VAI offices, 7-9 Central Hotel Chambers, Dame Lane, D2