PRESS RELEASE: NCFA launches 13 Point Proposal for the Survival and Recovery of the Irish Arts Sector
27th May 2020
Statement from National Campaign for the Arts in response to government announcement of €25 million Arts and Culture Sector Stabilisation Fund
16th June 2020


NCFA #SAVETHEARTS CAMPAIGN


The arts are the books you are reading, the TV shows you’re watching, the music you’re listening to, the artworks you’re fascinated with.

The arts provoke conversations, enrage radio show callers, reflect our losses and celebrate our successes. 

Before and during the pandemic, the arts have kept us company, been a voice, an escape and hope. 

As the country emerges from the pandemic and businesses attempt to return to trading or pivot to alternative offerings in a physically limited new world, the arts and culture sector will be the very last to recover in any meaningful way. Galleries and museums remain closed, film and TV productions cannot shoot, festivals, concerts and live events have been wiped out.

Artists of all disciplines have lost the ability to generate income – there is nowhere to perform, no outlet to sell tickets, nowhere to display work. 

The highly skilled arts workers who bring these artistic creations to life, from producers to riggers, promoters to technicians, designers to engineers, have had their livelihoods decimated.

The arts organisations who enable artists to create, provide arts workers with employment and offer audiences artistic and cultural experiences are desperately trying to find ways to open their doors in a safe and financially viable way.  

Investment in artists, arts workers and arts organisations is crucial now. Without it there will be an irretrievable loss of wisdom and skills as people move out of the sector in search of work elsewhere. Artists will not be able to create and Ireland’s artistic output will stagnate. If we allow the arts to be left behind as we move to rebuild Ireland, attempts to re-stimulate the arts and culture sector down the line will be unachievable.

Artists, arts workers and arts organisations need your support now.

We must keep the arts on the national agenda while we move towards Government formation and Programme for Government.

Help #SAVETHEARTS by demonstrating their importance to you.

Help give the arts a voice with these 3 actions:


1. TELL YOUR TD

Contact your TD (https://www.whoismytd.com) and tell them how important the arts are to you. Feel free to use our template letter below or to tell TDs in your own words. Send an email, tag them on social media, call their constituency office.



TEMPLATE LETTER

Dear

Without the arts there would be no FILM, DRAMA, COMEDY, MUSIC, BOOKS, DIGITAL ARTS, DANCE, PAINTING, THEATRE, POETRY, ANIMATION, SCULPTURE, LITERATURE, SPECTACLE, ARCHITECTURE, JOY, EXCITEMENT, BEAUTY to get me through. 

The arts support us through difficult times. Now I want you to support the arts.

Your constituent,



2. Get the #SAVETHEARTS message out

Sometimes we don’t recognise that the arts are all around us, part of our everyday lives. Without them, we would lose so much. We’ve made this short video to showcase just some of the areas encompassed by ‘the arts’.

Are you an ARTIST, ARTS WORKER or an ARTS ORGANISATION:

  • Share our #SAVETHEARTS video on Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, tik tok, Facebook and all your social media channels, using #SAVETHEARTS and tag your local TDs.
  • We’re also asking you to take to social media to share a selfie or an expression of your work and use this text: “My name is… and I am an Artist/Arts Worker”. Again, tag your local TDs (https://www.whoismytd.com) and use #SAVETHEARTS.

Are you an ARTS FAN? If you enjoy the arts, please add your voice to the campaign:

  • Share our #SAVETHEARTS video on Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, tik tok, Facebook and all your social media channels, using #SAVETHEARTS and tag your local TDs
  • Tell us on your social media why you love the arts (the book that changed your life, the film that broke your heart, the gallery you treasure, the music that keeps you company, the performances that give you hope).
  • Tag the NCFA (Twitter: @Campaign4Arts – Facebook: NCFAie – Instagram: @Campaign4Arts).
  • Then tag your TD’s (https://www.whoismytd.com) and use #SAVETHEARTS.


3. Spread the Word

Talk to your friends and family about how important the arts are to you and ask them to do point 1 and 2.


Some useful bits:

You can download the video or get #SAVETHEARTS social media images.

Here is a link to the National Campaign for the Art’s 13 Point Proposal for the Survival and Recovery of the Irish Arts Sector

Here is the email to get in touch if you have ideas or questions contact us here: info@ncfa.



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