Ireland
Friday 19th April
National Gallery of Ireland
10:00-14:00
Through the innovative programmes of Ireland’s national cultural institutions, more than 225,000 people directly participate in the making and sharing of arts, culture and heritage every year – in addition to passive audiences and visitors. The members of the Education, Community and Outreach Committee of the Council of National Cultural Institutions invite members of the arts-in-education community to discuss the relationship between arts, culture and education in Ireland’s schools.
We know from experience the importance of a dialogue between theories of pedagogy and artistic expression as well as having a continual curiosity on how to use these to make the arts live more vividly in everyone’s experience.
During this gathering, we aim to illustrate and celebrate the initiative of the Arts In Education Charter by hosting examples of best practice from around the country and exploring a vision of the role of the arts in education in Ireland. How has Ireland responded to these demands? Does our arts education fairly reflect the latest research? How can Ireland’s cultural institutions build on the ambitions of the Arts In Education Charter? What have we learnt from the work of these institutions over their many years of practice?
The Lighting A Fire conference will address these questions and others in a oneday, interactive gathering of practitioners and students along with arts, culture and educational leaders to provide specific, practical suggestions as part of a yearly report to the Ministers.
To register, click here or call the National Concert Hall call centre (opening hours 10am-6pm, Monday – Saturday) at 01 4170000
The conference will be a direct response to the Arts In Education Charter document from the Departments of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht and the Department of Education and Skills.
JOANNE LAWS, WINNER OF THE VISUAL ARTISTS IRELAND / DUBLIN CITY COUNCIL ARTS OFFICE CRITICAL WRITING AWARD (2013), ADDRESSES THE SUBJECT OF THE VISUAL ARTS’ RESPONSES TO THE ‘DECADE OF CENTENARIES’
Visual Artists Ireland and Dublin City Arts Office are pleased to announce Joanne Laws as the recipient of the 2012 Annual Visual Art Writing Award. The award was first launched in 2011 and has been devised as a developmental opportunity for writers, as part of Dublin City Council Arts Office and Visual Artists Ireland’s commitment to encouraging and supporting critical dialogue around contemporary visual arts practices.
For the 2012 award, applicants were asked to propose a thematic article looking at how the visual arts might respond to the upcoming ‘decade of commemorations’ taking place across the island of Ireland. Joanne’s article is scheduled to appear in the March / April edition of the Visual Artists’ News Sheet.
Joanne received editorial support and mentoring from VAI and an honorarium from Dublin City Council Arts Office of €800 – comprising a €500 commission to write for this edition of the Visual Artists News Sheet and a €300 commission to write a short essay as part of the LAB’s 2012 / 2013 programme. (more…)
19th April | 10am – 2pm
The National Gallery of Ireland, Merrion Square W, Dublin 2.
The Council of National Cultural Institutions will be holding the Lighting A Fire conference in response to the recent Arts-In-Education Charter to be held on 19 April 2013 at the National Gallery of Ireland in Dublin.
Speakers from around Europe and the world will be brought in to discuss the framework, implications, context, implementation strategies and best practice around arts-in-education in Ireland. Lunch is included along with demonstrated best practices by youth and practitioners throughout the day.
For more information, and details on booking, please visit: www.cnci.ie/lightingafire
Deadline: 4th April
National Museum of Ireland, Kildare St, Dublin 2.
The National Museum of Ireland (N.M.I) is Ireland’s largest national cultural institution, and is the authoritative voice on the relevant aspects of Irish heritage, culture and natural history.
The Museum plays an important role in overseeing broader aspects of our cultural and natural heritage which range from issues of conservation, excavation and other aspects of protection.
The Director of the National Museum of Ireland will be required to implement a very challenging Change Management Agenda over the course of the five year appointment in addition to the general public sector reform programme.
The person appointed will have a proven track record as a leader and senior manager in a large or complex organisation in either the public or private sector. S/he will have the capacity, qualities and experience to lead the N.M.I. in a time of change as it faces new challenges for the next decade and beyond, and will demonstrate an appreciation of the particular custodial responsibility that attaches to the post of Director of major cultural institution. The Director will have a good grasp of the financial requirements and will be willing to drive strategic fundraising and commercial initiatives.
For further details, please visit: www.publicjobs.ie/publicjobs/campaignAdvert/7342.htm
CLAIRE POWER CONSIDERS THE INCREASING RELIANCE OF VISUAL ARTS ORGANISATIONS ON INTERERNSHIPS, AND REPORTS ON THE FINDINGS OF AND ISSUES AIRED BY A RECENTLY-FORMED DISCUSSION GROUP ON THE SUBJECT.
Writing an article on the current debate about internships is daunting, especially when you wear an institutional hat, purport to represent the views of a wider group and acknowledge that most galleries / institutions play a role in the dilemma. There are a broad range of viewpoints on internships and this article is intended to serve as a starting point, to highlight key issues and stimulate further debate. I aim to highlight new initiatives and current debates at a timely point when unpaid internships are becoming more common for a new generation of young arts workers.
In reviewing the literature that has been written on the subject, mainly by UK research and policy bodies, one statement struck a chord with me, as having some truth: “… the deployment of unpaid interns is fast becoming in many cases a structural necessity for companies and organisations. There is a suspicion that interns and volunteers may be de facto masking the collapse of the European cultural sector, hiding the exodus of the public resources from such activities and thus preventing the general public from perceiving the unsustainability of the situation.”¹ (more…)
DUBLIN: Tuesday, January 29, 2013: Survey results released today by Visual Artists Ireland clearly indicate the large number of artists who are required to provide exhibitions and supporting services for free.
The survey undertaken at the end of 2012 shows that out of 580 exhibition opportunities, 79.66% provided no fee to the artist for their participation. Further figures indicated that production costs were not met in many cases, and in a large percentage (43.3%) of cases, artists were asked to either pay or contribute to the administration costs of their exhibitions. 77.8% of artists received no fee for education or outreach programmes. Of these 31.9% received a contribution towards travel expenses for these events.
In his statement, Noel Kelly, CEO of Visual Artists Ireland, stated “This is a clear indication of the desperate situation that the visual arts finds itself in as a result of the draconian cuts that have been inflicted on the sector.” He continued “Clearly there is an expectation that artists are so grateful for the opportunity to have their work seen by the public that there is no need to offer them payment at a meaningful level. Our figures show that even when payments are received, they fall far below even minimum wage.”
It is obvious that this mode of practice is not only inequitable but also fails to recognise the professionalism of visual artists. It has lead to an increase in the number of artists living under the poverty line, or seeking to create new lives either outside of Ireland, or outside of the visual arts sector as a whole. There is a need for the government to step forward and to guarantee funding levels that extend to visual artists, and that increased supports for funding agencies such as the Arts Council are put in place as a matter of urgency.
Visual Artists Ireland is now in communication with the Arts Council to discuss in detail potential solutions for this problem.
Case Studies:
The full extent of the problem can be seen in case studies that are part of the survey:
Artist 1: Age group 55 – 64, with a job to subsidise their work as an artist, with studio rent, heat, and electricity costs of between 250 and 299 Euro per month had 4 solo exhibitions and 6 group exhibition in 2011/1012. Out of these, 3 of the solo exhibitions had no artist’s fee, and 1 provided 500 Euro. Out of the 6 group exhibitions (6+ artists in show) one offered a fee of 700 Euro. No production costs were paid, but the galleries covered the administration costs.
Total Exhibition Income: 1200 Euro for 2011/2012
Artist 2: Age Group 35 – 44, with a job to subsidise their work as an artist, with part time access to a studio, studio rent of between 100 and 149 Euro per month had 1 solo exhibition and 8 group exhibitions in 2011/1012. The solo exhibition had a fee of 1000 Euro Out of the 8 group exhibitions one offered a fee of 200 Euro. No production costs were paid. Some galleries covered the administration costs but some were paid for out of the artist’s own pocket.
Total Exhibition Income: 1200 Euro for 2011/2012
Artist 3: Age Group 45 – 54, full time professional artist, with part time access to a studio, studio rent of approximately 50 Euro per month had 3 group exhibitions in 2011/1012. They were not paid for any exhibition. Some production costs were paid, and in all cases administration costs were covered.
Total Exhibition Income: 0 Euro for 2011/2012
Full details of the survey can be obtained from
Visual Artists Ireland
Central Hotel Chambers
7/9 Dame Court
Dublin 2
Info@visualartists.ie
Phone (01) 672 9488
Jimmy Deenihan TD, Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, has addressed the Culture and Education Committee of the European Parliament in Brussels to outline Ireland’s cultural policy agenda for the European Presidency.
The full Cultural Programme for the Presidency – Culture Connects – was unveiled recently. Today’s engagement at the European Parliament was designed to discuss the legislative proposals that will be progressed over the coming six months.
Ireland’s key priority will be to focus on two legislative proposals – Creative Europe 2014 – 2020 and Europe for Citizens 2014 – 2020. Ireland will also progress the European Capitals of Culture 2020 – 2033 proposal during the Presidency.
Minister Deenihan commented:
”Creative Europe 2014 – 2020 is important for artists and arts organisations across the entire European Union. It is important that we get agreement on this so that those working in the culture and creative sectors can benefit from the new programme as soon as possible.
“Last November, the Council reached a partial agreement on the Creative Europe Programme. This included important provisions related to the Guarantee Facility, which has the twin aims of facilitating access for the culture and creative sectors to finance of approximately €1 billion and seeking to influence attitudes in banking and financial services to the assessment of risk in these sectors.
“These objectives are vitally important and if realised can have a significant positive impact on the culture and creative sectors. Agreement on the multi annual financial framework will ensure that the Cultural programme is adopted in time for the sectors to start to benefit from it from the beginning of 2014.
“I know there has been much focus by our predecessors as Council Presidents – Denmark and Cyprus – on both of these initiatives and we will continue this work during our term of office. These discussions are continuing and I am confident that progress will be made.”
The Irish Presidency also considers that Europe for Citizens is an important proposal for progression. This proposal seeks to enhance civic participation at the Union level as well as strengthening remembrance.
Another key element of the Irish Presidency is the timely adoption of the European Capitals of Culture 2020 – 2033 proposal. Minister Deenihan commented: “This is of particular interest to Ireland given that we are scheduled to host the Capitals of Culture in 2020 – the first year of the new programme.”
Culture Connects is the culture programme marking Ireland’s Presidency of the Council of the European Union 1 January – 30 June 2013.
Culture Ireland has co-ordinated a major programme presenting Irish artists and their works across all Member States, expanding the reach of Irish culture to new audiences, and building on the presence of Irish artists in key European festivals and venues, with a special focus on Brussels, Paris and Berlin.
Nationally, Culture Connects features major events presented by Ireland’s national cultural institutions, such as the Crawford Art Gallery Cork, the National Concert Hall and the Irish Museum of Modern Art.
In addition, the Arts Council has co-ordinated a programme of over 90 contemporary arts events and projects taking place country-wide, which has been financially supported by the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht.
The first strand of the Arts Council programme is called Local Arts Europe and it encompasses 23 partnership projects led by Local Authority Arts Offices and Ealaín na Gaeltachta that invest in artistic and professional relationships between Ireland and other places in Europe. The second strand of the Arts Council programme is called Féile Festa , which involves over 30 festivals and is all about connecting artists and audiences. In addition, a small number of large-scale festivals, such as the Jameson Dublin International Film Festival, that take place during the Presidency period and that have an important role in terms of engaging extensive arts audiences, were invited directly to participate in the Féile Festa strand.
The final strand of the National Culture Programme is called Partners for Imagination and it showcases some of the arts organisations in Ireland that have been exceptionally committed to working across national borders in Europe to the benefit of artists, arts participants and audiences in Ireland.
The visual artists at the heart of Cló Ceardlann na gCnoc studios and gallery in Donegal have worked most recently with partners from Portugal and Greece to run Samkura, a co-operative project supported by the EU Culture Programme. During the Presidency, Cló Ceardlann na gCnoc presents an exhibition programme as well as a series of specialist workshops.
The National Sculpture Factory, in partnership with the Cork Civic Trust, the Cork Vision Centre and in association with the Crawford Art Gallery, presents works by artists featured in United States of Europe, a large scale visual art project brought about through transnational partnership, and supported by the EU Culture Programme.
The Partners for Imagination strand of Culture Connects will also feature networking and professional development events, in particular Visual Artists Ireland’s Get Together 2013, the Informal Meeting of the European Cultural Contact Points, and the Spring Plenary meeting of the IETM international network for contemporary performing arts.
Further information on Ireland’s Presidency of the Council of the EU www.eu2013.ie
Further information on EU support for culture www.ccp.ie
In recent times, we have seen a significant increase in the number of artists contacting us with stories of being expected to deliver exhibitions and other events such as talks and education programmes either for free or with just their travel expenses covered. It is obvious that this mode of practice is not only inequitable but also fails to recognise the professionalism of visual artists.
In our annual survey, we gather details of artists incomes, but we feel that it is now necessary to look at the area of exhibition and other events fees. We have based this survey on one undertaken by the American organisation W.A.G.E.
To assist us raise awareness of the current situation across Ireland, and to provide detailed statistics and figures, we ask you to complete this survey. In it we wish to get a full and accurate picture surrounding artists’ fees around Ireland.
The survey should take no more than 10 minutes. The link will open a new window. All information is anonymous and confidential. The survey will close on 21 December 2012.
Access the survey here: www.surveymonkey.com/s/BDH7RNB
The BBC has launched Your Paintings, a website which aims to show the entire UK national collection of oil paintings, the stories behind the paintings, and where to see them. It is made up of paintings from thousands of museums and other public institutions around the UK, including the Arts Council Northern Ireland’s own collection of recent acquisitions. www.bbc.co.uk/arts/yourpaintings
