National Campaign for the Arts

You might have seen a few articles and letters to various editors about the the value of the arts flying about at the moment. Following on from the Bord Snip report and now the Commission on Taxation report which threatens the Artists Tax Exemption many in the arts community are determined to fight for funding, recognition and the arts infrastructure. CBI is participating in the National Campaign.

Follow these links for a selection of relevant sites and articles. You can also follow the campaign on Twitter – @campaign4arts.

National Campaign For Arts

Dublin Central Arts Workers

Visual Artists Ireland respond re Artists Tax Exemption

Stuart McLaughlin on making the case for the Arts

Jim Culleton on Iceland, Ireland and Culture

Snip Snip went the report

There has been so much written about An Bord Snip already that in some ways I am loathed to add more google hits but here goes…..

The McCarthy report makes some recommendations specifically in relation to the Department of Arts Sports and Tourism (DAST) that will have a direct impact on the sector. For arts and literature the three key alarm bells are

1. The Department of Arts, Sport & Tourism should also be critically examined in light of the extensive savings that are proposed in this area and scope for transferring its functions to other Departments.
   Adopting the above proposals would allow for the creation of up to two other Departments, whose creation could reflect emerging priorities for the Government.
2. Reduction of allocation for Arts Council €6.1m
3. Discontinuation of allocation for Culture Ireland €4.6m

For children’s books there are other key areas of concern specifically within Education and these added to the cuts to the school library budgets already discussed are terrifying, how and ever that is for another post. Back to DAST.

The first thing that seems clear to me at least, is that DAST might not have the guts to fight for their own survival. There is a sense of inevitability about this recommendation and nothing since or before (when the rumours about the future of the department were rife) has shown me that there is a plan or a notion to oppose this from within the department or specifically the Minister’s office. Maybe I’m wrong and maybe behind closed doors there is a helluva barney going on. But if it is, its a very very quiet one. Taking away the department and its specific remit will be counterproductive in the long run.

A reduction in allocation to the Arts Council is probably no great surprise to anyone, least of all the Council themselves. What remains to be seen is how Council will react. Early signs indicate they are prepared to come out fighting. Of Course, as a state body they won’t comment about specifics but this week’s release of the long awaited Touring Experiment report might be an indication that they are intent on moving forwards instead of retrenching. Likewise the strong words from Galway at the weekend might be a sign of stronger words to come. What size of Merrion’s Square pie will be allocated to Literature is anybody’s guess. About 5% of Arts Council budget went specifically to Literature in 2009. There is other support through festivals, bursaries and the cnuas etc no where near enough to challenge theatre’s current 28%.

A €6mn reduction the Council’s budget is about a 10% decrease overall. Add to this the cuts rolled over from 2009 and it  is unlikely that literature’s allocation will do anything but fall. One very serious implication is where this leaves Dublin’s application for designation as UNESCO city of literature. In a time where cultural tourism is the happiest story that the arts sector can share, an under resourced literature sector won’t be able to fully support, celebrate and define a new designation.

And what is to happen to Culture Ireland- the body charged with promoting Irish Arts abroad. Its modest budget goes towards Irish arts and artists participating in international projects and events, helping to build our reputation and our cultural profile. For literature, Culture Ireland supported Irish publishers and organisations attending bookfairs and making international contacts. International rights deals are hugely important to irish publishing, offering a vital supplement to retail income. And while CI’s support to literature was lower than other artforms, taking away an organisation charged promoting arts abroad will have a detrimental effect on the sector as a whole. Similar to disbanding DAST, if Culture Ireland goes, it will be very hard to get it back.

So far, so gloomy. I’m sure there are so bright sparks out there its just that the fog has fallen now and its hard to lift it. Hopefully more cheery posts to follow later in the week!

Tamar Institute in Palestine wins the ALMA

More international awards for work with children and books and reading…

The Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award was announced today in Bologne. The swedes take the legacy of Lindgren very seriously and every year they make an award to an individual, individuals or organisations who are active in reading promotion. And by serious I mean – the prize totals SEK 5 million (equivalent to approx. USD 578,000, 445,000 EUR). Lindgren is an extraordinarily important  figure in  children’s books and the Swedes are determined to celebrate her with this important prize.

As they say

“The prize aims to strengthen and increase interest in children’s and young people’s literature globally. The award is designed to strengthen children’s rights at global level.

This year’s recipient is Tamer Institute for Community Education, Palestine.

Tamer Institute for Community Education
The Tamer Institute for Community Education in Ramallah is an independent organisation that has carried out reading promotion work for children and young people in West Bank and Gaza since 1989. The Tamer Institute was founded to give children access to books and alternative learning as children’s and young people’s schooling, leisure time and lives suffered from the troubles in the area. The Tamer Institute also hands out reading passports. Holders get a stamp for every book they have read. This is a clear symbol of the fact that there are no borders for those who can read books. As Astrid Lindgren said: “Good children’s literature gives the child a place in the world and the world a place in the child”.

The Tamer Institute is the hub of a network that works with writing workshops, storytelling, drama and literary discussion for children and young people. They supply libraries with children’s books and they train librarians and parents. A national reading campaign is organised every year, culminating with National Reading Week. In 2008, the campaign reached 52,000 children in refugee camps and remote villages and communities, who took part in literary discussion, drama and drawing and writing workshops.

The Tamer Institute also carries out youth activities. The young people, who have often participated in Tamer’s work since they were children, publish their own newspaper, Yara´at, among other things. They use it to publish their thoughts, poems and stories. When the Tamer Institute was founded, there were virtually no Palestinian children’s books. The organisation has now published more than 130 titles and several of the children who attended the Tamer Institute’s writing workshops have started to write their own books as adults.

Despite difficult circumstances, the Tamer Institute works tirelessly on many levels to create a better situation for Palestinian children and young people via literature. Their conviction that words can tear down walls has resulted in innovative reading promotion activities of an unusual breadth, for which reason the Tamer Institute has been awarded the 2009 Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award.

www.tamerinst.org

Foras Na Gaeilge Writers grants application window open

For writers working in Irish, Foras Na Gaeilge have a number of current funding grants available.

Scéimeanna Scríbhneoireachta Fhoras na Gaeilge 2009 fógartha anois.  Spriocdháta: 5.00i.n. Dé Máirt, 24 Márta 2009

Scéim na nOidí Is í aidhm na scéime seo deis a thabhairt do scríbhneoirí i dtús a ré scríbhneoireachta comhairle faoina gcuid scríbhinní, agus faoi cheird na scríbhneoireachta i gcoitinne, a fháil ó scríbhneoirí aitheanta (oidí).

Scéim na Scoláireachtaí Taighde Faoi Scéim na Scoláireachtaí Taighde bronntar scoláireachtaí ar scríbhneoirí áirithe a bhainfeadh leas as deontas taighde chun cur lena n-inniúlacht chruthaitheach agus lena n-eispéireas liteartha.

Scéim na gCoimsiún Is í aidhm na scéime seo ciste coimisiúnaithe a dháileadh i measc lucht liteartha na Gaeilge sa chaoi is go gcinnteofar soláthar sásúil sna réimsí éagsúla léitheoireachta. Tabharfar tús áite i mbliana d’ábhar léitheoireachta do dhéagóirí.

Tá gach eolas maidir leis na scéimeanna chomh maith leis na foirmeacha iarratais cuí le fáil ar an suíomh idirlíon www.leabhar.ie

Foras na Gaeilge’s 2009 Writing Schemes announced!!

Closing date: 5.00p.m. Tuesday, 24 March 2009

The Tutor’s Scheme This scheme gives trainee writers an opportunity to get advice regarding their writing and the art of writing in general from recognised writers (tutors).

Research Scholarship Scheme Scholarships are granted to particular writers who use research grants to enchance their creative ability and their literary experience.

The Commission Scheme The aim of this scheme is to distribute funds among Irish language writers in such a way as to ensure a satisfactory supply across the full range of reading categories.

Information regarding the schemes as well as the relevant application forms can be found on the website www.leabhar.ie

Children’s Publishing in Ireland Forum Notes now available

Notes from last year’s forum are now available online – here.

They make interesting reading, especially as the intervening period has brought yet more economic  instability.

The plan is to follow this up with another event as part of Dublin Book Festival in early March. This event is likely to more focussed on discussing some practical actions for the sector.

Don’t forget to re-read the brilliant discussion that followed the event over on Sir David Maybury’s blog.

Arts Council Funding Decisions

News of the funding decisions (and revised decisions) are trickling out slowly.

The Irish Times carries a piece today about the range of cuts facing most organisations – Alas is seems that all funding to the Irish Writers Centre has been cut. A total cut like this is obviously devastating. I hope Cathal, Ian and the team can cope.

For us in CBI things look a bit better. Our funding has been maintained at 2008 levels which is a massive relief.

Not such a happy Christmas for the arts community it seems-  though some good news comes with the announcement of Celine Kiernan’s new book deal – see David or Irish Times

New members of arts council announced

Finally White Smoke from Merrion Square.

Six new members and a new chairperson have been announced for the Arts Council. The positions have been vacant for 6 months now and there was a rising feeling of despair among the arts community.  Had  the Minister forgotten about the council entirely?

Pat Moylan – independent producer is the new chairperson. Other new members are Louise Donlon; Paul Johnson; Fiona Kearney; Sheila O’Neill; Orlaith McBride; and Caroline Senior. Interestingly of the 6 new appointees four are in charge of arts venues, a shift away perhaps from including a high proportion of artists on the Council.

None of the new  appointees have a strong literature background. Does this leaves Colm Tóibín  as perhaps the sole voice for literature on the Council?

Full biogs and details over on the Arts Council

Children’s laureate here and there

The position of children’s laureate is a high profile one in Britain. Especially as the current holder Micheal Rosen seems to have the gift of bilocation and appears in every single children’s books related media piece or event. What is shows is that with a media friendly hook like the laureate you can generate increased profile and public awareness.

An Irish children’s laureate has been proprosed at a number of events recently including some arts council consultation meetings and yesterday’s CBI Cle forum (David has some good notes on this, there will be a record of it online on CBI’s site in coming weeks).

A key figure with a strong profile might be just what the Irish children’s books scene needs. Who that writer/illustrator might be is a whole other question!

Meanwhile the process of choosing Michael’s sucessor in the UK is underway.

Barack Obama, Philip Pullman and Alan Gibbons

Many of you might have spotted an article in Guardian/Observer featuring Philip Pullman’s appeal to a comprehensive in Chesterfield to keep its library open. Meadows Community School is ditching their library (and librarian) in favour of a ‘virtual learning environment’ and a reading room (without librarian).

Author Alan Gibbons has been motivating a campaign about similar issues – you can follow progress over on his blog. He’s even managed to weave in Obamania with these quotes

Guardians of truth and knowledge, librarians must be thanked for their role as champions of privacy, literacy, independent thinking, and most of all reading.

The critical importance of language, of writing, of reading, of communication, of books as a means of transmitting culture and binding us together as a people.

The library represents a window to a larger world, the place where we’ve always come to discover big ideas and profound concepts.

In an Irish context the evidence overwhelmingly points to the success of school libraries. The snappily titled Junior Certificate Support Programme Demonstration Library Project continues to show what can be achieved when a properly resourced and dedicated space is contributed to the school environment. The Room for Reading Report on the project is long but a terrific source of evidence of the importance of school libraries in Ireland. As one young reader said

It’s brilliant, you can learn more and learn about things you know nothing about and it helps with project work. It’s easier to learn and its very relaxing.”

budget blues

David has some quick off the draw analysis of what the budget means for the Arts sector. Its not cheery.

But even worse and what may have slipped under the radar is the fact that €7.5m has been taken off aid for books in DEIS schools and €2.1m is gone from school library grants. That €2.1m is 100% of the department of education contribution to school library grants. It’s shocking that despite all the evidence about the importance of school libraries DES have withdrawn all of their funding.

The implications of the budget for the public library sector are not so easy to see currently but it is clear that any cut in library funding usually hits the book budget hardest of all.