It's a curious sensation to visit the new headquarters of the Arts Council of Northern Ireland (ACNI). For years, it was situated in Riddell Hall on the Stranmillis Road. Recently, it has moved to MacNiece house on the Malone Road. It's not a huge distance but, where Riddell Hall looked like something from Father Ted's Craggy Island, the newly refurbished MacNeice House has, at least, the look of modernity to it. Yet the MacNeice house is by no means new. Its origins lie in the last century, and it has grown from bishop's residence to halls of residence for women students attending nearby Queen's University to its present role. It looks new but isn't. It could be argued that the same is true of the Arts Council itself. Its reports are littered with all the new buzz words of contemporary arts speak, but is it all a victory of style over content, old walls under new paint?
The new chairman of the Arts Council of Northern Ireland for the next three years, Professor Brian Walker, will be responsible for steering the council into the next millennium, overseeing its development under a promised new Assembly and satisfying the varying needs of differing (and, at times, competing) artistic communities. He will not have far to walk to his new office. Appointed in August, he is currently Director of the Institute of Irish Studies in Queen's. Like all chairmen of the council, he serves in a voluntary capacity and receives a small annual stipend for his trouble. Walker's interest in the arts began with photography, "a very small scene" according to him, but one which he pursued with Friar's Bush Press, a publishing house he founded, specialising in reproducing photographic records of yester-year in the North. Photography provides us, he says, with "artistic and social documents". Strangely, though, he doesn't actually take photographs. "I'm used to dealing with the work of masters. I feel inadequate," he says.
Recalling his own interest in the arts, he speaks fondly of Mary O'Malley and the early days of the theatre she founded, the Lyric. He has a high regard for the art of William Conor. During his student days in TCD (where he was awarded his BA, MA and PhD) he found "great pleasure" in wandering through the National Gallery. He was a friend of the dramatist Stewart Parker and "enjoyed" the production of Northern Star in this year's Belfast Festival. In general, he describes his interests in the arts as "broad" and believes that this gives him the advantage of "looking fairly at all art forms".
Having spent his entire working life in universities, he says that, of late, his "interests have shifted from simply academic study into other areas to do with culture and society and the interplay of history and politics". He argues that "we use history here a lot and we should be aware of that". One aim that he has already set out for his tenure is a stand-alone gallery for Northern Ireland. This is his Big Idea and he is genuinely enthusiastic about the need for such a building. At present, there are 3,000 paintings stored away in the cellars of the Ulster Museum which the public cannot see due to lack of space.
Walker believes in the importance of the "heritage of visual arts" and is disappointed that so many Northern artists cannot be viewed in their native region. "If you want to see Paul Henry you have to go to Dublin and if you want to see Sir John Lavery you have to go to Glasgow," he says. The objective is that the new gallery will house historical and modern collections, and that work will be "taken out of the store rooms". He stresses that "access" both "social and geographical" will be another priority during his tenure.
The arts in the North are, he says, "buoyant" and it is his belief, "now that energies are no longer directed towards violence, people will turn towards the arts to forge new identities. There is a growing demand for participation and we encourage that," he says. The ACNI, he says, "remains accessible and accountable to the public". His own appointment is an example of that, he believes. For the first time ever, the position of chairman was advertised and Walker was appointed after interview by three officials from the English and Welsh Arts Councils and a senior civil servant in the Northern Ireland Office. Similarly, the positions of council members will be advertised in March of next year. Appointments will be made after interview. Previously, both chairman and council members were appointed by the Minister of Education in the Northern Ireland Office.
At present, Walker believes the Arts Council is "well-balanced" and that there is a "broad" and "deep interest" in the arts to be found among its members. He is happy that "so much is going on" in the arts world and praises the council's officers and the council members for their contribution to that. He welcomes the prospect of a new Assembly in the North, and looks forward to meeting the new Minister responsible for the arts ("whoever he or she is") to explain what the council does. His hope is that the council will continue to operate "at arm's length" from the Assembly and politicians. "While we welcome debate and consultation with our political representatives, we feel we are best equipped to get on with our task," he says. "Independence gives us greater freedom of action". Funding is one area where he feels the council has a "real problem". The council's revenue funding is £6.9 million and this has been at a standstill for the last four years. The knock-on effect has been felt most keenly by the council's clients, he says. "They can't go any further, some are in crisis and need an increase. It is absolutely essential."
He pointsout that An Chomhairle Ealaion, the English Arts Council and the Welsh Arts Council have all recently benefited from increases in their budgets. There is "a strong possibility that ACNI may not get an increase" and this is a source of "grave concern" for him.
Walker believes that co-operation north and south, east and west is vital for the wellbeing of the arts. Co-operation between the two arts councils on this island has been on-going for the past 20 years, he says, on a wide range of ventures, including the Monaghan-based arts centre, Annamakerig, and touring theatre.
The possibility of an all-Ireland arts council would be "a political decision", he says, and any decision taken in that regard should have "the promotion of the arts" at its heart. He believes that there would be "quite severe practical difficulties" with an all-Ireland body and points out that the English Arts Council is in the process of "decentralising more power to the regions". The recent decision to withdraw funding from Opera Northern Ireland is one which may be repeated, he believes. "All companies are subjected to thorough investigation of how they are performing. If they are not doing well enough, we might have to take tough decisions," he says. "Value for money" is what is demanded.
However, it is not the council's intention to deny the opera-going masses in the North their fix: the council is investigating the possibility of an all-Ireland opera company. A team is being put together to look at the feasibility of such a project - "if it would work, how it would work" - and the advantages and disadvantages of such a venture.
He is "concerned that we give a high proportion of our budget" to what he reluctantly describes as "the high arts" - theatre, opera and orchestral music. "I understand the need for high arts but expect them to be more efficient," he says. The council's expenditure is currently divided into what can only be described as "uneven" portions. For 1998-1999 the council's £6,670,000 is divided between the Creative Arts (visual, traditional and literature) £987,647; the Performing Arts (music, opera, drama and dance) £3,456,350; and Strategic Development community arts, education, training and development) £1,129,903. The rest is split between public affairs, administration and cultural traditions.
The demands being made by Irish speakers and the "Ulster-Scots" lobby are ones which the council is able to meet, he says. Regarding the Irish language, he says that the council has people who "have a knowledge of Irish" although none of the council's officers are "fluent" in the language. He points to the contribution of Irish speakers on the council's voluntary committees as adding to the status of the language - though it could be argued that asking volunteers to implement the council's undertaking to Irish-language arts is somewhat akin to asking hedgehogs to direct traffic on the motorway. He also believes that "Ulster-Scots" deserves support. Asked if there is such a language spoken in the North any longer, he says, "They believe it is and I'm quite happy to take their word for it, and to see it having a legitimate place along with Irish and English". He states that 100 years ago "Irish was looked down on as being not a proper language. They claim that there is an Ullans dialect and I'm happy to accept their claims."
His work and familial commitments are heavy. Aside from his academic work, Walker is married with two young children: David (one) and Katherine (four). Asked how he manages to find the time for family, academia and the arts, he says that it is a question of "getting the balance right".
