ARTSCAPE: So, what are people up to these days in Ireland, anyway? There are lots of suppers with poetry and singing and chat.
More specifically, Lisa Mulcahy has painted a still life - and asked family and friends to do their own versions of it; Vona Groarke and Constance Short organised a table quiz in Dundalk; Brid Dukes and Mary Tuohy had a gathering at Dukes's house last night; Kate Lennon of Rough Magic Film and Arthur Lappin (Jim Sheridan's producer) are hosting a musical evening in their Laois home tonight ("that's where I'll be - with my guitar and drum", says playwright Charlie O'Neill).
O'Neill, from a fairground family in Clare, is planning to invite pals for an evening on the bumpers, followed by some music in the pub; writer/actor Michelle Read is inviting people round to listen to her play on the radio; Bridget Webster of Coiscéim is showing Hit and Run, the award-winning film of their dance piece; Jeananne Crowley is having a social evening in Cleggan; artist Jole Bortoli is inviting Italian comrades for food and music; Maeve Ingoldsby is planning drama workshops; Liverpool-based Kevin McAleer hosted an international gathering of people in Liverpool. Busy days, busy nights.
The Tyrone Guthrie Centre's novel fundraising drive - the Big House at Your House - has been throwing up a great range of events over the past week or so. The original idea - Charlie O'Neill's brainchild - was that artists who have benefited from stays at Annaghmakerrig would give something back by hosting a social or cultural evening at their own home - and charge their guests €10 for the pleasure, to raise funds (they're aiming at €20,000) for an access bursary fund for artists to spend time at the centre.
It seems to have captured the imagination, offering a snapshot of cultural life and social interaction around Ireland over a couple of weekends. The idea is proving so popular it's stretching to Christmas and beyond. Director Sheila Pratschke is delighted with the enthusiastic response - and the readiness of those who joined the committee of supporting artists, which Brian Friel is chairing. "Everybody is remembering their time here, sometimes years later." For information on organising your own Big House event, contact Charlie O'Neill at 01-4533846 or Annaghmakerrig at 047-54003.
Arts shake-up begins
The Arts Council (AC) internal shake-up is in train, with the organisation restructuring to separate its grant management function from policy development. Dermot McLaughlin, formerly Artform director with the council and now change manager, says there will be changing roles for existing staff, and an increase in staff. "We have a fantastic staff here and we want to keep them." The council has suffered from a number of departures over the past year - including Tara Byrne's impending move to become director of the National Sculpture Factory in Cork.
The AC has advertised for two assistant directors and its work is being reorganised into three areas: Mary Cloake leads the Arts Development Department; interviews took place this week for director of the Arts Programme Department, and recruitment is ongoing for a director of Research and Information. "It's an important time for us," says McLoughlin. "We've published an ambitious Arts Plan, and it is costed on the basis of having staff for it." He said the council has had positive comments from the Minister, John O'Donoghue, though he acknowledges the plan may have a different time-scale to that envisaged; the Arts Plan covers 2002-2006, with a budget of €314 million (the 1999-2001 Arts Plan had a €129-million budget). But whatever happens, "we will manage calmly and confidently - whatever amount of taxpayers' tax money we get - to do best job possible. We're not interested in just trundling along thinking whatever we do will be good enough. We want to act dynamically and make the best use of public money."
The increased interest in arts legislation is encouraging, though he points out the unease - as reported in The Irish Times last Wednesday - about the unspecified remit of the proposed standing committee on the traditional arts. "The committees are just another version of a bad idea."
Rare treats in Wexford
The Wexford Festival has announced one of its most unusual line-ups of rare operas for 2003, the last year the festival will be under the artistic direction of Luigi Ferrari, writes Michael Dervan. The festival will open with Die drei Pintos, an opera abandoned by Carl Maria von Weber when he chose to concentrate on the composition of Oberon, and which is now known in a version by Gustav Mahler. Those commentators who like to point to an Italian bias in Ferrari's artistic decisions will find their case weakened by the 2003 programme. Along with Die drei Pintos, Ferrari has chosen a Spanish work, Maria del Carmen, the first operatic success of Enrique Granados, and a Czech opera from the 1920s, Jaromir Weinberger's Schwanda the Bagpiper. This is one of those works which is known through its popular polka to people who have never even registered the name of the composer or his best-known piece. The festival will shortly be advertising for a new artistic director. An appointment is expected early in 2003, and the new incumbent will work alongside Ferrari on the 2003 festival, and have details of the 2004 programme ready for announcement after the last opening night of the 2003 festival.
Sisteract
Three sisters playing Three Sisters - the Gate did it some years ago with the Cusacks and now RTÉ is doing it with the Brennans. Tomorrow night's production, the opening Sunday Playhouse slot on RTÉ Radio 1 (7.30 p.m.), a series of seven plays from the European tradition, features Barbara Brennan as Masha, Cathryn as Olga and Jane as Irina in Brian Friel's translation of Chekhov's classic. Director (and series producer) Kate Minogue reckons this was the first time all three sisters have worked together, and said "there seemed to be an unwritten empathy between them - it seemed to flow much more easily - possibly because they are sisters. They brought a very natural ease to the playing of Chekhov, where everything is so still and it appears nothing happens."
Belfast licks its wounds
It's both a good week and a difficult week artswise for Belfast - the city is buzzing mid-festival, but licking its wounds after Wednesday's announcement the city has not been short-listed for European Capital of Culture in 2008 (the winner will be announced in the spring).
Imagine Belfast 2008 acknowledged that the news was disappointing but pointed out the benefits the campaign bid had brought the city.
"All of the activity surrounding the bid has been a catalyst for encouraging more positive perceptions of the city," said Imagine Belfast's chief executive, Hilary McGrady.
Quick on the draw
Lots of illustrators familiar to Irish Times readers feature in Illustration Ireland: The Art of Contemporary Illumination at the Chester Beatty Library. The exhibition, organised by the Illustrators Guild of Ireland, includes work by Martyn Turner, David Rooney, Peter Hanan and Kevin McSherry. The show is part of Design Ireland, which runs all next week. Information: 01-7167810 or e-mail info@designireland.ie
