ARTSCAPE:IT'S BEEN an odd week, with rumours flying about the now ridiculously overdue Arts Council appointments, writes DEIRDRE FALVEY
All week an announcement has been expected of the new chairperson and six members (five women and one man) of the 13-person council, and it was a possibility that it would go to Cabinet last Tuesday. The Apprenticepresenter Bill Cullen's name seemed to be on everyone's lips as possible chairman. Early in the week the Department of Arts would neither confirm nor deny it, but reiterated that the Arts Council will be announced "shortly". In answer to (another) parliamentary question from Olivia Mitchell on Wednesday, Minister for Arts Martin Cullen would only say that the announcement would be made "very shortly". It rather devalues the definition of what an "answer" is.
When I spoke to Bill Cullen on Monday, he said he was "bemused" by the speculation. When asked if he was to be the new chairman he replied "not that I know". He said he hadn't been approached and it wasn't possible because of his busy schedule anyway.
The appointments have been due since August, and while the gossip has been lively, and the delay interpreted as either bungling or non-prioritisation of the arts brief, the reality for artists and production companies is that the hiatus has paralysed plans for next year. Overdue investment and funding decisions have been long-fingered, and if there's still no full council by early December, decisions may be put off until January.
Whoever is appointed to the chair faces a tough job. The council has €9 million less to spend next year (down from €85 million this year to €76 million), and the Department of Finance has signalled a reduction in the council's own costs. Plans are in train to cut payroll and administration by 16 per cent, but even with that cultural investment next year is likely to be down 10-11 per cent . Arts funding is back at 2005 levels, while the costs have increased and more work is being funded. The council says all funding is under review, including commitments already made.
The Minister was in Limerick on Monday for the opening of the impressive new Irish Chamber Orchestra building. Scenes were anticipated at a student protest, and Declan Ganley was also due at the event (both Ganley and the department contributed to the project). The awkwardness of a Minister forced to meet the Libertas founder was averted when Ganley was apparently delayed.
The next day the Minister opened the Fáilte Ireland National Tourism Conference in Dublin Castle. The conference (which one participant said was very lavishly hosted, particularly bearing in mind the recessionary times) focused on cultural tourism, which has seen annual growth of 15 per cent and represents a third of all tourism business. Tourism Ireland has identified "sightseers and culture seekers" as our best prospects, the Minister said, announcing plans for a cultural tourism action programme with key arts, sport and tourism development bodies and the National Cultural Institutions.
• Among all the doom and gloom, things were more upbeat when Rough Magic marked the departure of Improbable Frequencyfor New York's 59E59 Theatres, where it previews from November 28th. At the Erwin Schrödinger Theatre in Trinity College Dublin, director Lynne Parker talked about the company's 2009 plans and remarked on the apprehension in arts organisations about the financial crisis. But "we were born not far from here in the middle of a bad recession, we're not afraid of it, and we've no intention of dying in one". The terrific cast - Sarah-Jane Drummey, Peter Hanly, Darragh Kelly, Louis Lovett, Marty Rea and Cathy White - and music director Morgan Cooke performed some of Arthur Riordan and Bell Helicopter's hummable and smart numbers from the sassy, funny show. "We're all in the gutter, but some of us have an ear to the ground."
• Four world premieres in two nights is a tall order but that's what Crash Ensemble is doing this week with two concerts of new music by Irish and UK composers. On Thursday, Free State focuses on Irish new music with premieres by Andrew Hamilton, John Godfrey and Jonathan Nangle, while Friday's World View: UK includes a premiere by Andrew Poppy. All composers will be present at the O'Reilly Theatre. www.crashensemble.com.
• Fresh (or exhausted) from its Godot on Tour,the Gate's last celebration for its 80th birthday is a big bash on November 30th, with 25 actors - including Dawn Bradfield, Stephen Brennan, Ingrid Craigie, Risteárd Cooper, Niamh Cusack, Nick Dunning, Michael Gambon, Susan FitzGerald, John Kavanagh, David Kelly, Barry McGovern, Justine Mitchell, Owen Roe, Alan Stanford and Penelope Wilton - performing extracts from classic Gate productions. There are 180 €25 tickets on sale from the Gate or online (max four per booking). www.gate-theatre.ie