Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Tuesday, 30 June 2020

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response

Impact of Covid-19: Arts and Entertainment Sector

Ms Angela Dorgan:

The NCFA represents the more than 54,000 artists, arts workers and arts organisations that make up Ireland’s internationally acclaimed, innovative and intelligent arts ecosystem. We represent the makers, organisations, theatre companies, producers, colleges, venues, arts centres, galleries and publishers. For a series such as “Courage”, for example, there are festivals, showcases and organisations that support the musicians to that level, while for a show such as “Normal People”, there are theatre groups and venues where those actors and directors cut their teeth and hone their skills. A young, unknown like Sally Rooney can access a grant to write a great work. The NCFA speaks and plans for both the tip of the iceberg and the many crucial layers of ice that lift that tip out of the water.

The Covid-19 crisis has created profound challenges for the arts and culture sector that have compounded years of under-investment. Throughout April and May, the NCFA engaged in cross-sectoral consultation with artists, arts workers and the resource organisations that work with them. On 27 May, the NCFA published a national recovery plan for the arts containing 13 actions essential for the survival and recovery of the sector. The first and most urgent of these goals was achieved on Bloomsday, when the Government announced emergency funding of €20 million for the Arts Council to enable artists, arts workers and arts organisations to survive the Covid-19 crisis.

This commitment is a positive first step in recognising the value of our arts community. Coupled with the acceleration of the reopening of theatres, galleries and venues, this investment represents new hope for arts workers in Ireland. However, social distancing measures will continue to mean that events and gatherings are simply not viable. Organisations are losing €2.9 million in revenue per month of shutdown. To address this, the NCFA asks that the pandemic unemployment payment for freelance artists and arts workers be extended until arts and cultural events resume.

The publication of the report by the Arts Council Covid-19 expert advisory group, of which the NCFA was a member, is very welcome but we now need a commitment from the Government to allocate the €30 million necessary to the Arts Council in 2021 to allow this plan to be delivered. Many arts organisations are also charities that have active fundraising programmes to supplement their activities annually. The recent Benefacts study shows that charitable fundraising has been decimated to the tune of €500 million. We call on the Government to reform our tax regime to incentivise and encourage charitable giving and to keep arts organisations in business and to keep Ireland competitive in this area.

Local authorities play a vital role in the cultural infrastructure. Local festivals and arts centres are sustained through partnership and with local authority investment. We are calling on local government to protect these arts budgets in order to ensure that local activity can resume and begin to be rebuilt.

Even prior to the Covid-19 crisis, 72% of artists earned less than the national minimum wage. The new Government has a unique opportunity to introduce a model of universal basic income for all citizens beyond the scope of the pilot scheme set out in the draft programme for Government. We need urgent, positive action to invest in artists, arts workers and arts organisations as equal members of society who can rebuild a healthy sustainable arts sector for the benefit of all of Ireland.

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