Mr. Michael Rainey:

On behalf of the County and City Management Association, CCMA, I thank the Cathaoirleach and members of the Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport and Media for the opportunity to present on the role of local government in the development of local and community arts. I am interim chief executive of Carlow County Council and a member of the CCMA rural development, community, culture and heritage, RCCH, committee. I am accompanied by Mr. Seán McKeown, interim chief executive of Kilkenny County Council, and Ms Melanie Scott, chair of the association of local authority arts officers network and arts officer for Tipperary County Council. I acknowledge that our other colleagues in Dublin City Council, Cork City Council, including the chief executive, Ms Ann Doherty, and Waterford City and County Council are also present with the joint committee today.

Local authorities have been to the fore in supporting the development of the arts on a local and national level since 1985 with the appointment of the first arts officer in County Clare in partnership with the Arts Council. This progressive step almost 40 years ago heralded a new era in local arts development and leadership, embedding arts and cultural development alongside a broader local development commitment in a way which is relevant, responsive, specialised and critically unique to our places and communities. Local authorities are the second largest single investor in the arts in Ireland after the Arts Council. In 2022, local government net current investment in the arts was €41,918,230, which is a 10.6% increase on 2021 figures. The Arts Act 2003 requires local authorities to prepare and implement plans for the development of the arts in its functional area, taking account of Government policy in relation to the arts. The 2003 Act also enables each local authority to provide "such financial or other assistance as it considers appropriate ... for the purposes of ... stimulating public interest in the arts ... promoting knowledge, appreciation and practice of the arts, or ... improving standards in the arts, within its functional area”.

The relationship between the County and City Management Association and the Arts Council was formalised in 2016 and articulated through a new agreement, A Framework for Collaboration, which makes clear the respective commitments to arts development and, in particular, to strive for equality of access to and engagement in the arts by all those living in Ireland. While local authority arts strategies throughout the country differ in response to local need, we all strategically plan for local and community arts programmes and development initiatives, leading on innovative approaches to many of the themes currently being considered by the committee. The work of local authority arts offices requires a strategic, collaborative and creative approach in leading and developing a strong vision for the arts in the local authority area to ensure that citizens have the opportunity to engage with and participate in the arts and can enjoy a vibrant cultural life in their locality.

Local authorities are an important local delivery partner for a range of national arts and cultural initiatives, for example, local authority and Arts Council framework agreements; the Arts Council creative places programme; the local live performance programming scheme; the delivery of Keep Well programmes; delivery of cultural programmes in association with the Ukrainian health and wellbeing support fund; In The Open Faoin Spéir, an Arts Council funded Covid-19 programme; the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media’s outdoor public space scheme; the Creative Ireland programme; the music generation programme; the Per Cent for Art scheme; Culture Night; arts and health initiatives; teacher-artists partnerships; the Bealtaine Festival; and Poetry Day Ireland.

In terms of the broader development agenda, local authorities are intrinsic to the roll-out of policy initiatives such as Our Rural Future, town centre first, urban regeneration and development projects, rural regeneration and development projects, town and village renewal, local authorities urban animation capital infrastructure scheme, cultural tourism, and actions to support the provision of affordable workspaces for artists and creative practitioners.

Local authorities are facing a marked increase in demand from local creative communities regarding the provision of financial assistance due to increased energy, staffing and cost-of-living demands. Increased support for operational costs for access points to the arts, for example, arts centres, theatres, workspaces, rehearsal spaces and long-term strategic programming, will ensure that the arts continue to impact and enhance people's lives across Ireland.

Local authorities play an essential leadership role in the development of local and community arts in their areas, working alongside our communities, the creative sector locally and nationally, and local agencies to improve our counties, cities, towns, villages and rural areas as inclusive and creative places in which to live, work and to visit. Continued long-term strategic investment in local authorities and in programmes to develop capacity and art experiences for all citizens will strengthen the arts in Ireland to the benefit of all.