Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Wednesday, 31 May 2023

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media

Development of Local and Community Arts: Discussion (Resumed)

Mr. Joe Caslin:

Yes, I want to comment on the Senator’s question about the political aspect. You have to create a space where you can be brave and also accountable. No one has ever died from a piece of art going on a wall, thankfully. Harmful and controversial are two separate things. You also have to consider the artwork being in conflict with the Equal Status Act, and then there is the hate speech legislation. The Senator asked what the things are that prevent someone with a very different mindset than us coming along with a can or a piece of artwork and putting it on the wall. A straight answer is that I do not know. There needs to be freedom of expression but, typically, one does not find those people with spray cans.

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