Mr. Liam Hannaway:

While Ireland’s built arts infrastructure is an asset, some parts of it are deteriorating. To achieve the aims outlined in the national development plan, we ask to put in place a co-ordinated capital investment plan to maintain and operate arts centres to the highest sustainability and access standards, reconfigure them as excellent live performance and production hubs and ensure that they meet the current and future needs of the communities. Arts organisations are also ideally placed to lead by influence and example, making the transition to an energy-efficient, low-carbon economy.

Theatre Forum asks this committee to seize the opportunity to align the national development plan and the Department’s forthcoming culture, creative and climate policy framework to draw together capital and programme investment plans that support all arts centres and venues working to enrich life in communities. Take the opportunity to rebuild the arts infrastructure in a sustainable way that is accessible to and inclusive of all communities.

Arts centres, venues, theatres and galleries are at the heart of their communities. They are spaces close to home where community projects expect the professional production and presentation of the work, from drama to musicals, dance to pantomime, and visual arts to circus. They are the touchstone for connecting communities. My experience of the Ramor Theatre in Virginia and Townhall Cavan showcases the vibrancy of local and community arts, going beyond the limitations of once-off projects in annual funding cycles.

The role of the local authority in funding control and management of arts venues and theatres is particular to each organisation, with 31 local authorities, arts officers and officers and at least one venue or arts centre in every area.

Each operates on the basis of a bespoke model of Arts Council, local authority, box office and other earned income. Regardless of these individualised arrangements, we ask the committee to think about arts centres as our cultural assets, the key arts channels to communities and vital focal points in cities, counties and towns. Finding and promoting an interpretation of the Arts Act 2003 that makes multi-annual funding or service-level agreements between all arts centres and their local authorities the norm, rather than an exception, would underpin our work.