Written answers

Tuesday, 31 May 2016

Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht

Arts Promotion

Photo of Joan BurtonJoan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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618. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht her plans to develop musical education and instruments available to young persons and the general population through facilitating schools, youth groups and libraries in enhancing their music resources and the provision of access to musical training and instruments for the benefit of local communities. [13607/16]

Photo of Heather HumphreysHeather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Under the Arts Act 2003, primary responsibility for the promotion of the arts at all levels throughout the country is devolved to the Arts Council. The Arts Council is the main channel of the State's current expenditure on the arts and will receive over €60 million in 2016. The Arts Council’s ten-year strategy Making Great Art Work(2016-2025) set outs how it will lead the development of the arts in Ireland over the next decade. Making Great Art Workplaces specific emphasis on the need to plan and provide for children and young people. The strategy also commits to working to achieve full implementation of the Arts in Education Charter.

I am firmly committed to continuing the work of the on-going partnership between my Department, the Department of Education and Skills and the Arts Council, in line with the Arts in Education Charter. In this regard, the Programme for a Partnership Government commits to the continued implementation of the Arts in Education Charter.

My Department provides funding to Comhaltas Ceoltoirí Éireann (CCE) for their work in the protection and promotion of Irish traditional music and culture. This year, funding of €1,448,000 will be provided to Comhaltas by my Department. CCE provide weekly classes in a variety of traditional instruments, singing, and dance through its network of centres and branches all over the country as well as summer schools. CCE maintains a full schedule of educational events, such as lectures, exhibitions, workshops and concerts, sometimes in conjunction with the Fleadhanna Cheoil.

The Music Capital Scheme is funded by my Department and managed by Music Network. Under the scheme, grants are made available to groups and talented individuals to support the purchase of musical instruments. Further details are available on the website of Music network at www.musicnetwork.ie.

Photo of Joan BurtonJoan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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619. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if she has examined any proposals to facilitate, on a national basis, the use of vacant retail premises by exhibiting artists based on successful schemes such as Space Invaders in County Galway which uses empty retail units to support local artists. [13608/16]

Photo of Heather HumphreysHeather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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I am aware and supportive of the use of vacant premises by artists and arts organisation and I understand that a number of such buildings are currently being utilised by arts organisation across the country. No particular proposals for a nationwide approach have been put to my Department and, in general, I would consider that local approaches driven by artists, local arts officers and the owners of vacant buildings are best suited to respond to the specific local circumstances involved.

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