Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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379. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the extent to which she has been able to assist directly or through other bodies the arts at local level; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52450/19]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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380. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the degree to which she continues to have ongoing contact with local community groups with a view to promoting interest in the arts in its various forms at local level; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52451/19]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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383. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the extent to which she has contact with the arts section of Kildare County Council with a view to promotion of the arts in the county; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52454/19]

Josepha Madigan (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 379, 380 and 383 together.

Under Budget 2020, total funding for the arts and culture sector in 2020 will increase by over 2% from €189m to almost €193m. 

Primary support for the Arts is delivered through the Arts Council. Funding for the Arts Council has increased in recent years and will reach €80 million in 2020.  This is an increase of €5m or 6.7% over 2019.  The Arts Council, which is independent in its funding decisions under the Arts Act 2003, operates within a published 10 year strategic framework entitled Making Great Art Work. This strategy prioritises support for artists throughout their careers, by the involvement of many agencies in cultural provision, by the impact of the arts on the creative economy, and by the depth and breadth of people's engagement with the arts.

Local authorities are the second-biggest funding organisation for the arts in Ireland.  According to the Arts Council's 2018 Annual Report,  their net investment was almost €40.1 million, an 8% increase on 2017 (€37.1 million), which in turn was a 7% increase on 2016 (€34.65 million).  The Arts Council's relationship with Local Authorities is based on the ten-year strategic partnership agreement entitled A Framework for Collaboration 2016–2025.  On the basis of this document, in 2018 both partners collaborate on various initiatives overseen by the Arts Council/Local Government Management Liaison Group and a Working Group.  In 2018, the Arts Council provided up to €1.8 million to local authorities to support key partnership arrangements. Local authority funding to venues was maintained in 2018 and increased in some instances and were broadly maintained in 2019. Further details of these initiatives with local authorities arts offices including Kildare can be  accessed on the Arts Council's website under "local arts " at the following link www.artscouncil.ie/Arts-in-Ireland/Local-arts/.

The Creative Ireland Programme is a five-year all-of-government, culture-based initiative, led by my Department, that emphasises the importance of human creativity for individual, community and societal well-being.  The vision of the Creative Ireland Programme is to position creativity at the heart of public policy, to enable, encourage and enhance collaboration and innovation, and to create opportunities for all citizens to engage with all forms of creative activity

The main source of funding for local community events and activities under the Creative Ireland Programme is Pillar 2: Creative Communities'.  In 2019, total funding of €3m was allocated to all 31 local authorities (approximately €96,000 each) to enable them to support an extensive programme of activities, events and initiatives in each county.  Each local authority has established a Creative Ireland Co-coordinator and a local Culture Team to manage and allocate this funding in accordance with local needs and in line with their own, individual 5-year Culture and Creativity Strategy. Nearly 1,500 projects were funded nationwide in 2019 covering a broad range of topics including archaeology, architecture, biodiversity, crafts, heritage, drama, dance, literature, music, storytelling and the visual arts.

In addition to this core funding, the Creative Ireland Programme allocated approximately €15,000 to each local authority outside of Dublin and €75,000 each to the four local authorities in Dublin to develop a special programme of events for Cruinniú na nÓg – the national day of creativity for children and young people which was held in June.

I also announced my intention, in context of Budget 2020, to provide funding of €250,000 for the amateur drama sector in 2020. Details of that scheme will be announced shortly.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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381. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the number of stage productions supported by her Department in respect of music and drama; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52452/19]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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385. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the degree to which she continues to support drama and musical productions in each area both urban and rural; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52456/19]

Josepha Madigan (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 381 and 385 together.

Primary support for the Arts including theatre, stage productions, drama and music is delivered through the Arts Council.  Funding for the Arts Council has increased in recent years and now stands at €80 million in 2020, and increase of some €5m or 6. 7% over 2019.  

The Arts Council is independent in its funding decisions under the Arts Act 2003 and arts organisations, artists, and groups working with the arts are entitled to apply for funding. The Arts Council’s strategic framework Making Great Art Work was published in 2015 and sets out the Arts Council  plans to lead the development of the arts in the decade 2016–2025, setting out is mission which includes the investment of public monies allocated by the Government in supporting artist and arts organisations. The strategy also sets out the Arts Council’s commitment to monitor its funding to ensure there is a good balance between supports for established artists and organisations and for new and emerging artists and organisations.  There are  five priority areas  contained within this strategy that include the artist, public engagement,  investment strategy, spatial and demographic planning and developing capacity.

The Creative Ireland Programme is now in its third year and it provides significant support to Local Authorities to enable them curate a programme of local events and activities each year. The Creative Ireland Programme is a five-year all-of-government, culture-based initiative, led by my Department, that emphasises the importance of human creativity for individual, community and societal well-being.  The vision of the Creative Ireland Programme is to position creativity at the heart of public policy, to enable, encourage and enhance collaboration and innovation, and to create opportunities for all citizens to engage with all forms of creative activity

The main source of funding for local community events and activities under the Creative Ireland Programme is Pillar 2: Creative Communities'.  In 2019, total funding of €3m was allocated to all 31 local authorities (approximately €96,000 each) to enable them to support an extensive programme of activities, events and initiatives in each county.  Each local authority has established a Creative Ireland Co-coordinator and a local Culture Team to manage and allocate this funding in accordance with local needs and in line with their own, individual 5-year Culture and Creativity Strategy. Nearly 1,500 projects were funded nationwide in 2019 covering a broad range of topics including archaeology, architecture, biodiversity, crafts, heritage, drama, dance, literature, music, storytelling and the visual arts.

In addition to this core funding, the Creative Ireland Programme allocated approximately €15,000 to each local authority outside of Dublin and €75,000 each to the four local authorities in Dublin to develop a special programme of events for Cruinniú na nÓg – the national day of creativity for children and young people which was held in June.

It is anticipated that funding will be made available to local authorities in 2020 to enable them to further implement their Culture and Creative Strategies. 

In addition to the above, in support of music, funding is provided by my Department:

- for the purchase of equipment under the Music Capital Scheme to performing groups and individual talented musicians on an annual basis throughout the country.  The Scheme is managed by Music Network on behalf of my Department; and

- to Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann which is the largest group involved in the preservation and promotion of Irish traditional music both at community and national level. 

I also announced my intention, in context of Budget 2020, to provide funding of €250,000 for the amateur drama sector in 2020. Details of that scheme will be announced shortly.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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386. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the number of jobs available through the medium of the arts in its various forms; the extent to which the activity encourages job creation and interest from outside the arts; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52457/19]

Josepha Madigan (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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Primary support for the arts in Ireland is delivered by the Arts Council.  Funding for the Arts Council has been increasing steadily in recent years and it will reach €80 million in 2020.  The increase in 2020 is €5m or 6.7% over 2019.  The Arts Council, which is independent in its funding decisions under the Arts Act 2003, operates within a published 10 year strategic framework entitled Making Great Art Work. This strategy prioritises support for artists throughout their careers, by the involvement of many agencies in cultural provision, by the impact of the arts on the creative economy, and by the depth and breadth of people's engagement with the arts.

The Arts Council supports over 600 artists and over 650 arts organisations that are in receipt of core and programming funding on an annual basis. The Arts Council reported in their 2018 Annual Report that, it spent €62.1 million in grant aid directly to organisations and artists. Bursaries totalling €1.8 million were given to individual artists and a further €1.8million went to local authorities to support key partnership arrangements. The Annual Report which is published on its website contains details of these allocations.   I understand that this approach was maintained in 2019 and represents an investment in the work and development of artists.

Local authorities are the second-biggest funding organisation for the arts in Ireland.  According to the Arts Council's 2018 Annual Report,  their net investment was almost €40.1 million, an 8% increase on 2017 (€37.1 million), which in turn was a 7% increase on 2016 (€34.65 million).  The Arts Council's relationship with local authorities is based on the ten-year strategic partnership agreement entitled A Framework for Collaboration 2016–2025.  On the basis of this document, in 2018 both partners collaborate on various initiatives overseen by the Arts Council/Local Government Management Liaison Group and a Working Group.  In 2018, the Arts Council provided up to €1.8 million to local authorities to support key partnership arrangements. Local authority funding to venues was maintained in 2018 and increased in some instances and were broadly maintained in 2019.

Film is one of the art forms that is in receipt of funding through Screen Ireland which is under the remit of my Department.  In June 2018, I launched the Government's Audiovisual Action Plan.   The Plan drew heavily on a Study prepared by international audiovisual consultants Olsberg SPI with Nordicity entitled  Economic Analysis of the Audiovisual Sector in the Republic of Ireland which was also published in June. The report measured the economic value of the Irish audiovisual industry, and proposed policy changes to support its future growth.  The report showed that the Irish audiovisual sector generated €1.05 billion in gross value added in 2016 and supported employment of 16,930 full-time equivalents of which 10,560 was direct employment.   The largest contribution to employment came from the film, TV, and animation sub-sector, which generated 11,960 full-time equivalent jobs (FTEs) of employment of which just over 7,000 was direct employment such as cast and crew.  

The audiovisual sector supports thousands of jobs of Ireland and there is significant potential for further growth in the years ahead.  I recently published the First Progress Report on Implementation of the Audiovisual Action Plan.

This Government highly values the cultural, creative and economic potential of Ireland’s audiovisual industry and the report sets out the initiatives undertaken to date to make Ireland a global hub for TV drama, film and animation. Key achievements since the plan’s launch in June 2018 include: the extension of Section 481 Film tax relief until 2024, along with changes to improve the administration of the relief; the introduction of the Regional Film Development Uplift, which offers additional tax reliefs to incentivise film production in the regions; increased funding for Screen Ireland which has increased to over €21m for 2020 and will support increased investment in feature film and TV drama. These initiatives, together with a renewed emphasis on training and skills development in the audiovisual industry will continue to contribute to the growth of jobs in the sector.

The remit of Culture Ireland, a division of my Department, is to promote and advance Irish arts worldwide thus strengthening Ireland’s cultural profile and global reputation.  Strategic priorities include providing support for the international presentation of Irish artists and arts organisations, developing new and diverse international audiences and markets for Irish arts, and linking culture into the Government’s international promotion strategy in tandem with other relevant Government Agencies. Critically, the work of Culture Ireland is focused not just on promoting Ireland but also increasing career opportunities for Irish artists. 

Project Ireland 2040 is the Government’s long-term overarching strategy to make Ireland a better country and supports business and communities across all of Ireland in realising their potential.  €1.2 billion of Project Ireland 2040 is allocated to the Culture, Heritage and Gaeltacht sectors and has the potential to deliver very significant direct and indirect employment under the following investment proposals.   

- €460 million for our National Cultural Institutions.

- €265 million for cultural and creativity investment programme

- €285 million for natural and built heritage

- €178 million for the Gaeltacht. The Irish language and the Islands.

The funding increase in 2020, despite the challenging economic and political climate, is testament to the Government's commitment to the arts, culture and heritage sector.