Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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416. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the extent to which she expects to be in a position to assist in the promotion of the arts post-Covid-19 given the challenges arising; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22332/21]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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421. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the extent to which she expects to be in a position to create a greater interest in Irish culture with a view to maximisation of economic benefit in the future; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22339/21]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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422. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the extent to which she directly or indirectly expects to be in a position to promote an interest in Irish culture, history and the arts with particular reference to young persons; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22340/21]

Catherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 416, 421 and 422 together.

My Department is engaged in measures to promote cultural activity among young people through the Creative Ireland Programme. My Department is a key partner with the Department of Education in the delivery of Creative Youth, the plan for children and young people under Creative Ireland.

The delivery of this plan includes two key measures: the Creative Schools initiative, led by the Arts Council with support from both Departments, and Creative Clusters which is led by Department of Education in association with Education Support Centres Ireland.

Ireland launched the Creative Youth Plan, a strategy to enable the creative potential of every young person, in December 2017. Seeking to create a place where knowledge and creativity are equal partners in the formation of our young people giving them an opportunity to become creative, active citizens, Creative Youth sets out measures to

- Expand young people’s access to creative initiatives and activities,

- Focus on the inclusion of every child, and

- Support positive and sustainable outcomes for children and young people through creative engagement across formal and non-formal settings.

The Creative Ireland Programme has seen many significant contributions to achieving the best possible outcomes for children and young people. Enhancing arts and creativity initiatives in school-based settings has been complemented by improving cross-sectoral collaboration to support creativity for children and young people in the community.

Harnessing the creative potential of our people and communities is a cornerstone of the Creative Ireland Programme, and particularly through our Creative Communities initiative. In each of the 31 local authorities the Creative Ireland Programme has established a Culture and Creativity Team which brings together local expertise in arts, culture, heritage, libraries, enterprise and community engagement, to foster collaboration and spark new initiatives. A local Creative Ireland Co-ordinator has also been appointed for each local authority. With the help of local artists, creatives, cultural and heritage organisations and community groups across the country, each local authority created a five-year Culture and Creativity Strategy 2018 – 2022.These are locally-led and designed to enable people to work together to transform their communities, their lives and their environment through creativity.

The Arts Council is the Irish government agency for developing the arts.The Council works in partnership with artists, arts organisations, public policy makers and others to build a central place for the arts in Irish life. The Arts Council supports and promotes children and young people’s engagement with the arts from birth to early adulthood.

The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, ratified by Ireland in 1992, recognises children’s right to participate in the arts and cultural life; and to express themselves freely in the medium of their choice, including in the form of art. The Convention also recognises children’s right to an education that enables them to develop to their full potential. The Arts Council considers opportunities for children to learn and develop artistic skills, and to experience the arts, as essential to realising these rights.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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417. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the extent to which she and her Department continue to promote specific programmes promoting the Irish arts and culture in Ireland and abroad; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22333/21]

Catherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party)
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In 2021, the arts, culture, audio-visual and live entertainment sectors have been allocated Government resources of €135m (74%) more than the amount allocated at the beginning of 2020.  Of this I have allocated an additional €50m to the Arts Council bringing its 2021 funding to €130m allowing it to help artists, arts workers and arts organisations come through this crisis and play their part in the national recovery; €9m has been allocated to Screen Ireland bringing its funding to just over €30m in 2021.

I have secured funding of €50m for live performance events to take place in 2021 in venues across the country. Following exceptional demand for the pilot Live Performance Support Scheme  in 2020, a fund of €25m is  now being made available through my Department for 2021. The scheme will provide significant job opportunities in the live performance sector. It will support the continued production of high quality artistic output, as was demonstrated during the pilot phase of the Live Performance Support Scheme, which recently provided thousands of days of employment to hundreds of musicians, actors, crew and technicians when no other opportunities were available.

As a further support measure for those in the live music entertainment industry, I recently announced funding of up to €14m for a new scheme to make a contribution to the overheads of businesses that have been significantly negatively affected by COVID-19 and that do not qualify for other business supports. Self-employed businesses whether sole traders, partnerships and incorporated entities operating exclusively within the commercial live entertainment sector are eligible to apply.

€5m will be allocated by my Department to local authorities to facilitate programming of outdoor live performances in summer 2021 animating town centres for local communities, should public health considerations permit. It will allow for the procurement by local authorities of performances by local performers. Performances can be recorded or streamed if health restrictions prevent live events. Local authorities will be encouraged to engage events companies to develop and deliver a programme of performances.

A separate €5m is being made available for a scheme of capital supports for the commercial live entertainment sector. This will be applied to supporting the installation of high quality recording and streaming facilities in venues through a competitive grant application process.

€1 million was allocated for the St. Patrick’s Festival 2021 to support the employment of performers, producers, artists, technicians, creatives and support staff. With gatherings still restricted, SPF 2021 curated a rich and dynamic programme of events involving hundreds of artists, musicians, performers, creators, and community organisations that will be broadcast on the St. Patrick’s Festival TV online channel over six days and nights, marking the national day.

Through Culture Ireland's programmes my Department continues to promote Irish arts abroad. These include a regular grant round programme which operates on the basis of 5 grant rounds per year and currently supports online presentation of Irish artists globally.

Culture Ireland also continues to operate its showcase programme, designed to generate further opportunities for Irish artists by supporting the presentation of their work to international programmers.

Recent activity includes the digital showcasing of  11 Irish bands as part of the Music from Ireland Showcase at South by Southwest in Austin, Texas in 18 – 19 March. Upcoming is The Great Escape, (usually an in-person event in Brighton, GB) from 13 – 15 May where five recorded performances will be showcased online.

Culture Ireland for the first time ever curated an online 5 day festival running from 17-21 March which was designed to celebrate Irish arts worldwide at a time when Irish artists normally travel the globe, presenting and sharing our culture on international stages. The festival, entitled SEODA, was an ambitious programme to ensure Irish artists reached audiences worldwide, including the diaspora and new audiences where Irish artists may not have travelled previously. The festival was also available free online in Ireland.