Arts groups face shut-down and job cuts after funding slashed


Eithne Shortall

The Irish Writers’ Centre, the Temple Bar gallery and the theatre group behind Brian Friel’s internationally toured Flight of the Earls are facing closure after cuts in their funding from the Arts Council.

Job losses and a “mainstreaming” of theatre and museums are being predicted after 300 arts groups had their grants cut by up to 50%. Another 30 companies which received funding last year were refused.

Literary groups say Dublin’s application to Unesco for City of Literature status is in jeopardy. The Irish Writers’ Centre, which received �200,000 in 2008, but nothing in 2009, was refused funding again. Jack Harte, its chairman, said the decision was “myopic”. Unpaid staff have kept it open, but Harte said it could not be sure of survival beyond next month.

Last year Barabbas, a theatre company headed by Raymond Keane, received �176,000 but its funding has been stopped.Keane said it would be impossible to operate without the council’s support and Barabbas was in “shutdown phase”.

Bedrock Productions, a theatre group founded by Jimmy Fay, a former literary director at the Abbey theatre, also had its grant pulled. In 2009 it received �195,000. Fay said to continue producing plays would be difficult. “We don’t have philanthropy in this country. From the Abbey to Druid, we all get taxpayers’ money,” he said.

“There’s been absolutely no clarity on why they took these decisions and why they’re cutting certain funding completely. Most of the companies undergoing cuts seem to be off-centre or don’t do straight plays. It seems that they’re getting rid of any kind of avant-garde theatre.”

Ouroboros, the theatre company that brought Making History, a Friel play, on an international tour, has lost its funding. So, too, has Loose Canon, which has performed at the Project and the Samuel Beckett theatre and which got �104,000 last year.

The Arts Council got an overall cut of 5.6% and claims its own administrative budget will be pruned by 30%.

Of the 354 groups offered some financial aid, just 10 were given increases while seven new organisations were included. The Arts Council say the cuts are a direct result of having �9m less to invest and it spread support equally on a geographical basis.

The Douglas Hyde gallery at Trinity College Dublin had its funding cut by more than a quarter while the Temple Bar gallery was cut from �372,000 to �240,000. The council has told Temple Bar gallery to direct the money towards its 30 artist studios.

Marian Lovett, the director, said that after June she had no idea where funds would come from.

“I know how important it is to have somewhere to work but those artists need somewhere to show their work,” she said.