Arts Workers Unite!
At Theatre Forum’s Annual Conference in June this year much of the discussion was around ways in which the arts sector can unite and present a strong community in order to weather the current economic crisis and the funding cuts we are facing. At NAYD, we feel that it’s crucial that people working in youth arts are strongly represented within this community.
Gavin Kostick, Literary Manager at Fishamble, took the initiative to set up Facebook groups to bring people together and the full details of these (and how to join) are below.
But…you don’t have to be on Facebook to get involved! You can also:
Email your name and constituency (or address) to theatreforum@ireland.com
If you happen to live in Dublin Central, email dublincentralartsworkers@gmail.com
You can also keep up to speed with developments at http://dublincentralarts.wordpress.com/
This is a National Campaign! If you can’t find your constituency on Facebook, set up a new group! It’s up to us to make sure we make a case for youth arts in Ireland.
Jody
Irish Constituency Based Arts Workers Groups: A New Initiative
The aim of these groups is to bring together people working in the arts and creative industries on a constituency by constituency basis across Ireland. This includes all people who make their living wholly or in part in any sector of the arts: if in doubt consider yourself in!
The McCarthy Report (An bord Snip Nua), makes it abundantly clear that now is a very serious time for arts funding in Ireland, and we need to use any means to make the case for the arts (subsidised or not), at council and government level, or we will be looking at further serious job losses and disintegrating communities.
To this end, I hope that many people will join these groups, and we will then seek to engage with our TDs and Councillors before this year’s vital budget. The campaign is looking to make a positive case for: (1) jobs, jobs, jobs (2) The centrality of the arts in Ireland, socially, spiritually and economically, and as part of our reputation abroad (3) the creative arts as part of the coming smart economy.
The more arts workers in these groups the greater impact the campaign will have.
Gavin Kostick