Arts Council prepares for reshuffle

THE IMPENDING change in the chair of the Arts Council is just one of a number of imminent appointments that could substantially alter the make-up of the council, writes Deirdre Falvey.

Olive Braiden announced on Tuesday that the Minister for Arts Martin Cullen had asked her to stay on as chairwoman when her term ends next month, but that she has decided against it, following five active years.

Braiden is very much a hands-on chairwoman - the current respective roles of chair-director contrasted with previous relationships - and it'll be interesting to see how a new chairperson approaches the position.

From August 13th there will be vacancies on the 13-person council for six members and the chairperson, though an announcement about these appointments isn't expected until September. Interestingly, of those whose terms are up (those appointed in August 2003), five are women (Braiden, Noelle Campbell Sharpe, Rosaleen Linehan, Orlaith McBride and Mary Nunan) and the council is obliged to have six women and six men as members, plus the chairperson. Theo Dorgan's term also finishes next month; the position of Jaki Irvine, who recently resigned from the Council, is also vacant.

The Minister can reappoint some or all of the existing members to the council, and clearly, given the nature of political appointments, there's speculation about whether someone in the arts who just happens to be based in Waterford might make the grade.

For those committed to or interested in arts and culture, the appointment is stimulating - and powerful. The council is not simply a board rubber-stamping the executive's decisions - it sits down and goes through funding and other decisions, sometimes down to the nitty-gritty of quite small funding decisions. The executive makes recommendations to the council, but these are not binding. Apart from anything else, it involves a lot of time and commitment. Although appointments to the Arts Council are sought-after, the fees paid to members are pretty puny considering the time and commitment involved: €10,500 a year for the chairperson and €7,000 for members.

Meanwhile, the council has recently announced it's to develop another three-year initiative for the Traditional arts. This follows the completion of the Traditional Arts Initiative 2005-2008, which introduced the Deis scheme and has funded more than 250 separate projects with nearly €1.7 million since September 2005.

Carey Belfast bound

A SERIES OF large-scale oil paintings, which are of great historic significance to Belfast, will form an important element in the restoration and refurbishment of the Ulster Hall, one of the city's oldest and most beloved buildings, writes Jane Coyle.

Commissioned for the Ulster Hall in 1902, Joseph Carey's 13 paintings of the city will be restored to their former glory and hung in their place of birth when the venue reopens in March 2009.

"These paintings represent an invaluable piece of Belfast's heritage," says the City Council's heritage officer Robert Heslip. "Their restoration will enable local people to enjoy them in their original magnificence - and in the very place where Joseph Carey intended them to be enjoyed, all those years ago. Great care is being taken to retain the unique character of the Ulster Hall and to restore the original architecture and decor. The restoration of the Carey paintings is a prime example of that process."

The £7.43 (€9.4) million front-of-house and backstage restoration and refurbishment of the Ulster Hall, which is to become the new home of the Ulster Orchestra, will include a complete re-fit and redecoration of the main hall. Of the total cost, 40 per cent is being funded by Belfast City Council, supported by 60 per cent partnership funding from the Northern Ireland Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure, Heritage Lottery Fund, Arts Council of Northern Ireland and the Environment and Heritage Service. The Heritage Lottery Fund is contributing 90 per cent of the funding for the Carey paintings' restoration, with 10 per cent of the cost being contributed by the City Council.

Free in the city

THE SUMMER season offers lots in the way of free entertainment, if not in dependable weather.

Among the summer events in Dublin are the now-annual free lunchtime opera performances, Opera in the Open, at the Amphitheatre at the Civic Offices, Wood Quay from Thursday, August 7th, courtesy of Dublin City Council's arts office, for the ninth year running. Featured operas this year include favourites Cosi Fan Tutti, La Bohème and The Barber of Seville. All are at 1pm each Thursday until September 4th. Singers include Sandra Oman, Simon Morgan, Elizabeth Ryan, Declan Kelly, Mary Flaherty, Janyce Condon, Nyle P Wolfe and Victoria Massey, musical direction is by David Wray and Ted Courtney narrates each performance.

"Opera in the Open proves, beyond doubt, that there is a significant audience for opera in this city," says city arts officer Jack Gilligan. "People are travelling long journeys, often by train, to come to these performances. The events are also adding to the enjoyment of the city for a growing numbers of overseas tourists each year," he says.

The Dublin City Council arts office has certainly been busy, and is also planning the second Northside Music Festival with free, family friendly performances in unusual indoor and outdoor locations over the month of August.

Venues include the Northside Shopping Centre, St Pappin's Church in Santry,

St Finbarr's GAA Club in Cabra, along with parks and civic spaces. There are 18 performances over 15 dates including Opera Gala, Havana Son, Gráda,Veda, Paprika Balkanicus, O'Mambo, Kevin Glackin and friends, Yurodny, Brendan Walsh and friends, Prey, No Crows, Robbie Harris and Emer Mayock; www.dublincity.ie.

•MADELINE BOUGHTON, formerly of the British Council, has joined the Culture Ireland team. The agency for promoting Irish arts internationally has appointed Boughton as director of projects and promotion, where she'll manage and promote arts showcases and special projects.

Boughton was arts manager with the British Council here until it "reorganised" itself worldwide and virtually pulled out of its extensive and impressive events here (which has been a big loss). She was events coordinator at last year's Dublin Theatre Festival; she's also worked in press and marketing at the Abbey, Draoícht, Project Arts and the Dublin Theatre Festival. She is a judge of The Irish Times Theatre Awards and is theatre adviser to the Arts Council.

Culture Ireland chief executive Eugene Downes said: "She brings a wealth of experience and a passionate commitment to international cultural collaboration."

Boughton said she was "looking forward to working with the extraordinary range of artists and arts organisations who play such an important role in the promotion of Irish culture and the arts internationally".

•A PROJECT called Síol aims to develop a new generation of TV dramatists by giving six writers or writer/directors from the Gaeltacht or fluent in Irish the opportunity to write, develop and produce a television script (including a series of masterclasses), to be broadcast as a part of a drama series on TG4. It's open to all Irish writers, whether they have experience in TV writing or not, and to directors looking for experience in TV drama. The central theme for scripts is family.

The closing date for script entries is August 13th; info and forms are available at www.siol.ie