Figuring on the real economic impact

ARTSCAPE: THERE'S A LOT of awareness (in these straitened times, etc) of the significant impact of arts and culture on tourism earning potential.

But tourism aside, any substantial arts organisation has an economic impact on the wider economy. The Abbey Theatre went so far as to commission a report on the economic impact of the theatre from Dominic Shellard (University of Sheffield) and Derrick Elliss, who used a specific formula to calculate the direct and indirect impact, finding the Abbey generated €3.60 for every €1 of funding over the past three years, contributing €118 million to the Irish economy.

It's a sum well worth doing by other arts institutions. The National Concert Hall, which has just launched its international concert season, expects sales from the concert series to reach over €750,000, making a significant economic as well as cultural impact. For every €1 of public funding, the NCH reckons it generated €12.46 for the economy last year - a total of over €43.8 million. The NCH did this with 580 events involving 22,000 artists and over €8 million in ticket sales to 337,520 concertgoers. For those who think classical concerts can have an aura of elitism and inaccessibility, there are lots of special ticket offers; and, as the NCH points out, its average ticket price is €22 - which beats rock concerts hands down. Plus they don't have those sneaky - and shameful - extra charges.

Plans for the NCH redevelopment are continuing with work due to begin in mid-2010. In the meantime the new international season promises "world-class maestros, virtuosos, orchestras and soloists". Highlights include two visits by the London Symphony Orchestra, once with Russian conductor Valery Gergiev and again with American conductor Michael Tilson Thomas; a return visit in February by Chinese superstar pianist Lang Lang following his recital here last year; Dutch violinist Janine Jansen; a rare recital by American mezzo-soprano Frederica von Stade in November on her farewell tour; violinist Viktoria Mullova with an all-Bach programme; and other virtuoso violinists, Midori, Sarah Chang and Janine Jansen; as well as pianists Finghin Collins and Freddy Kempf.

Other orchestral highlights include the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra, the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra, Sir Mark Elder conducting the Hallé with guest soloist Joanna MacGregor, and the Luxembourg Philharmonic Orchestra. Subscription booking is open from May 14th.

Reviewing the situation

I hope it wasn't tender feelings following a couple of critical reviews that was behind Abbey director Fiach MacConghail's use of his own review of Patrick Lonergan's book Theatre and Globalization: Irish Drama in the Celtic Tiger Erain last weekend's books pages to criticise theatre criticism generally but more specifically in the columns of this newspaper.

I have no wish to get into a slanging match - and we're really not that touchy - but The Irish Timeshas had a consistent commitment to arts coverage, and specifically theatre, that is long-standing, wide-ranging and daily. I think our theatre coverage does compare well with that of other artforms. Actually, we feel slightly sensitive to possible claims that we give undue attention to theatre compared to other artforms - but theatre in Ireland is of central importance, and we take it very seriously.

Our understanding of the relevance of the theatre critic to Irish theatre does not and never has borne any relationship with ticket sales. I would consider there has been a series of relationships between readers and our reviewers (who have had a variety of voices), which continues up to the present.

In reviewing anything, I would argue it is irrelevant how much time or work has gone into it. A play may have been two years in the making (or six weeks), a book five years in the writing, a visual art show 10 years in the creation, an album three years on decks, and so on, and that effort is often great, and the thought and attention behind it of huge interest. The creation process, the previous work of those involved, may inform the reviewer. We often carry features about that process. But it is the work that is presented for public consumption, and only that, which should be critically evaluated in a review.

I'm delighted he feels Metroand some Irish Sundays offer the blueprint for Irish theatre coverage. Criticising a daily newspaper (not a monthly publication or a specialist journal) for only devoting 500 words to a theatre review, and then praising another which has shorter reviews - surely not because they may sometimes be more favourable - hardly merits a response.

Fiach MacConghail has no reason to feel insecure about the position of the Abbey; mixed reactions to a couple of shows and minor spats with another theatre company do not negate the Abbey's transformation in recent years, and the strong relationships it is rebuilding with Irish playwrights.

The Shawshankextras issue appears to have been resolved - all that remains is the much anticipated show itself, at the Gaiety from May 19th. Apparently Lane Productions met Actors' Equity this week, and the matter has been resolved, with Lane stating: "There are 20 actors in total in the show. All are being paid no less than the Equity minimum and in most cases considerably more. There are no extras engaged in the show." After all the fuzziness about what is an extra, what are expenses and what is payment, it must be a relief for Pat Moylan, Lane Productions director and Arts Council chairwoman.

Congrats to Druid actors Aaron Monaghan and Kerry Condon, who each won a Lucille Lortel Award in New York on Sunday (as outstanding featured actor and actress) for their performances in Martin McDonagh's The Cripple of Inishmaan. The Drama Desk Awards (covering Broadway as well as off-Broadway) come up on May 17th, where as well as Druid nominations, lighting designer Sinéad McKenna is nominated for Rough Magic's Improbable Frequency, which played for five weeks last December off-Broadway. Rough Magic's Diego Fasciati is thrilled with a nomination on the company's first NY outing: "We're competing against blockbuster musicals such as Billy Elliotand Hairso it's particularly satisfying."

Anyone who got a kick out of seeing the Mulkerrin brothers from Inis Mór winning The All-Ireland Talent Showrecently must be pleased to see the first sean-nós dancer in residence appointed at NUI Galway. The university's Centre for Irish Studies gave Seosamh Ó Neachtain from An Spidéal the honour, acknowledging the current vibrancy of sean-nós dancing in the Connemara Gaeltacht and Ó Neachtain's outstanding abilities. Centre director Dr Louis de Paor commented, "the revival of sean-nós dancing over the past 10 years has been quite extraordinary, to the point where it is now identified as one of the definitive and most popular expressions of Irish culture".

Also giving a lift to creative dancers are Dance Ireland's choreographic bursaries. The recipient choreographers from Dublin, Clare, Tipperary and Galway were Nick Bryson, Mark Carberry, Emma Fitzgerald, Elena Giannotti, Laura Murphy, Leonie McDonagh, Rebecca Reilly, Mary Wycherley, Eddie Kay, Áine Stapleton, Emma Martin and Ingrid Nachstern. The Arts Council-supported awards totalled €60,000 to the 12 winners.