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Last week’s Theatre Forum symposium in Wexford was a surprisingly upbeat affair, as speakers talked up a greater role for the arts in a time of economic crisis. Sara Keatingreports

IT IS SIGNIFICANT that this year’s annual Theatre Forum symposium happened in a theatre rather than a conference centre, because Ireland’s performing arts community seemed more interested in talking about art than business. This was perceptively reflected in – perhaps inspired by – the diverse approach that curator Belinda McKeon applied to the conference theme. Gathered under the broad rubric, The Way Through, the programme asked participants to take an imaginative approach to the precarious economic climate, in which arts funding and arts audiences are shrinking.