Booming economy lets Exchequer spend millions on funding art

The combination of a bouyant economy and a "1 per cent" rule introduced by the Rainbow government in May 1997, means these are good times for young, and emerging artists.

Millions of pounds of Exchequer funding is being used to purchase paintings, prints, sculpture and other specially commissioned Irish art pieces, for new and renovated public buildings and infrastructure. Examples are scattered throughout the State, from the ball or globe structure motorists pass on the Naas bypass, to the contemporary prints on view in the lobby of the recently refurbished Pearse Street Garda Station.

Although generally, the works bought or commissioned have been physical objects, this was not the case in the Botanic Gardens building project where a piece of music was commissioned. Some public servants involved in commissioning the work believe more money should be spent on "temporary art or events", and on arts projects involving local communities.

The Office of Public Works, the Department of the Environment, the Department of Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands, and many local authorities have decided to implement the optional scheme whereby 1 per cent of the budget of construction projects is spent on artwork. Other Departments, including high spenders like the Departments of Education and Health, are taking a more cautious approach.

The scheme has a per-project ceiling of £50,000, but still means a huge boost for the emerging artist community, galleries and associated businesses such as framers and artists' suppliers. "It is an indirect way of supporting the artistic community," says Ms Mary Heffernan, a project manager with the OPW. "But we do not see ourselves as duplicating the work of the Arts Council."

The OPW, which has enthusiastically taken up the optional scheme, tends to purchase young, emerging artists, because "you get better value for money", because such artists are more in need of support, and because it means visitors to OPW buildings get to view contemporary Irish work. "The works are hung in the most public spaces available."

The OPW construction and renovation budget has increased significantly in recent years, and is set to increase from £38 million (#48.3 million) this year to £50 million next year. The amount spent on art is not 1 per cent of this figure, because of the ceiling on the amount spent on each project, but is increasing with the overall spend.

Spending on art by the Department of the Environment was £1.5 million this year and is expected to reach £2 million in 1999. Evidence of the per cent scheme is evident on most recently built major road works, such as the Milk Churns on the Cork-Mallow road, and the two stone high chairs near Leighlinbridge, in Carlow.

The scheme has not been without its critics. A steering group which reported to the Government last year, found there was "room to improve the artistic quality and range of the OPW scheme". In relation to the Department of the Environment, it found that local authorities "generally lack the expertise or resources to manage, maintain and conserve the works of public art for which they are responsible".

Mr Jack Gilligan, the arts officer with Dublin Corporation, says he hopes in future the scheme can be used more imaginatively, "not just brass and concrete on the side of motorways or in housing estates". In particular he would like to see more consultation and involvement with communities close to major building projects, especially those in housing estates. "In certain circumstances that would be more desirable than just putting a piece in an estate and saying `there you are'." Another way he would like to see the money spent is on "temporary work", such as the "bird-like piece" by artist Patrick O'Reilly," currently on show near the Anna Livia monument on O'Connell Street.

Mr Gilligan believes the public is becoming more interested in visual art, and that architects and engineers are becoming more aware of the benefits of including public art in their building and renovation projects.

This is a point repeated by Ms Josephine Kelliher of the Rubicon Gallery, Dublin, who says people are becoming more aware of the power of art to convey "the right image".