Let's hope others don't pay price of fame school

The official confirmation that plans for an academy for the performing arts at DCU are to be put to the cabinet shortly will have surprised regular readers of this column less than most people, writes Michael Dervan. The emergence of DCU as the preferred site was predicted here last March.

At the moment, however, details about the proposal are scanty and are likely to remain so, until the cabinet announces its decision. Within the arts world, responses to the idea of the new institution - which is to have centres in Limerick and Cork as well as Dublin, and will provide a national qualification certification framework for the performing arts - have been welcoming, cautious and suspicious, often all three at once.

The new academy's relationship with existing institutions is the area causing the most concern. As one person bluntly put it, "I thought this was to be a fresh start. Why would the new academy then take over the RIAM's degree courses?" The absence of any mention of the DIT Conservatory of Music, or the existing schools in Cork and Limerick, is clearly felt to be threatening.

The director of the Cork School of Music, Dr Geoffrey Spratt, declined to make any comment one way or the other until he was "in possession of all the facts". The director of applied arts at the DIT, Dr Ellen Hazelkorn, said, "Broadly, DIT would welcome an attempt to look at arts and music education in the country. But we're wondering why the largest provider of music education in the country, with a long track record and tradition, is not being included in the discussion."

Prof Micheal O Sulleabhain, of the Irish World Music Centre at the University of Limerick (which is to be incorporated into the new academy), said, "I am pleased that the academy is going ahead, that it includes locations other than Dublin, and that one is Limerick. It would appear to honour the activities which we are about here." But he struck a note of caution by adding, "I would reserve my full reaction until I see the details of the proposal, which I do not know of yet".

RTE's director of music, Niall Doyle, said, "It's great that there's some news at last. One would have to welcome the commitment of setting up such an institution, and I would dearly want to find out more about what sounds like a very interesting model. I would love to see a situation where this model could be a catalyst for development in first and second level, which is where the greatest need of all is."

Bridget Webster, of the Coisceim dance company, says that, "Overall I think it's a very positive idea. I like the fact that it links nationally with both Limerick and Cork. Other than that I know very little, and wouldn't like to comment further without knowing the facts. I think it's very important to have a third-level institute for dance in this country. If this academy manages to solve that problem, it has to be welcomed."

At a time when politicians make such a point of supporting the idea of openness, it has to be of serious concern that such a major development looks like taking place without key figures in the disciplines affected really knowing what the Government is planning. The potential for error, particularly through corner-cutting, or the marginalising of existing institutions, is great. Let's hope the budget debacle has convinced the cabinet that they alone can't reliably be the arbiters of what the public will regard as a good thing, even when it comes to an academy for the performing arts.

The Moat Club, Naas, won the open section of the AIB One-Act Festival, the finals of which were held at the weekend in Kilkenny, with A Bench at the Edge. City Limits won in the confined section with a devised piece, The Lords of Love.

Upstate Theatre Project from Drogheda, which is presenting Declan Gorman's Peace and Love! at the Theatre Space @ Henry Place this week, are running a workshop on "Collective Writing and Devising for the Theatre" from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. tomorrow, and a seminar with the title. "Get Together - Theatre in the Community at the End of the 1990s - Perspectives from Urban and Rural Experience" on Saturday from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. Tel: 041 9844227 for information.