Tackling thorny issues

Visual Invisible - A Strategic Review of the Visual Art Market in Ireland, by Stella Coffey, was launched by Vincent Browne in Bewleys on Tuesday, writes Emer McNamara. The publishers of the book, The Artists Association of Ireland (AAI) hope it will ensure that "future developments in the visual arts in Ireland may be based on better-quality information than has happened heretofore". Coffey, who is executive director of the AAI, writes in her foreword that "the book originated as a business research-project for an MBA".

She goes on to state that she hopes it is "obvious this report's writer's position in an artists' organisation does not detract from the reporter's objectivity or validity". Given that the research project was chosen because it fitted into the AAI's desire for information in the sector, given that the AAI published the book and the author is the executive director of the AAI, how could objectivity be obvious? The book costs £25 (including post and packaging) and is available from the AAI offices only.

Coffey herself believes "there is something in the book for everybody" and suggests that since the book argues for an intervention in the visual arts market at a national level, its primary aim is to influence "decision makers". These decision makers were further defined as those at statutory level, and perhaps commercial gallery owners who might learn about improved marketing strategies through her research. Interestingly, for a book examining the visual arts market in Ireland, seven of the top commercial galleries in the country declined to participate in the research. Coffey therefore extracted information from the Companies Register, examining abridged accounts including those of five of the galleries which had declined to participate.

From this analysis she suggests the "hypothesis that many commercial galleries use artists' money as their working capital holds true". The same conclusion was drawn in an anonymous article published by the AAI, in its publication Art Bulletin more than a year ago.

There is no examination, however, in the book or the article of late payments to both publicly funded and commercial galleries from clients, or the fact that some galleries pay a monthly advance to artists in expectation of sales.

This aside, the book reads as essentially a thesis, which accounts for the manner in which it presents its conclusions and recommendations. These include the establishment of a visual arts marketing development unit, an awareness-raising campaign, greater investment and interventions and the charming suggestion of "developing education and training courses for civil servants".