Aosdana is to press the Arts Council for the establishment of a new body providing support for performing and interpretative artists, the annual general meeting of the organisation decided yesterday.
Proposed by the day's chairman, writer Anthony Cronin, the motion received almost unanimous approval at the Dublin Castle meeting.
Aosdana was established by the Arts Council to encourage those engaged in literature, music and the visual arts. However, membership is only open to artists who can show they are responsible for a body of original creative work, and this has meant the exclusion of many performers.
According to writer Paula Meehan, a member of Aosdana's executive committee, the proposal to create a sister body for performers and interpretative artists will be "vigorously pursued."
Also at yesterday's meeting, seven new members were elected to Aosdana. Four are visual artists: film-maker Cathal Black; Mexican-born printmaker Alfonso Lopez Monreal; painter Janet Pierce; and performance artist Nigel Rolfe.
The other three new members of Aosdana are writers: Dublin poet Tony Curtis; author and translator Gabriel Rosenstock; and playwright Vincent Woods.