The Arts Council is to increase funding to arts organisations by more than 19 per cent, from €34.1 million in 2003 to €40.7 million in 2004, it was announced yesterday.
At a briefing in the council's Dublin office, this year's funding decisions were outlined, indicating that the focus will be on production companies, venues, festivals, galleries and literary publishers.
Each of the 375 arts organisations and 32 local authorities who applied for grant aid for 2004 from the council received a letter on Tuesday, it was stated, informing them of the council's decision. The council's emphasis on production companies, festivals and venues marks a significant turnaround from last year's controversial decision to cut grant aid to this area in favour of resource-based and educational practitioners.
Grants to production companies have been increased by 21 per cent, while spending on artists' programmes such as bursaries and schemes has risen by a total of €4.7 million.
Chair Ms Olive Braiden said that it was the decision of the new council, which took office in August of this year, to channel all increased funding from the Government directly into supports for artists and grants to artistic production and presentation. Director Ms Patricia Quinn added that this move was in line with a decision made by the previous council last year "to try to keep companies in business, whilst reducing funding for activity".
Funding to festivals will be increased by almost 23 per cent on the 2002 level. Drawing attention to the €1.6 million increase in funding for 69 regional venues, and the €1.9 million afforded to the artistic programmes of local authorities, Ms Braiden praised the "considerable geographical quality" of the funding decisions.
A mid-term review of the five-year framework for Arts Council activity was also announced.