Madam, – The executive and members of the Irish Writers’ Union (Comhar na Scribhneoirí) wish to express our deep concern at the withdrawal by the Arts Council of all funding for the Irish Writers’ Centre. This is not a cost-saving exercise; this is a decision which will close the centre.
We are completely mystified by this cut since, in our experience, the centre is providing an invaluable service to all practising writers in Ireland. It provides networking and promotional opportunities for established and emerging writers in English and Irish as well as opportunities for employment as tutors and as judges for the Glen Dimplex New Writers’ Awards run in association with the centre.
It provides room for meetings, seminars, literary performances and discussions for various groups of writers who, in the absence of such facilities, would be seriously inconvenienced. Such opportunities and facilities are part of the ongoing service provided by writers’ centres in all European countries.
It is bitterly ironic that, when moves are afoot to have Dublin declared European City of Literature, and when Ireland has been invited to nominate a writer for the new European Union Prize for Literature, the Arts Council should decide to destroy the only effective writers’ centre in the capital. Some months ago the Arts Council itself expressed its satisfaction with the centre, saying it was “absolutely integral to the fabric of support for Irish writers and writing”.
The Arts Council should reverse this decision and restore the centre’s funding.
– Yours, etc,