Limerick Arts Strategy Individual Artists 36 Related Local Initiatives 37 Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT) 38
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LIMERICK INTEGRATED ARTS STRATEGY Performance at Limerick City Gallery of Art Students at the Irish World Music Centre 1 Mary Nunan and Olwen Grindley, Daghdha Dance Company Limerick Integrated Arts Strategy St Kieran’s School in Expo 2000 Mike Finn in Borrowed Robes , Island Theatre Co 3 LIMERICK INTEGRATED ARTS STRATEGY acknowledgements Commissioned by Limerick City Council and Limerick City Council wish to acknowledge the work of The Arts Council / An Chomhairle Ealaíon. Ruairí Ó Cuiv and Annette Clancy in drafting this strategy. Published by Limerick City Council. cover © Limerick City Council, 2002 . All rights reserved. Andrew Kearney, Orb , installation at Limerick City Gallery of Art, 2001 (for movie strip details, see page 55) ISBN 0946641 455 illustrations editor Sheila Deegan, City Arts Officer Given the large number of illustrations, captioning alongside them would have proved clumsy. We have overprinted concise captions on photographs (which may Produced for Limerick City Council by not always be legible) with full captions in the List of Gandon Editions, Oysterhaven, Kinsale, Co Cork Illustrations towards the back of the book. design John O’Regan (© Gandon Editions, 2002) production Nicola Dearey Sheila Holland printing Betaprint, Dublin GANDON EDITIONS Oysterhaven, Kinsale, Co Cork tel / fax +353 (0)21-4770830 / 4770755 e-mail [email protected] web-site www.gandon-editions.com CITY ARTS OFFICE Limerick City Council City Hall, Merchant’s Quay, Limerick tel / fax +353 (0)61-312988 / 312985 e-mail [email protected] web-site www.limerickcity.ie Reverse Psychology by Daghdha Dance Co The Star Child and Other Stories by Oscar Wilde 4 Contents DETAILED CONTENTS 6 FOREWORDS 8 MISSION STATEMENT 12 1 INTRODUCTION 14 2 THE ARTS IN LIMERICK 18 3 INTEGRATED ARTS STRATEGY FOR LIMERICK 40 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS 54 A DIRECTORY OF ARTS ORGANISATIONS IN LIMERICK 58 Adzido Dance Workshop, Belltable Outreach Ferenc Szücs and student, IWMC 5 Detailed Contents Foreword 8 Mission Statement 12 1 Introduction 14 2 The Arts in Limerick 18 Features of the arts sector in Limerick 18 Arts institutions and organisations in Limerick 22 Public arts events 24 Arts infrastructure 25 Publicly accessible arts facilities in Limerick 26 Economic profile of the arts sector 29 Audiences for the arts 29 Limerick City Council’s support for the arts 30 Local public funding for the arts 31 Public art 32 Arts in the community 33 Arts and education / Arts for young people 34 Operation of the arts organisations 35 Children take part in Cuisle Poetry Festival Drumming workshop, Anáil Dé festival 6 Limerick Arts Strategy Individual artists 36 Related local initiatives 37 Strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT) 38 3 Integrated Arts Strategy for Limerick 40 3.1 – Mission 41 3.2 – Strategic objectives 41 3.3 – Principles 42 3.4 – Anticipated outcomes 42 3.5 – Strategic approach 43 3.6 – Strategic action areas 44 3.7 – Implementation and delivery 48 3.8 – Monitoring and evaluation 50 List of Illustrations 54 Directory of arts organisations in Limerick 58 Expo parade Pat Nolan, Pat McGrath in Loco County Lonesome Detailed Contents 7 REPRO illus undersized (used here @ 145%) Mike Finn in Borrowed Robes , Island Theatre Company 8 Limerick Arts Strategy Foreword The unprecedented growth in third-level education in Limerick, the major success in our Urban Renewal and Redevelopment Pro - gramme, together with considerable progress in attracting indus - try and employment to the region, have all ensured that our ancient city (with a charter dating back to 1197) can now move forward with confidence into the new millennium. It is now time to place a greater focus on developing the potential of all aspects of our community’s talent and heritage to the fullest possible extent. The arts have always been vibrant in Limerick, and areas of activity range from dance to drama, music to mime, painting, sculpture, photography, etc. Indeed, the architecture of Limerick – which includes a magnificent Georgian area and many ancient and renowned buildings side by side with modern developments of recent years – is in itself quite a sig - nificant art form. The publication of the Limerick Integrated Arts Strategy is something which is eagerly awaited, and which will, I believe, ensure that the future of the arts will be copperfas - tened. The strategic action areas – six in all – will bring about an inclusive and co-ordi - nated approach in a way which would, in the past, have been virtually unattainable. It is fair to say, however, that Limerick City Council has historically been aware and con - scious of harnessing the differing creative talents and planning strategy which would sup - Fabrice Hybert, l’Homme de Bessines (1993) Mike Fitzpatrick, Titleless Ireland Series (1993) Forewords 9 port the arts as fully as possible. The 1988 Cultural Agreement was an extremely well thought-out and imaginative initiative, and has served as a precursor to new strategies. That this has now advanced to the publication of this latest arts strategy mirrors a pro - gression in this area that is also reflected in so many other aspects of Limerick life. I warmly commend all of those involved in this initiative, and I am quite certain that it will be widely supported and will prove enormously beneficial in seeking to realise the poten - tial of the undoubted wealth and depth of artistic talent in Limerick city and the surround - ing regions. I welcome the publication of the strategy, and assure the arts community of the full sup - port of Limerick City Council in striving towards the attainment of its objectives. CLLR DICK SADLIER Mayor of Limerick Cerebral Palsy Centre, Mungret Andrew Kearney, Orb , at Limerick City Gallery 10 Limerick Arts Strategy Foreword The publication of the Limerick Integrated Arts Strategy is the cul - mination of a lengthy and extensive process of review and con - sultation, the purpose of which was to develop and expand the arts in Limerick. The result provides a policy framework for build - ing on the rich and diverse artistic heritage which has existed in the city for a number of years. Limerick City Council’s ongoing commitment to assisting the development of the arts is recognition of the important role that the arts play in the overall advancement and attrac - tiveness of the city. I look forward to working with all the partners involved in the successful implementation of the Limerick Integrated Arts Strategy, and in so doing, improving the quality of life within Limerick. BRENDAN KEATING Limerick City Manager PJ Curtis broadcasting on Lyric FM Victor Sloan, Belltable Arts Centre Forewords 11 Andrew Kearney, Orb , at Limerick City Gallery of Art 12 Limerick Arts Strategy Mission Statement } Limerick City Council will integrate planning and support for the continued advancement, participation and collaboration in the arts into its overall services provision in order to ensure that the arts and artists are nurtured within the planned development of Limerick, and that, in turn, the arts and artists are enabled to make a fundamental contribution to the life of their audiences, the people of Limerick and its surrounding region, citizens and visitors alike. ~ Áine Nic Giolla Coda at Limerick City Gallery The Weir by Conor McPherson Mission Statement 13 REPRO illus undersized (used here @ 145%) Umbrella Project in the St Patrick’s Day parade 14 Limerick Arts Strategy 1 – Introduction The cultural wealth of a city is greatly enhanced by the contribution made by individual artists and the arts organisations serving its immediate region. In addition to artistic activ - ity, their presence fosters creativity in a range of endeavours and helps to widen under - standing and participation in the arts and their contribution to the life of the city. The most obvious contribution of artists is in making, performing or exhibiting their artworks locally, nationally and internationally. They also help to promote the image of a city by reaching national and international audiences. Limerick is a major economic, cultural, service and political centre, not only with - in its immediate region, but also within Ireland. The arts sector has undergone substantial change in recent years. The Integrated Arts Strategy for Limerick (set out here) for the com - ing five years, to 2006, is designed to further the twin aims of fostering the continued growth and advancement of the arts in and around Limerick, and enabling the arts, artists and audiences to contribute to the overall development of Limerick. The arts The arts occupy a critical space within the broader domain of the culture of a people. Extending the definition of the arts contained in the Arts Act 1951 to include additional, modern art forms, it can be stated that: } The arts include performance, audio, visual expression and the written word. Art forms include architecture, dance, drama, film, literature, music, all the visual arts, and include Frankie Gavin tutors students, IWMC Snow White.com pantomime 1 – Introduction 15 creative expression found in mime, film, craft, design and photography. Such expression includes innovative new technology as well as traditional techniques. ~ The arts have few fixed boundaries. Indeed, it is one of the functions of art to challenge notional boundaries. Developments at national and international levels A current, extensive debate is taking place that is re-examining the definition of art and the role of the Arts Council, the government and the local authorities who provide public support for both arts and cultural development. The need for an integrated arts strategy for Limerick As the third largest city in the country, Limerick, with its strategic mid-west location at the hub of a geographical area extending through counties Limerick, Clare, Tipperary and beyond, facilitates access to arts events for a significant population base and considerably increases potential audiences for arts events.