An Chomhairle Ealaíon

An Seachtú Tuarascáil Bhliantúil is Fiche, maille le Cuntais don bhliain dar chríoch 31ú Nollaig 1978. Tíolacadh don Rialtas agus leagadh faoi bhráid gach Tí den Oireachtas de bhun Altanna 6 [3] agus 7 [1] den Acht Ealaíon 1951.

Twenty-Seventh Annual Report and Accounts for the year ended 31st December 1978. Presented to the Government and laid before each House of the Oireachtas pursuant to Sections 6 [3] and 7 [1] of the Arts Act, 1951.

Cover Illustration: Scenes from Kieran Mickey's Film Exposure which won the Arts Council's film script award.

Members (to December 1978) (from December 1978) Patrick J. Rock, Chairman James White, Chairman Kathleen Barrington Kathleen Barrington John Behan Brian Boydell Brian Boydell Maire de Paor Tom Caldwell Andrew Devane Maire de Paor Bridget Doolan Andrew Devane Dr J.B. Kearney Eilís Dillon Hugh Maguire Séamus Heaney Louis Marcus Dr J. B. Kearney Seán Ó Tuama Patsy Lawlor Donald Potter Hugh Maguire Nora Relihan Seán Ó Tuama Michael Scott Brian Quinn Richard Stokes Richard Stokes Dr T.J. Walsh Dr T. J. Walsh James Warwick James White

Staff Director Colm Ó Briain Literature and Film Officer David Collins Music Officer Dinah Molloy Visual Arts Officer Paula McCarthy Education Officer Ciaran Benson Finance Officer David McConnell Administration Officer David Kavanagh Secretarial Assistants Veronica Barker Patricia Molloy Margaret O'Rahilly Marie Swan Receptionist Kathryn Cahille

70 Merrion Square, 2. Tel: (01) 764685.

An Chomhaırle Ealaíon

An Chomhairle Ealaíon (The Arts Council) is an independent organization set up under the Arts Acts 1951 and 1973 to promote the arts. It operates through a wide-ranging programme of financial assistance and special services, offered to both individuals and organizations. The Council also acts as an advisor on artistic matters to the Government and Government Departments and is one of four bodies which have a statutory duty to make representations to planning authorities in connection with applications for planning permission in areas of special amenity throughout the country. The Council consists of a board of not more than seventeen members appointed by the Taoiseach. The present board was appointed in December 1978 and its term of office will expire in 1983. The board meets about ten times a year to set Council policies and make decisions within the terms of the Arts Acts. These policies and decisions are implemented by a staff headed by a Director, appointed by the Council. The Council reports to the Oireachtas through the Taoiseach and its accounts are audited by the Auditor General. Annual grants from the Oireachtas are the Council's main source of income. These grants are supplemented by income from local authorities and private organizations and the Council also administers a number of trust funds, set up privately for specific purposes. The arts are defined in the Arts Acts and include: The Visual Arts (painting, sculpture, architecture, print-making, design); The Performing Arts (theatre, dance, music, opera); Literature; Film; Crafts.

Meitheal '78 Arts Council Sculpture Seminar

Chairman's Introduction

This introduction to the report is a tribute to the work of the outgoing Chairman, Patrick Rock and his Council. He led the way, during his term of office, to a new direction for the Arts Council. Theatre, Ballet, Literature, Film and Community Arts were given equal prominence to and were treated in the same way as the Visual Arts and Music had formerly been treated. Furthermore, greater efforts were made to reach into the less populated regions of the country in an endeavour to enlarge the area of the Council's influence. The following report is its own justification and I wish merely to emphasise that the policies it has developed will receive full support during my term of office. Every effort will be made to continue to foster the activities referred to and to generate other signs of growth in the arts wherever they may show up. It falls to me to offer the sincere thanks of the Council and the staff for the continuing support of the Government. We particularly thank the Taoiseach for his personal concern for the arts as administered by the Arts Council and we would like to place it on record that every approach to him has been met with sympathy. In conclusion I would like to take this opportunity of welcoming the six members who were appointed by the Taoiseach to the Council in December 1978. They have all served the arts in with distinct- ion and their knowledge and expertise will be invaluable to the Council in the years ahead.

James White September 1979

Report

The term of office of the Arts Council whose activities are recorded here expired in December 1978. In a review of the Council's work over the last five years, the outgoing chairman, Patrick J. Rock, counselled against complacency: "The taxpayer should be under no doubt that public funds have been used to secure the maximum possible activity from every organisation supported. Co-operation with other organisations has been a feature of our policy and this has ensured that the costs of new development have been shared where possible. However, the danger signs are there - the Council has stretched its resources to the limit and the momentum created must not be allowed to diminish. "Because arts organisations have been continually concerned with the problems of mere survival, there is a real danger that a period of stagnation will ensue unless we commit ourselves to solutions which reflect the high value and place of the arts in our culture. A civilized country must face these questions openly. The demand for economies, so much a feature of recent years, must be replaced with a programme of incentives that allow talent to be rewarded and which place the arts on a secure footing within the community. Otherwise the concept of state-aid to the arts becomes little more than a cosmetic exercise and the Arts Council little more than the caretaker of the status quo. "Looking back at the last five years, it seems that questions of survival have dominated discussion of the arts, when the Council has lacked the necessary funds to offer firm incentives for major development. New buildings are needed to house the arts throughout the country, and arts organisations must be allowed to plan with confidence for the future and undertake the risk of presenting new and challenging work. In addition the status of the artist within the community needs to be taken seriously — seriously enough to offer him a reasonable return for his work." "Culture is always something that was" wrote , remarking on what seemed to him to be Ireland's reverence for things of the past and indifference towards its contemporary writers and artists. Perhaps the major achievement of the Arts Council over the last five years has been its attempt to respond to this challenge by instituting a wide ranging programme of bursaries, designed to cater for writers, musicians, visual artists, theatre producers, stage designers and dancers. Unlike academic institutions or museums, the Council cannot afford to wait until certain artists are promoted to a level of greatness or until their work is regarded as a cultural treasure. The task of the Council is to support culture as it creates itself and this means providing opportunities for experiment and innovation, the results of which cannot be foreseen. The bursary programme and the tax exemption on creative work combine to provide opportunities which were not available in Patrick Kavanagh's day. Nevertheless it would be wrong to assume that creative artists are sufficiently provided for. The vast majority cannot provide for themselves through their artistic work alone. The extent to which this problem exists for writers, artists, musicians and actors forms the basis of a survey into their living and working conditions, which was commissioned by the Council at the end of 1978. It is hoped that the findings of the survey will provide a basis on which direct provision for the individual artist can be seen in its true context. During the year, however, great concern was expressed by many writers and artists over their liability for Value Added Tax. Some were informed that they owed substantial sums under VAT and many were notified that they should compulsorily register for VAT. This tax is singularly inappropriate to artists, since their income is highly unstable. A series of meetings with the Revenue Commissioners was begun in December, with a view to clarifying the legal and administrative implications for artists. The long-term resolution of this problem may well depend on a change in the law, and the draft Seventh Directive of the EEC Council of Ministers which proposes to exempt artists from the payment of VAT on supplies and imports of works of art is to be

Paint-in at Wexford Arts Centre

welcomed on that basis. Co-operation with the Arts Council of Northern Ireland was formalised for the first time in 1978, when both Councils met in joint session, once in Belfast, and once in Dublin. Among the matters discussed at these joint meetings were proposals regarding the extension of touring by the Irish Ballet Company and the Company in Northern Ireland and joint projects under the sponsorship of UNESCO. In addition, a writers-in-schools scheme embracing second-level schools both North and South was established and detailed plans for the administration of Annaghmakerrig House, Co. Monaghan, were drawn up. This was the home of the late Sir Tyrone Guthrie and the property passed into the Council's possession from the Minister for Finance on 1st November 1978. The two Councils will jointly appoint a management board to oversee the affairs of the house and following some renovations, it is intended to open the residence during 1979 for an experimental period. The cost of the scheme will be met partly by the income from investments provided by Sir Tyrone Guthrie and partly by grants from the two Arts Councils. During the year a series of new arrangements were proposed for the administration of Ciste Colmchille, an artists' benevolent fund established by the Council in 1966. The fund has had some limited success in honouring and assisting artists who have made a substantial contribution to the cultural well-being of the nation but who for a variety of reasons may have found themselves in financial difficulty. However in recent years the Council has found that the regulations governing the fund are unduly restrictive and proposals were submitted to the Taoiseach in March suggesting certain changes.

Over the last five years, the Council has come more and more to recognise the importance of regional development, and considerable progress was made on this front in the year under review. Particular attention is being given to the needs of touring companies and the encouragement of local arts centres and festivals outside the Dublin area. Regional development also involves a decentralisation of the decision-making process and to this end the Council favours the creation of a network of regional arts committees which can respond sensitively to local aspirations and articulate these at national level. The success of the Mid-West Arts Association, based on the Regional Development Organisation, has encouraged other regions to follow their lead. Although this network is still in its infancy, in time these associations will ensure that funds for the arts are deployed on a more widespread basis than-ever before. However, the encouragement of the arts through- out Ireland cannot proceed unless the Government makes substantial provision for capital development. For three years now the Council has requested funds for housing the arts, pointing to the fact that many performing companies are working in totally unsuitable premises, without proper rehearsal, storage or dressing facilities. Our touring companies must play in halls which lack proper amenities for both audiences and performers. Even in buildings custom- built for performance such as the Abbey Theatre, inadequate funding is preventing the replacement and renewal of stage facilities. The neglect of the arts in Irish society has its roots in the low status of the arts within our education system. An increase in arts activity cannot be sustained unless it can rely on a public that has learned how to enjoy, appreciate and participate in the experience. In order to assess the difficulties encountered by the arts in Irish education, a Working Party was established in February 1978 and an education officer was appointed to prepare a report which would form the basis for practical initiatives in this area. The report, The Place of the Arts in Irish Education, was formally adopted by the Council in December 1978 and was published in February 1979. The extent of the problem and its complexity can be illustrated by the fact that the report contains 119 recommendations, most of which could be implemented within 5 years, given sufficient goodwill on the part of all concerned. Ní féidir leis an gComhairle Ealaíon polasaí ceart dhá-theangach a chur i bhfeidhm i láthair na huaire, toisc go bhfuil go leor eagraisí eile stáit ann ag deonadh imeachtaí cultúrtha cheana féin. Go dtí mbíonn réiteach ar an scéal seo, tá an Chomhairle Ealaíon ag brú ar aghaidh le scéimeanna úrnua ealaíne. I mbliana, mar shampla reachtáladh Ceardlann Scríbhneoireachta Gaeilge i nGaillimh agus bunaíodh Complacht Drámaíochta Gaeilge i dteannta le Bord na Gaeilge.

Literature

Support for publishing is one of the most important elements of the Arts Council's literature policy. This year there was a considerable increase in the amount of new work published with the Council's assistance, particularly insofar as fiction and plays were concerned. The expansion of Poolbeg Press and the Irish Writers' Co-operative has been made possible by a package of grants and interest-free loans, which -—courage a greater emphasis on marketing and sales. This in time should lead to a high degree of commercial self-sufficiency. The fact that many titles assisted by the Council during the year featured in the best-seller lists shows that there is an audience for Irish fiction of quality, provided it is properly produced, designed and distributed. Another encouraging sign is the increased interest shown by Irish publishers in new plays. Four plays were published by the Irish Writers' Co-operative, based on productions they had received in Project Arts Centre. The Gallery Press, which has been identified primarily with the publication of poetry, produced three plays this year, all of which had received their first performance at the Abbey Theatre. Other notable titles assisted during the year included Enter Certain Players, a collection of essays occasioned by the Gate Theatre Jubilee; two new editions of work by Liam O'Flaherty; and The Best of The Bell, a selection by Seán McMahon from one Ireland's most eminent cultural magazines. Last year's Report noted the inauguration of a Writers-in-Schools pilot scheme, confined to the counties Clare, Limerick and North Tipperary. Under this limited scheme almost thirty visits took place, and the response was such that the Council decided to extend the service to embrace second-level schools throughout Ireland in co-operation with the Arts Council of Northern Ireland. A new directory was prepared which includes over 150 writers who have agreed to participate. In 1976 and 1977 the Council organised an annual writers' workshop in in association with the Board of Extra-Mural Studies, UCG. This year's workshop was the first devoted to writing in Irish, and was conducted by Eoghan Ó Tuairisc, the poet, playwright and novelist. Nine writers participated and the workshop was also attended by Seán Ó Tuama and Máirtín Ó Direáin The Council has for some time now been investigating the possibility of establishing a Book Centre, which would act as a focus for publishing in this country, whereby the promotion and distribution of Irish published books could be developed. In order to assess the feasibility of such a venture the Council has agreed to provide the Irish Publishers' Association (CLÉ) with the funds for a survey, the results of which will be made available in 1979. In addition the Council has supported CLÉ in the provision of a part-time secretariat to encourage new opportunities for co-operation between publishers. In September 1978 a new literary organisation, , was launched. Administered by John F. Deane, Poetry Ireland organised a series of readings in Dublin and and published a newsletter at regular intervals. It aims to expand its readings to embrace venues throughout Ireland and to organise poetry workshops, leading eventually to the establishment of a national poetry centre which could act as a central resource for poets and their audiences. In a major expansion of its bursary programme, the Arts Council this year awarded £20,000 to seven writers to enable them to concentrate on or complete their work in progress. For the first time two bursaries were awarded over a two year period, in order to provide an extended period of financial support in certain cases. In 1978 and received these two year bursaries. Tom Mclntyre's bursary enabled him to work in Paris as writer- in-residence with a theatre company specialising in dance and mime. Bursaries of £3,000 each were awarded to Breandán Ó hEithir and , both of whom are engaged on new novels. Thomas McCarthy and Desmond O'Grady each received bursaries of £1,000 to assist them complete new collections of poetry. In 1978 the Macaulay Fellowship (£2,500) was offered in literature and was awarded to the poet Aidan Matthews, whose first collection Windfalls was published by the Dolmen Press in 1977.

Bursaries £ Anthony Cronin 3,000 Pearse Hutchinson 4,000 Derek Mahon 4,000 Thomas McCarthy 1,000 Tom Mclntyre 4,000 Brendan Ó hEithir 3,000 Desmond O'Grady 1,000 £20,000

Presses Dolmen Press 2,200 Peter Luke, ed. (Enter Certain Players) Thomas McCarthy (The First Convention)

Egotist Press 400 Lucile Redmond (Who breaks up old moons to make new stars?)

Gallery Press 2,200 (A Farewell to English) Eugene McCabe (King of the Castle) Heno Magee (Hatchet) Thomas Murphy (A Crucial Week in the Life of a Grocer's Assistant) Desmond O'Grady (A Limerick Rake)

Goldsmith Press 1,150 Patrick Kavanagh (By Night Unstarred) Patrick Kavanagh (Lough Derg) Era 4

Irish Writers' Co-operative 3,000 James Brennan (Seaman) G.P. Gallivan (Dev) Ray Lynott (A Year in the Country) James Plunkett (The Risen People) James Sheridan (Mobile Homes) Peter Sheridan (The Liberty Suit)

O'Brien Press 1,350 John Cowell (The Begrudgers) Seán McMahon, ed. (The Best of the Bell)

Poolbeg Press 1,000 Elizabeth Bowen (Irish Stories) Eric Cross (Silence is Golden) Mary Lavin (Tales from Bective Bridge) (Death of a Chieftain) Kate Cruise O'Brien (A Gift Horse) Julia Ó Faoláin (Melancholy Baby) James Plunkett (Collected Short Stories)

Profile Poetry 400 (Sam's Cross)

Profile Press 600 Padraig J. Daly (Nowhere but in Praise) Profiles 2

Magazines Broadsheet 100 Books Ireland 750 Crane Bag 500 Cyphers 550 Lace Curtain 450 Irish University Review 1,000 Stony Thursday Book 200

Other Grants Irish Publishers' Association 375 Poetry Ireland 5 Society of Irish Playwrights 400 Writers' Workshop, UCG 2,800 Writers' Week Listowel (Travel Grants) 400 Bursaries (amount paid during year) 14,500 £34,835

The Irish Writers' Co-operative, Poolbeg Press and Wolfhound Press received interest-free loans to assist with the publication of certain titles.

Fidelma Cullen and Cyril Cusack in Chekhov's Uncle Vanya, at the Abbey Theatre.

Drama

The year under review was another difficult one for the theatre. Increasing production and running costs, set against static price levels, posed acute problems for both commercial and subsidised companies. The difficulties faced by the Council in encouraging the development of drama are most clearly seen in the lack of suitable provision for theatre outside the Dublin area. Visits by touring companies are becoming less frequent and what performances there are generally take place in dilapidated venues, whose dinginess and lack of amenity are discouraging to audiences. The solution of these problems will require a massive injection of capital finance and a programme of touring incentives, both of which are beyond the capacity of the Council at the present time. The establishment of the Irish Theatre Company in 1974 was seen as a partial resolution of this difficulty. Charged with a responsibility to tour on a widespread basis, the company has not yet received sufficient resources to mount a programme of productions throughout the year. During 1978 the Council received and approved in principle a three year development plan for the ITC, which envisages a significant expansion in its activities. The cost of this development is estimated at about £300,000 per year, nearly double what the company receives at present. Despite its present financial limitations the ITC still succeeded in fulfilling an extensive range of ring commitments. In February 1978, Tony Ó Dalaigh, General Administrator since 1974, was succeeded by Will Weston, and Eddie Golden took over as Artistic Director from Joe Dowling. The 1978 programme of the ITC consisted of Spokesong by Stewart Parker, The Heart's a Wonder (a musical adaptation of Synge's Playboy of the Western World) and Shaw's Heartbreak House. The Company played for three weeks in the Abbey Theatre and performed also at the Queen's Festival in Belfast in October. During the Dublin Theatre Festival the ITC presented Where All Your Dreams Come True in various community centres in the Dublin area. While the Council is anxious to encourage touring, it has also committed itself to the establishment of full-time professional theatre in the regions. There are serious problems to be overcome before this pious hope can become a reality. There may be reluctance on the part of freelance actors to leave the Dublin area since many might wish to stay close to the market which offers them the widest range of opportunities in both theatre and television. Given adequate financial guarantees, however, professional theatre workers might well relish the opportunity of playing to new audiences in the regions. At present two theatre companies outside Dublin are assisted by the Council, the Everyman Playhouse in Cork and Druid Theatre in Galway and these could form the basis of regional theatre, provided they can be adequately subsidised. The activities of the Everyman Playhouse comprise a variety of amateur productions, mixed with some visiting professional shows. Productions by the resident company in 1978 included Don't sing for me. Perry Como (David Hayes), The Front Page (Ben Hecht and Charles McArthur) and Barefoot in the Park (Neil Simon). Faced with serious financial difficulties, Everyman reduced the number of visiting productions this year, although there were performances by the Irish Theatre Company, Focus Theatre and Byzantium Theatre Company. Everyman suffers from lack of sufficient storage space for scenery and furniture and also requires new lighting facilities. These problems, together with the cost of bringing professionals from Dublin, prevent the company at present from developing along increasingly professional lines. Druid Theatre, Galway employs an average of five full-time members whose weekly pay is less than £25 each. Nine productions were staged during 1978 and these included Tom Stoppard's After Magritte, Chekhov's The Proposal, George Buchner's Woyzeck and Bar and Ger by Geraldine Aron. The company has been operating in thoroughly unsuitable facilities and has found it difficult to find new premises, since commercial property in Galway is expensive to rent. However by the end of the year the company had located a premises in Courthouse Lane and once the venue has been converted Druid Theatre will re-open

in 1979. Focus Theatre in Dublin has also experienced difficulties in its present premises. During 1978 Focus mounted three professional productions: The Little Foxes by Lillian Hellman, A Collier's Friday Night by D.H. Lawrence and Srindberg's Dance of Death. In addition, an extended season was given to Stage One, a company formed in 1977. The season ran from January to March and consisted of Christopher Hampton's Threats, Slawomir Mrozek's Emigrés and 's Waiting for Beckett. The Abbey Theatre seems luxuriously treated by comparison with Everyman, Druid and Focus. However the comparison is deliberately invited, for the apparent contradiction highlights yet again the inadequacy of the Council's resources. Ireland's National Theatre is a poor relation in European terms. With a staff of 125, which includes full-time actors, the wages bill alone is equal to the total amount of subsidy it receives. When economies are called for, production budgets suffer, and this seriously endangers the Abbey's ability to fulfill its proper role as a centre of dramatic excellence and as a stimulus for the theatrical profession. This year's production at the Abbey included Wild Oats by John O'Keeffe; O'Casey's The Star Turns Red; Arthur Miller's The Crucible; The Loves of Cass Maguire by Brian Friel and Hatchet by Heno Magee. Chekhov's Uncle Vanya was one of the highlights of the Dublin Theatre Festival. Two Abbey productions were toured during the year, Tom Kilroy's Talbot's Box went to Coleraine and Shaw's You Never Can Tell was presented at the Shaw Festival in Malvern, England. The policy of the Peacock Theatre envisages productions which may not command the same public appeal as those presented on the Abbey stage. This allows for a more varied and intensive programme, with particular emphasis on new plays by Irish authors. The 1978 programme included plays by Eoghan Ó Tuairisc, Bill Morrison, John Lynch and Pascal Pettit together with two satirical reviews and a children's play by . The concentration of theatre activity in Dublin has twofold implications for the Dublin Theatre Festival. In the first place it would not be possible, even if it were desirable, to hold a festival of this magnitude elsewhere, since sufficient venues for performance would not exist. As against this, the support of additional theatre activity in Dublin can seem difficult to justify when contrasted with the scarcity of product outside Dublin. It is essential therefore that the Dublin Theatre Festival should justify itself both in terms of its artistic policy and its administration if it is to command the substantial state support it requires. In 1977 the Arts Council severely cut its grant-aid to the Festival. While this decision resulted in a considerably reduced programme, one of its more fortunate consequences was that it allowed for a re-assessment of the Festival by the Festival Council and the two principal sponsors, the Arts Council and Dublin Corporation. A review group was established which made recommendations for improvements in planning, publicity and general artistic policy and also provided a set of guidelines which would clarify the role of the Festival in relation to the national companies, commercial managements, overseas productions and fringe events. Hugh Leonard was appointed Programme Director and the duration of the festival was extended from two to three weeks. These changes required a considerably increased financial commitment from the Council which agreed to provide a minimum of £60,000 annually for the period 1978- 80. This will allow the Festival to demonstrate its value to the professional theatre in general and its performance in this trial period will determine to what extent subsidies to the Festival can be continued or increased. The main programme this year included a large complement of new Irish plays: Peter Sheridan's Emigrants, Bonfire by Joe O'Donnell, Cattappletits by Pascal Pettit and Proxopera by Peter Luke (adapted from the novel by Benedict Kiely.) There were also a considerable number of overseas productions, including Mummenschantz a Swiss Mime Group, Estelle Parson's one-woman show Miss Margarida's Way, and the Living Theatre of America. Other events included Theatre for All at the

Mansion House, and Where All Your Dreams Come True, a community theatre production by the ITC. Another significant development during the year concerned drama in Irish. For many years there has been a decline in the number of professional Irish productions and this in turn discourages the writing of new plays. After negotiations between the Council and Bord na Gaeilge it was decided to experiment with the creation of a professional company, playing exclusively in the and based in the Darner Theatre, Dublin. The training of actors and the renovation of premises is the first priority Ann O'Driscoll was appointed Artistic Director of this new enterprise, the results of which will be assessed over a period of three years. The Gate Theatre celebrated its Golden Jubilee in 1978. The Jubilee celebrations were tinged with sadness at the death in March of Mícheál Mac Liammóir, who was co-founder of the Gate with Hilton Edwards in 1928. Two of the commemorative events were supported by the Council: All For Hecuba, an exhibition of costumes and memorabilia in connection with the Gate was held in the Hugh Lane Municipal Gallery in October; and Enter Certain Players, a collection of essays published by the Dolmen Press dealing with various aspects of the Gate's history. The Edwards/Mac Liammóir productions at the Gate this year were Equus by Peter Shaffer, Proxopera by Peter Luke and Where Stars Walk by Mícheál Mac Liammóir. Gemini Productions presented Alan Ayckbourn's Bedroom Farce at the Gate from July to September. During 1978 a special award, the Mícheál Mac Liammóir Award was established to enable a young actor pursue advanced training in the theatre. The Award, value £600, was created through private subscriptions and is being paid through the Arts Council. Conal Kearney, a member of the Peacock Theatre Group, received the Award to enable him attend the Marcel Marceau International School of Mime in Paris.

DRAMA £ Abbey and Peacock Theatre 518,000 Amharclann an Darner 20,000 Druid Theatre, Galway 6,000 Dublin Theatre Festival 60,000 Everyman Playhouse, Cork 11,000 Focus Theatre, Dublin 6,000 Gate Jubilee Exhibition 750 Gate Theatre 135,000 Gemini Productions 5,000 Irish Theatre Company 163,000 Lyric Players Theatre 2,500 Olympia Theatre Restoration Fund 2,260* Oscar Theatre, Dublin 1,700

Apprentice Theatre Producers Paul Brennan 1,350 John O'Mahony 1,350 Donald Taylor-Black 1,350

Other Awards Micheál Mac Cárthaigh 300 (one act play in Irish) Conal Kearney 600 (Edwards/Mac Liammóir Foundation) £936,160

*This grant was made by Dublin County Council and paid through the Arts Council under Section 12 of the Arts Act, 1973.

Iphigenia by Michael Cacoyanis at the Irish Film Theatre

Film

"That we must make our own films here in Ireland seems to me a logical result of any belief in our destiny as a people", wrote Liam O'Leary over thirty years ago. It was hoped that this year might have seen the creation of a Film Board to provide the necessary opportunities for Irish directors and technicians. Unfortunately this has not yet come about and the Arts Council's recently established Film Script Award remains virtually the only source of finance available for the making of Irish feature films. Despite the fact that the value of the award is very small by any standards, the two films which have been produced as a result have been widely acclaimed both in Ireland and abroad. Bob Quinn's Poitín was released in March 1978 and has since been screened at the Irish Film Theatre; in schools and halls throughout the country and on RTE. In addition it has been shown at the Edinburgh and London Film Festivals. Kieran Hickey's Exposure was premiered in Dublin in October and was also included in the programme of the London Film Festival. In Autumn 1978 Louis Marcus's series of six hour-long documentaries was premiered on RTE 1, and screenings in the United States are expected shortly. The series was supported by a variety of sponsors, and the Council helped at the early stages of production in 1975. On a very limited budget the Council has also pioneered significant developments in film exhibition. The Irish Film Theatre, now in its second year of operation, has attracted large audiences to films that would not normally have been screened in this country. While some of these might not have been shown in Ireland due to censorship difficulties, most of the films would not have received a commercial release anyway. The fact that over 96,000 people attended screenings at the IFT during the year under review, and that its membership now stands at 7,000, demonstrates that audiences are willing to respond to a wide variety of cinema product. American dominance of the commercial cinema continues but there is also a growing market for foreign language films, as the attendance at the IFT indicates. Established by the Council in 1977 as a company limited by guarantee, the IFT runs on the income provided by its public and is not in receipt of state subsidy. Away from Dublin there has also been a striking expansion in the growth of film societies through the Federation of Irish Film Societies, set up in August 1977. In the first year affiliations increased from seven to seventeen, with a membership of 2,200. New societies continued to join for the 1978-79 season and by December there were thirty affiliated societies with a combined audience of over 5,000 members. During the year the Council in association with the Arts Council of Northern Ireland launched a new film magazine, Film Directions, a quarterly which appeared in January, April, July and October. Apart from carrying articles of general interest, the magazine also provides an outlet for contributors wishing to comment on various aspects of film production, exhibition distribution and education in Ireland. In its first year Film Directions received substantial support from the Irish Film Theatre membership and by December its circulation had risen to over 8,000.

Film £ B.A.C. Films (Film Script Award) 12,000 Carlow Amateur Moviemakers 175 Dublin Cine Club 100 Federation of Irish Film Societies 3,000 Film Directions 1,000 National Film Institute 175 Script Development Grants 600 £17,050

Street-music; Seán Bradley (scholarship award) is on the left

Music

Music in Ireland, particularly classical music, depends almost entirely on the work of dedicated amateur organisations. There is a danger that this voluntary commitment will be taken for granted when it comes to assessing what realistic financial provision is necessary for concerts and recitals throughout the country. In particular, a greater degree of full- time professional administration is required if the burden on voluntary workers is to be eased. In this context the appointment of a Music Organiser by the Music Association of Ireland is very welcome. This appointment is the first step towards providing a full range of professional services to concert promoting groups, which will hopefully result in larger audiences and greater co-ordination of events between the various music clubs and societies. The post was filled in October by P. J. Power who had previously been festival organiser for Limerick Civic Week. As in previous years the Council continued its policy of direct support for the programmes of various music clubs throughout the country. Among the concerts supported were recitals by the Zurich String Quartet in Limerick, Galway and , the Hadyn Trio in Limerick and Waterford and the Vienna Octet in Limerick. Carlow Music Club promoted a Brahms Weekend in the Spring, featuring Bernadette Greevy and Charles Lynch. The Dublin Baroque Players gave two concerts promoted by the Portlaoise Music Club. The Music Association of Ireland's country concerts scheme funded by the Arts Council was fully utilised and included jazz and traditional music concerts. Because of the high degree of unpaid involvement by local concert promoters, the societies assisted by the Council are able to keep their costs to a minimum. The real costs of these concerts could not be met by the existing level of grant-aid. Furthermore only some of the societies which apply receive assistance and the Council is anxious to widen its range of support so that more out of Dublin venues can plan their music programmes with confidence. 1978 was the 25th year of the Cork International Choral and Folk Dance Festival. Since it was formed in-1954 the festival has hosted many choirs from around the world. In recent years there has been a particularly strong representation from Eastern Europe. The festival ran from 24th to 28th April and received an overall subsidy from the Arts Council for the first time. Hitherto the festival had been supported mainly by Bord Fáilte. Another notable choral event assisted this year was the Culwick Choral Society's production of African Sanctus, composed and conducted by David Fanshawe. Our Lady's Choral Society performed a Christmas Mass, Te Deum and Magnificate by Charpentier. Other Choral Societies provided performances along more traditional lines, for instance Tallaght Choral Society was assisted with performances of Mozart's Mass in C Minor in Dublin and Waterford. Mozart and Bach figured prominently in the repertoire of the New Irish Chamber Orchestra conducted by André Prieur. In February 1978 the orchestra with soloist Mícheál O'Rourke concluded their series of Mozart's piano concertos. The Council also supported the annual season of Bach cantatas performed in association with me Henry Purcell Consort, and directed by John Beckett. The ninth annual Festival in Great Irish Houses ran from 4th to 10th June, presenting a series of seven concerts in five venues. This year's series included performances by two of Spain's most distinguished soloists, the pianist Alicia de Larroche and the harpist Marisa Robles. Many of the major international events in the music calendar also depend to a very great degree on voluntary workers. The biennial Dublin Festival of 20th Century Music is a case in point. The Council's Music Officer has been Festival Administrator on the past two occasions, which is another indication of the shortage of professional administrators for music in Ireland. As the Festival is held under the aegis of the MAI responsibility for future festivals will rest with the new Music Organiser. This year's Festival, the seventh to be held, ran from 6th to 13th January and was the most successful ever. Box office income doubled, showing that there is an increasing audience for modern music. Among compositions featured this year were works

by Shostakovitch, Stockhausen and Webern, and the overseas visitors included the Polish composers Witold Lutoslawski and Andrezej Panufnik, and the music theatre ensemble The Fires of London, directed by Peter Maxwell Davies. Apart from the international emphasis, the Festival also acts as a forum for new work by Irish composers and this year compositions by fifteen composers were premiered. In order to develop this dimension of the Festival, a special fund was created, financed by private business subscriptions, to commission new compositions for performance during each Festival. Promotion of work by Irish composers is also the main objective of the recently formed Association of Irish Composers. In conjunction with the Council the Association intends to produce an information brochure on Irish composers and there are plans for the establishment of a music information service based in Kevin Street Library, Dublin. In order to strengthen links between the Association and Irish concert promoters, two exhibitions were held at the Exhibition Hall in Dublin at which members of the Association played tapes of their work, and displayed their manuscripts. The main difficulty faced by composers, in common with most individual creative artists, is that they cannot afford sufficient time to engage in original work. Even those composers who engage in writing music as a full time occupation generally rely heavily on work as arrangers and writers of popular music. In an effort to improve this situation, the Council this year created a special composer's bursary, value £2,000, which was awarded to Dr A. J. Potter to provide him with the opportunity of composing a full-scale opera. It is intended in future to make a substantial award available each year for composition. The Arts Council's music policy is not devoted solely to the improvement of creative and concert opportunities for professional musicians. The education of young musicians is also supported in a variety of ways. The Cork Youth Orchestra which gives many young musicians their first experience of orchestral playing, was assisted with the purchase of instruments and music and with the costs of a residential summer course in Termonfeckin, Co. Louth. A series of lunchtime concerts promoted by the Cork Municipal School of Music was supported in 1978 (the centenary year of the School) and the Music Teachers Association in Cork was helped with a summer course on various aspects of singing and choral music. Through auditions held by the Arts Council, nine young musicians were chosen from Ireland to perform with the European Community Youth Orchestra. The Orchestra's visit to Ireland in August was funded by the Allied Irish Banks and organised in collaboration with the Royal Dublin Society and the Arts Council. The Music Association of Ireland took over responsibility for the organisation of the Irish involvement later in the year. However, the single most important intervention by the Council in the area of music education is through its bursary programme, which provides young music students with opportunities of furthering their careers. Four of this year's awards went to students who had been successful previously. Niamh Cusack, Geraldine Malone, John Lyons and Una Lawlor were helped in this way to continue their studies abroad. Dara de Cogan received a bursary to enable him study violin for a year in London with Jaroslav Vanacek. Two pianists, Ethna Tinney and Rosalinde Maguire received bursaries as did violinist, Scan Bradley and Derek Hannigan, clarinet. The adjudicators were impressed by the improvement in the standard of singing this year and awards of £1,200 were held for Colette McMahon and Yvonne Egan, to be used at a later stage. As a career in music generally involves an intense degree of specialist training, the Council is concerned to ensure that music students should have the opportunity for a broader education in the humanities. This year the bursary scheme made it possible for Yvonne Donnelly and Áine Ni' Dhúill to attend Trinity College, Dublin as occasional students, where they took courses in the history of art, literature and music.

Bursaries £ Seán Bradley (violin) 350 Niamh Cusack (flute) 1,200 Dara de Cogan (violin) 1,200 Yvonne Donnelly (violin) 250 Yvonne Egan (voice) 1,200 Derek Hannigan (clarinet) 150 Una Lawlor (violin) 300 John Lyons (bassoon) 300 Colette McGahon (voice) 1,200 Rosalind Maguire (piano) 500 Geraldine Malone (oboe) 1,200 Áine Ní Dhúill (harp) 250 A.J. Potter (Composition) 2,000 Eithne Tinney (piano) 500 £10,600

MUSIC Orchestras, Instrumental Ensembles £ Clonmel String Orchestra 100 Dublin Baroque Players 800 Dublin Chamber Music Group 175 Henry Purcell Consort 1,924 New Irish Chamber Orchestra 5,981 Solo Cantata Group 38

Concerts Association of Irish Composers 200 Carlow Music Club 500 Clonakilty Music Society 191 Concorde 500 Cork Orchestral Society 1,400 Drogheda Arts Group 500 Galway Music Association 900 Kinsale Music Society 200 Limerick Music Association 3,350 Music Association of Ireland 7,500 Portlaoise Music Club 248 Pro Musica, Cork 300 Universal Folk Centre, Dublin 250 Waterford Music Club 1,000

Choral Societies Culwick Choral Society 977 Mullingar Choral Society 300 Our Lady's Choral Society 650 Tallaght Choral Society 338 Wexford Festival Singers 200 Wicklow Choral Society 400

Festivals Ballina Music Week 500 Cork Choral Festival 1,000 Feis Ceoil, Dublin 1,500 Feis Ceoil, Sligo 300 Festival in Great Irish Houses 1,000 Killarney Bach Festival 1,500 May in Monkstown 262 Mid-Summer Arts Week, Westport 450

Educational Ballinteer Community School 32 Ceolchumann na nÓg 2,500 Cork Municipal School of Music 500 Cork Youth Orchestra 750 European String Teachers' Association 412 Music Teachers' Association, Cork 147 Royal Irish Academy of Music 3,800 Willie Clancy Summer School 700 Bursaries (Amount paid during year) 12,028 £56,303

Terez Nelson Dance Company

Opera and Dance

Grand opera and classical ballet are often associated in the public mind with an era of luxury and extravagance, the products of a time when wealthy patrons could afford lavish spectacle for its own sake. In this century however, with the development of state patronage and the adoption of policies of art-for-all, these art forms have seemed in some way to stand out as anti-democratic, colourful reminders of an age when patrons were not accountable to any public but themselves. In Ireland however, which lacked large-scale private patronage, neither opera nor ballet ever threatened to dominate the cultural life of a community, or consume its finance. Through the years opera has to a very large extent relied on the broad support of the public and it has found a following in three distinct ways: through the formation of the Dublin Grand Opera Society (1941), the creation of a small touring company, Irish National Opera (1964), and the establishment of Wexford Festival Opera (1951). The impact of the Dublin Grand Opera Society confounds the view that opera is solely the province of an elite. The Spring and Winter seasons were almost booked out and the average seat subsidy, 50p, was far less than most of our theatres. This year's Spring Season consisted of five operas. Verdi's Rigolletto and Ernani, Puccini's Turandot, Donizetti's Le Figlia Del Regimento and Rossini's L'Italiano in Algeri. The operas performed in the Winter season were La Bohème, Don Giovanni and Don Carlos. The public esteem for grand opera in Dublin and Cork is also reflected in the response to Irish National Opera throughout Ireland. Unlike grand opera, which depends for much of its impact on spectacle, Irish National Opera works on a far more modest scale, without chorus or orchestra. These restrictions, imposed by the high costs of touring, place great demands on the singers, who generally sing to piano accompaniment only. Increased subsidy this year has made a chorus financially feasible and this will enable INO to perform larger cast productions - such as Smetana's comic opera The Bartered Bride which opened the 1978/79 touring programme in September. Wexford Festival Opera has a unique international significance in that it is devoted in particular to the production of operas rarely performed, which are a challenge for artistic directors and singers alike. The 1978 season consisted of Eugene d'Albert's Tiefland, Haydn's Il Mondo Delia Luna and Smetana's The Two Widows. One of the major problems facing Wexford Festival Opera is the very poor facilities at the Theatre Royal. There are no workshops, which means that all the sets must be built on stage. Wexford Festival estimates that a capital sum of £350,000 is needed to provide adequate workshops, storage space, dressing and rehearsal rooms and to improve the auditorium. The contribution of Irish artists to opera production has grown steadily in recent years, particularly insofar as singers, producers and designers are concerned. The same cannot be said for composition of operas, although, as mentioned already, the composer A.J. Potter received a bursary this year to enable him to work on a full-length opera. Opera master classes were conducted over a three week period in September in the Royal Irish Academy of Music, Dublin. The course was directed by Courtney Kenny and classes were also given in movement, characterisation and stage make-up. The ten students who participated were selected by audition earlier in the year and the course concluded with a lunchtime recital in the Dagg Hall. The success of these classes has meant that further courses will be held in future years. Just as the history of opera in Ireland is that of dedicated individuals, so too must the progress of the Irish Ballet Company be identified with its founder Joan Denise Moriarty. Since its formation in 1973 the Company has staged a number of original ballets with an Irish theme. This aspect of the company's work achieved perhaps its most outstanding success so far when The Playboy of the Western World, with music arranged and played by the Chieftains, was premiered at the Dublin Theatre Festival. Other major productions during 1978 were Shadow Reach and Othello. The Irish Ballet Company now have six dancers of Irish origin.

Irish National Opera's production of Smetana's The Bartered Bride

If dance is to prosper as an art form, training opportunities must be provided for young Irish dancers. Four companies which provide such outlets for new talent were supported in 1978: the Mid-West Ballet Workshop in Limerick, the Cork Dance Company, the Cork Ballet Company and the Dublin Ballet Club. The Council also operates a bursary scheme for dancers. In 1978 an award of £1,200 was made to Roy Galvin so that he could spend a year as a trainee student with the Irish Ballet Company and further assistance was given to Katherine Lewis to enable her to avail of a place offered to her in the Princess Grace Academy of Classical Dance in Monaco. A six week scholarship course for 12 dancers was held in March and April with Paul Taras as coach. The course was full-time and aimed at giving young dancers an insight into committed training, helping to point them towards a career, thereby building up a nucleus of young talent for this country.

OPERA AND DANCE Opera £ Dublin Grand Opera Society 38,000 Irish National Opera 12,000 Wexford Festival Opera 20,200

£70,200

Dance

Cork Ballet Company 1,200 Cork Dance Company 250 Dublin Ballet Club 438 Folk Dance Society of Ireland 500 Irish Ballet Company 136,000 Mid-West Ballet Workshop 300 Terez Nelson Dance Company 250 Bursaries Roy Galvin 1,200 Katherine Lewis 500 £140,638

Minoru Niizuma, Director of Meitheal '78 the Arts Council Sculpture Seminar

Visual Arts

The 1961 Report by the Scandinavian Group on Design in Ireland noted that "...... the Irish schoolchild is visually and artistically among the most under-educated in Europe". That little has changed in the years since then is amply demonstrated by the findings of the report The Place of the Arts in Irish Education, published by the Arts Council early in 1979. However in the last fifteen years there has been a steady increase in general public interest in the visual arts, evidenced by the growth of commercial galleries in particular. But it was only in 1978 that Dublin was provided with a large gallery, specially designed for modern exhibitions. The Gallery is situated in Trinity College, Dublin, and opened in March. In its first year of operation, the Gallery hosted three exhibitions devoted to the work of individual artists: Jo Baer, Oisín Kelly and John Luke. Two group exhibitions were held; the annual Irish Exhibition of Living Art and a presentation of work by final year students at the National College of Art and Design. The Gallery also presented two thematic exhibitions which relate certain forms of artistic practice to specific social and cultural contexts. The first of these, Marching Workers, compiled by Belinda Loftus, consisted of a wide range of Irish trade union banners and regalia. The second show, The Art of the Pacific was based on material on loan from the National Museum and provided a spectacular selection of religious and craft objects from the Pacific Islands. Until now the Council's own exhibition policy has been independent of any particular venue. With the opening of the Douglas Hyde Gallery the Council has withdrawn from the presentation of its own major exhibitions, as these are being incorporated within the annual exhibition programme of the Gallery. Half the running costs of the Douglas Hyde Gallery is being provided by the Council. In recent years, the Arts Council, in association with the Arts Council of Northern Ireland, has presented major retrospective exhibitions of work by individual artists. The third and fourth exhibitions in this series were held in 1978, devoted to the work of John Luke and Oisín Kelly. The John Luke exhibition consisted of paintings, drawings, waterolours and prints, and was accompanied by a monograph on his career by . The Oisín Kelly exhibition was the first in the series to present the work of a sculptor. The work on show, in wood, stone and bronze illustrated his continual concern with Ireland's cultural and religious heritage. Since 1964 he has been artist in residence with Kilkenny Design Workshops and a selection of his design work formed part of the exhibition. The catalogue for the show, which included an essay by Dorothy Walker on the artist's life and work, was designed as a special tribute by Kilkenny Design Workshops. Another notable exhibition supported during the year included. Fur, Feather and Fibre (again based on ethnographic material on loan from the National Museum) at Kilkenny Art Gallery Society which described the visual and craft traditions of the American Indians. The exhibition was toured subsequently to the Education Centres in Trim and Castlebar. Listowel Writers' Week mounted a major international graphics exhibition which included work by 25 overseas artists. Unfortunately the adjudication procedure caused great concern among Irish artists and the ensuing controversy tended to overshadow the excellence of the work presented. The Council was also involved in the presentation of two visual arts exhibitions from Denmark. The first of these was an exhibition of Danish design which opened in Dublin and was later shown in Cork and Belfast. This was followed by an exhibition of paintings by Carl-Henning Pederson which opened at the of Municipal Art. The preparation and touring of small scale exhibitions to towns throughout Ireland reflects the Council's promotion of regional development. During the year four exhibitions were toured extensively. Images of Stone, which consists of fiberglass casts from the stone carvings of Lough Erne, commenced touring in 1977 and continued until September 1978, visiting fourteen venues in all. The OASIS Documentation Exhibition was brought to regional technical colleges between March and June. The exhibition included models, photographs and written material

documenting the Open Air Show of Irish Sculpture 1977 most of which was destroyed in its setting. The show was compiled by the artists who participated with a view to raising public awareness of the issues involved in the creation and siting of public sculpture. An exhibition of contemporary Dutch Graphics entitled The Life Around Us was toured to eight venues between March and August. It consisted of thirty prints by Dutch artists who are concerned to present, in a direct and accessible fashion, incidents and details of everyday life. This exhibition was made available to the Arts Council through the assistance of the Dutch Government. In December the Council's fourth travelling exhibition Irish Mythology in Contemporary Sculpture opened in Nenagh. Five artists whose work reflects a concern with Irish mythology were represented. John Behan, Cliodna Cussen, Edward Delaney, Oism Kelly and James McKenna. The existence of the Mid-West Association has made it possible to intensify the Council's programme of touring exhibitions. The Association's arts officer has performed a major co-ordinating role for these exhibitions while they toured in the counties Clare, Limerick and North Tipperary. The support of the visual arts through exhibitions is but one element of the Council's policy and this is complemented by direct forms of assistance to the individual artist. During the year a Sculpture Seminar Meitheal '78, was organised, which provided ten Irish sculptors with the opportunity of working under the guidance of Minoru Niizuma, the renowned Japanese stone sculptor, resident in New York. He was assisted by Miroslav Maler, from Yugoslavia. The seminar ran for six weeks through July and August at a quarry in Sandyford, Co. Dublin. The Irish participants were Colm J. Brennan, Liam Brennan, Clíodna Cussen, Noel Hoare, Bob Mulcahy, James McKenna, Patrick O'Sullivan and James Power. A very successful exhibition of work produced during the seminar was held at the end of August. Two very different visual arts publications were supported in 1978. The first of these. The Painters of Ireland 1660- 1920, is a monumental work of research by Anne Crookshank and the Knight of Glin, which provides a detailed and comprehensive account of this period of . This lavish production, published by Barrie and Jenkins, contrasts with Structure, edited by Michael Kane which was revived this year and which presents an often irreverent view of the contemporary arts scene. There were over 120 applications for the 1978 visual arts awards. Nine grants were given to painters, sculptors and printmakers and two awards were made to stage designers. Mary Farl Powers received £2,000 to assist with the research and preparation of a new

exhibition of graphic work. Alicia Boyle received assistance with materials over two years and the stone sculptor Patrick O'Sullivan was helped to buy specialised carving equipment. Micheal Farrell was awarded £500 to assist in the preparation of a special poster edition and Teresa McKenna was helped to undertake a specialised post-graduate course in tapestry at the Edinburgh College of Art. Aileen McKeogh received a travel grant of £500 to travel to New York. This year's bursary scheme was expanded to include applications by photographers and Tony Murray received £500 to enable him undertake two photographic projects. The final award was made to Martin Gale to assist in the purchase of photographic equipment. The stage designers assisted this year were Monica Frawley, who was helped with her final year fees at the Central School of Art and Design in London and Brigid Timmons who received a travel grant to study aspects of German theatre design. The Marten Toonder Award was offered this year in the visual arts. The award, value £2,500, is made from a special trust fund established in 1977 by Marten Toonder, a Dutch author resident in Ireland since 1965. The trust is administered by the Council, whereby annual awards are made on a rotating basis in literature, the visual arts and music. The recipient of this year's award was the painter Edward McGuire, who is perhaps best known for his series of portraits of contemporary Irish writers.

Bursaries: £ Alida Boyle 1,500 Micheal Farrell 500 Monica Frawley 700 Martin Gale 250 Eithne Jordan 500 Teresa McKenna 1,000 Aileen McKeogh 500 Tony Murray 500 Patrick O'Sullivan 1,000 Brigid Timmons 300 Mary Farl Powers 2,000 £8,750

VISUAL ARTS £ Council Exhibitions Oisín Kelly Retrospective 3,985 John Luke Retrospective 2,535

Touring Exhibitions Images of Stone 2,831 Irish Mythology in Contemporary Sculpture 593 life Around Us 2,128 Oasis 684 Sundry (416) £12,340

Independent Exhibitions Irish Exhibition of Living Art 1,500 Limerick '78 1,200 An t-Oireachtas 1,500 750

Galleries Cork Arts Society 500 Douglas Hyde Gallery 12,000 Kilkenny Art Gallery Society 500 Sligo Art Gallery 650

Other Grants Back Lane Painters, Dublin 50 Barrie and Jenkins 1,000 Crawford Municipal School of Art, Cork 25 Graphic Studio, Dublin 2,600 "Introspect" 1,200 Irish Georgian Society 600 National Trust Archive 1,000 "Structure" 500 Bursaries (amount paid during year) 7,502 £33,077

Joint Purchase Grants £ Ashbourne House Hotel 118 Athlone Regional Technical College 133 Central Hotel, Claremorris 225 College of Marketing 60 250 Cork Sculpture Park Committee 350 Crawford Municipal Art Gallery, Cork 400 Crescent College Comprehensive School 28 Erinville Hospital 223 Foras Forbartha 150 Hotel Sceilig, Co. Kerry 400 Kildare County Council 203 Kildare County Library 465 Kilkenny Art Gallery Society 125 Kilkenny Design Workshops 172 Mount Temple Comprehensive School 190 Office of Public Works 858 Presentation Convent, Durrow 177 Radio Telefís Éireann 150 Renvyle House Hotel 225 St Joseph's Hospital, Clonsilla 37 St Vincent's Centre, Navan Road 115 University College, Dublin 1,000 Upper Leeson Street Residents Association 375 University College, Galway 1,000 Wexford County Council 65 £7,494

(Foreground) Hawk by Conor Fallon

PURCHASES FOR COLLECTION Artist Title Medium James Alien Sea Pebbles Silk Screen Robert Ballagh Blue plaque for Sheridan le Fanu painting Acrylic on canvas Basil Blackshaw Buaitheoirí ina Sraith Oil on canvas Basil Blackshaw Harold's Cross Pencil drawing Brian Bourke Summer 1977 Oil on canvas Rosaleen Davey Past Tense Acrylic on canvas Conor Fallon Hawk Steel Martin Gale My heroes have always been cowboys Acrylic on canvas Patrick Hall The Kiss Oil on canvas Charles Harper Excitizens Watercolour on paper Patrick Hennessy The Studio Oil on canvas Patrick Hickey Apple Tree in Summer Acrylic on canvas Helen Howe Organic Wood John Kelly Napoleon Watercolour Ciarán Lennon Series of 4; No. 1 Mixed Media Eilís O'Connell Slight Watercolour with paper relief Patrick O'Sullivan Figure Limestone Danny Osborne Large Bear near Padloping Acrylic on canvas Tom Ryan Still Life with Mug and Eggs Oil on canvas Anita Shelbourne Village Girl Oil on canvas Charles Tyrrell Untitled Acrylic on canvas Gordon Woods Ar aghaidh Mixed Media

Zebra: a performance by Nigel Rolfe at Project Arts Centre.

Arts Centres

Multi-media arts centres and festivals operate on the principle that audiences for specific art forms overlap to some degree. The arts festival of its nature provides something exceptional in the life of a community, for a short period. It is often the setting in which new work can be seen or heard for the first time. A blend of concentrated local arts activity and new professional work is a feature of many festivals supported by the Council. 1978 was the first year of the Galway Arts Festival which ran for two weeks in April. The visual arts events included an installation by Seamus Coleman and an exhibition of graphics from the local studio, Graphica II. There was also a highly successful music programme with jazz, rock, traditional and classical music concerts. Both the Taibhdhearc and Druid Theatres were active during the festival and there were performances by visiting companies, including TEAM Educational Theatre. The Galway Arts Festival is seen by its organisers as a first step towards establishing an arts centre in the town, which might act throughout the year as a focus of artistic activity. Similar aspirations are cherished by the promoters of Listowel Writers' Week where the festival is seen as the culmination of a year of local arts events. This year's events included workshops on poetry, the cartoon and the short story; a large bookfair; screenings of recent Irish films; and a series of performances by amateur drama companies. A highlight of the week was a major exhibition of graphics, including a wide selection of work from abroad. The Funge Arts Centre in Gorey was assisted with its annual festival in July-August, which this year had a total budget of £14,000. The festival included a children's visual/drama workshop; workshops in creative writing and traditional arts; an exhibition of Dutch Graphics, and paintings by Charles Harper and Seán McSweeney. Other attractions at the festival were concerts by Horslips and De Danaan and one-man shows by Eamonn Kelly and Niall Tóibín. Kilkenny Arts Week, now in its fifth year is also striving to achieve a high degree of community involvement, particularly in the visual arts. This year's programme included a selection from the work of Babbelplast, a group of German sculptors who specialise in the design and production of inflatable sculptures. These included small waterfilled play sculptures for children and larger pieces set in a landscape. Another event designed to heighten awareness of everyday surroundings was the shopfront project, whereby signwriters were commissioned to paint and letter a number of shops during Arts Week. The concert programme this year included performances by the RTE Symphony Orchestra, the New Irish Chamber Orchestra, the Testore String Quartet, the St. James' Gate Choral Society, and a jazz concert by Zoot Simms, the American tenor saxophonist. The German baritone Claus Ocker conducted a series of master classes during the previous fortnight. Arts Centres provide a focus for year round artistic activity in a variety of disciplines. For Project Arts Centre, Dublin it was a year of financial uncertainty. Despite very significant increases in grant-aid ovei the last three years. Project had accumulated substantial debts. This resulted in temporary closure in September, to allow for repayment of borrowings. These financial difficulties notwithstanding, Project's artistic programme featured many excellent presentations, including the first ever large-scale retrospective of film production in Ireland. The theatre programme included productions of Marat Sade by Peter Weiss, Famine by Tom Murphy, The Other Side of Lilliput by Lee Gallagher, and Says I, Says He by Ron Hutchinson. Project also promoted a return visit by Gay Sweatshop. In the visual arts there has been increased emphasis on performance art, sculpture and photography, and links have been established with new art movements, particularly in England. Project's music programmes included a series of workshops by individual musicians and a number of concerts were promoted in outside venues. Dublin's other arts centre. Grapevine Arts Centre, operates on a smaller scale than Project. In addition to its regular events, which include writers' workshops, life-drawing classes, folk concerts, and a monthly magazine, the Centre also co-operates with

new arts groups in the Greater Dublin area. During the year a multi-media arts presentation was toured to Kilkenny and Wexford. Two arts centres outside the Dublin area are supported by the Council. Wexford Arts Centre's programme is a blend of local arts activity and visiting concerts, performances and exhibitions. In September a new arts centre Triskel, opened in Cork. Following renovation of premises in Beasley Street, Triskel Arts Centre ran a programme of exhibitions, films and poetry readings.

ARTS CENTRES AND FESTIVALS £ Funge Arts Centre, Gorey 2,500 Galway Arts Centre 1,000 Grapevine Arts Centre 4,000 Kilkenny Arts Week 3,000 Listowel Writers' Week 5,000 Project Arts Centre 62,000 Project Arts Centre: Capital 7,200 Triskel Arts Centre, Cork 1,450 Wexford Arts Centre 9,000 £95,150

Community Arts, Regional Development, Education

In October 1977, the Mid West Arts Association (a subsidiary of the Regional Development Organisation) appointed Paul Funge as full-time arts officer for the counties Clare, Limerick and North Tipperary. His brief is to co-ordinate voluntary and professional arts activity within the region and to advise on the provision of finance for the arts. During 1978 substantial progress was made in the development of touring circuits within the area. Twelve co-ordinating committees were established in various towns and these, in addition to taking exhibitions and touring groups, are also in a position to organise local arts festivals. The Mid-West Arts Association has also encouraged local authorities within the region to set aside funds for arts activities and in many cases these funds are being disbursed in line with policies drawn up by the Association. Advice is also being given to voluntary arts organisations, in the areas of drama, music, the visual arts and publishing. In May a seminar was held in Limerick city to encourage liaison between local arts organisations and national groups such as the Irish Theatre Company, the Music Association of Ireland and the Federation of Irish Film Societies. One of the most pressing needs within the region is the provision of a performing arts centre for the region, and plans have been drawn up for the creation of such a centre based in Limerick. In addition to advising on the provision of facilities, the Mid-West Arts Association also monitors tours in the area. During the year two exhibitions were circulated, Dutch Graphics and Images of Stone. The Mid-West Arts Association may act as a model for similar developments elsewhere, based on regional development organisations. During the year the Galway/Mayo RDO advertised and held preliminary interviews for the post of arts officer, and this post will be filled early in 1979. Discussions were also held with the South-West RDO (Cork and Kerry) and the South East RDO (Wexford, Waterford, Kilkenny, Carlow and South Tipperary). The appointment of a county arts officer was approved by the County Donegal Arts Committee, which organised a county arts exhibition in Letterkenny in August and also made a preliminary survey of performing arts facilities in the area. In recent years the Council has assisted various activities designated loosely as community arts. Support has been given to a variety of local arts festivals, and for the provision of stage facilities in community halls. With the creation of a network of regional arts associations the Council's community arts policy will be gradually modified. Certain educational activities are also supported from the community arts budget including a series of courses run by the Irish Pipe Band Association. The development of drama in education has been a priority and this is reflected by increased support for TEAM Educational Theatre. During 1978, TEAM presented six productions for various age groups and toured extensively to schools, community halls, and youth clubs playing also at Project Arts Centre in January and at the Peacock Theatre in June. The Company's 1978 programme consisted of School for Clowns, Handle With Care, The Emperor's New Clothes, Pow Wow and Rare Earth. Assistance was also given for a performance of Drink the Mercury by a group of actors during the anti-nuclear power show at Carnsore Point, Co. Wexford. The Council has long recognised the vital role of education in developing both the appreciation and the practice of the arts. During 1978 a Working Party was established to consider what steps could be taken to improve the status of the arts, not only within the formal education system but also in terms of adult, extra-curricular and community education. The report of the working party, compiled by the Council's Education Officer, Ciarán Benson, was published early in 1979. It recommends that a specialist educational service should be established by the Council and that appropriate planning structures should be developed by the Council and the Department of Education. One of the specific needs identified at primary level is for a systematic programme of in-service training in the arts for primary teachers, backed up by increased provision for arts facilities. At secondary level the introduction of a general arts course in the Junior Cycle is proposed, together with the appointment of Specialist Subject

Advisors, to encourage specific art forms within the school In the area of teacher training Colleges of Education are advised to develop the system of elective courses in the arts and to provide degree qualifications in both art and drama. In addition there are recommendations specific to each art form designed to improve its status at all levels within the education system. The statistical tables which accompany the Report illustrate, among other things, a significant fall-off in the number of students taking arts subjects between Junior and Senior cycles at secondary level. In all, the Report contains 119 practical recommendations, most of which could be implemented within five years The post of full-time education officer has now been sanctioned by the Government, and the arts in education will be a major concern of the Council in future years.

Community Arts, Regional Development, Education £ Ballinamore Community Centre 1,000 Balliteer Community School 40 Ballymun News 250 County Donegal Arts Committee 116 Cúirt Ailigh 250 Derry Players 513 Drama Study Circle 400 "Drink the Mercury" 100 Dublin Orchestral Players 65 Dundalk Art Group 60 An Gael-Acadamh 300 Galway Art Club 25 Irish Countrywomen's Association 270 Irish Pipe Band Association 300 Mid-West Arts Association 6,000 People's College, Dublin 500 TEAM Educational Theatre 12,500 An Tóstal, Drumshanbo 100 Waterville Community Centre 1,000 £23,789

An Chomhairle Ealaíon

ACCOUNTS for the year ended 31st December 1978

Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General

I have examined the following Account and Balance Sheet which, as required by the Arts Act 1951, are in the form approved by the Minister for Finance. I have obtained all the information and explanations which I considered necessary for the purpose of my audit.

In my opinion:- (a) proper books of accounts have been kept by An Chomhairle and the following Account and Balance Sheet are in agreement with them; (b) the Account and Blance Sheet, together with notes 1 to 10 give, respectively, a true and fair view of the transactions of An Chomhairle for the year ended 31st December 1978, and of the state of its affairs on that date.

Seán Mac Gearailt, Comptroller and Auditor General

5th July 1979.

Accounts

INCOME AND EXPENDITURE ACCOUNT 1977 Year ended 31st December 1978 £ Notes £ £ Income 1,200,000 Oireachtas Grant-in-Aid (1) 1,565,000 23,356 Other Grants (2) 18,660 5,243 Sundry Income 6,125 1,589,785 1,228,599

Expenditure 1,121,089 Grants and Guarantees (3) 1,413,362 21,526 Other expenditure on the arts (4) 36,556 3,800 Transfer to Capital Reserve (5) 2,665 75,839 Administration (6) 119,173 1,571,756 1,222,254

6,345 Excess of Income over Expenditure for the 18,029 Year (27,993) Deficit Brought Forward (21,648)

£(21,648) Deficit at 31st December 1978 £(3,619)

Notes 1 to 10 form part of these accounts

James White Chairman

Colm Ó Briain Director

3rd July 1979.

An Chomhairle Ealaíon

BALANCE SHEET AT 31st DECEMBER 1978

31/12/77

£ Notes £ £ 35,107 Fixed Assets (5) 37,772 70,193 Trust Funds (7) 69,517 3,330 Interest-Free Loan (8) 16,594 — Prize Bonds 505 Current Assets Debtors 23,626 3,909 Grants paid in advance — 10,000 Cash at bank and in hand 24,132 4,787 47,758

18,696 Current Liabilities

Creditors 13,678 7,654 Grants and Guarantees 54,798 outstanding 36,020 68,476

43,674 (24,978) Net Current Assets (20,718)

£83,652 £103,670

Represented by

35,107 Capital Reserve (5) 37,772 70,193 Trust Funds (7) 69,517 (21,648) Income and Expenditure (3,619) Account: Deficit £83,652 £103,670

Notes 1 to 10 form part of these accounts.

James White Chairman

Colm Ó Briain Director

3rd July 1979.

NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS

Note 1: Accounting Policies (i) Oireachtas Grant

Income shown as Oireachtas Grant-in-Aid is the actual cash received from the Vote for An Chomhairle Ealaíon.

(ii) Expenditure on office furniture, fittings and equipment is written off in the year of purchase.

Note 2: Other Grants Received £ Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation (Education Officer) 5,000 P. J. Can-oil and Co. Ltd. (Music Bursaries) 1,000 Cavan County Council 300 Dublin County Council (Olympia Theatre Restoration Fund) 2,260 Dublin Corporation (Royal Irish Academy of Music) 3,500 Edwards-MacLiammóir Foundation (Drama Bursary) 600 Radio Telefís Éireann (Film Script Award) 5,000 University College, Galway (Writers’ Workshop) 1,000 £18,660 Note 3: Grants And Guarantees 1977 1978 Literature £ 23,410 34,835 Drama 754,357 936,160 Film 12,974 17,050 Opera and Dance 168,969 210,838 Music 48,546 56,303 Visual Arts 41,241 33,077 Arts Centres 46,400 83,650 Arts Festivals 7,317 11,500 Community Arts and Regional Development 15,039 23,789 *Grants towards purchase of works of art 3,886 7,494 Less: 1,122,139 1,414,696 Provision for grants and 1,050 1,334 guarantees in previous year no longer required £1,121,089 £1,413,362

*Grants towards the purchase of works of art represent the Council's contribution to the cost of works of art acquired by approved bodies under the Council's Joint Purchase Scheme. The works of art may not be resold without the prior agreement of the Council and, in the event of such agreement, they shall not be resold for less than their original price, and half the sum realised shall be refunded to the Council.

Note 4: Other Expenditure on the Arts Literature £ £ Writers in Schools Scheme: Grants 2,688 Expenses 471 3,159 Less: Receipts 813 2,346 Film "Film Directions" Expenses 6,228 Less: Receipts 5,887 341 Purchase of Film 200 Sundry 333 874 Music/Opera/Dance Bursary Winners Concert 482 Music Education Seminar 434 Dance Classes 2,256 Opera Classes 1,300 Commission "Welcome to a Queen" by James Wilson (re Danish Royal visit) 240 Sundry 34 4,746 Visual Arts Exhibitions 12,340 Sculpture Seminar 7,530 Exhibition Quarterly 2,021 Planning Advice 947 Nett Loss on disposal of works of art 639 23,477 Miscellaneous Bursary Scheme Expenses 3,100 Research 2,013 5,113 £36,556

Note 5: Capital Reserve Works of art on hand at 31st December 1977 35,107 Additions 6,985 Disposals (3,144) Items written-off (1,176) 2,665 Works of art on hand at 31st December 1978 £37,772

Note 6: Administration Expenses

Salaries, Superannuation and Social Welfare Insurance 45,439 72,898 Travelling, Subsistence and Council Meeting Expenses 10,080 18,753 Consultants' Fees and Expenses 3,285 2,303 Office Furniture, Fittings and Equipment 1,941 4,382 Rent, Light, Heat, Insurance, Cleaning, Repairs and other House Expenses 3,694 4,660 Printing and Stationery 5,503 9,250 Postage, Telephone and Sundry Expenses 5,897 6,927 £75,839 £119,173

Note 7: Trust Funds Assets at 31st December 1978 President Douglas Hyde Award £ £ £830.90 6% Exchequer Stock, 1980-85 840 (Market Value of Securities, £614) Cash at Bank 112 952 W.J.B. Macaulay Foundation £26,400 9% Conversion Stock, 1980-82 20,546 (Market Value of Securities, £24,483) Cash at Bank 2,186 22,732 New York Irish Institute Fund £1,728.74 6% Exchequer Stock, 1980-85 1,770 (Market Value of Securities, £1,277) Cash at Bank - 1,770 Foundation £2,600.00 9% Conversion Stock, 1980-82 2,032 (Market Value of Securities, £2,411) Cash at Bank 649 2,681 Ciste Cholmcille £1,200.00 7% National Loan, 1987-92 1,030 £8,147.65 81/2% Conversion Stock, 1986-88 8,099 £2,050.00 93/4% National Loan, 1984-89 2,004 £1,020.00 93/4% National Development Loan, 1992-97 1,005 £2,000,00 11% National Loan, 1993-98 1,840 (Market Value of Securities, £11,094) 13,978 Cash at Bank 1,778 15,756 Marten Toonder Foundation £4,100.00 9% Conversion Stock, 1980-82 4,021 £6.000.00 11% National Loan, 1993-98 5,583 £6,000.00 12% Convertible Stock, 1979 6,711 £1,150.00 Bank of Ireland Stock 3,560 3,737 Allied Irish Banks Ltd 25p Shares 5,189 (Market Value of Securities, £27,398) 25,064 Cash at Bank 346 Debtor 216 25,626 £69,517

Note: Securities are shown at cost and are held in trust by An Chomhairle Ealaíon.

Movement of Trust Funds Brought Expen- Carried forward Income diture forward President Douglas Hyde Award 896 56 — 952 W.J.B. Macaulay Foundation 24,950 2,782 5,000 22,732 New York Irish Institute Fund 1,770 104 104 1,770 Denis Devlin Foundation 2,401 280 — 2,681 Ciste Cholmcille 15,059 2,097* 1,400 15,756 Marten Toonder Foundation 25,117 2,509 2,000 25,626 £70,193 £7,828 £8,504 £69,517

*Note: Income to Ciste Cholmcille includes subscriptions received amounting to £609.

Note 8: Interest-Free Loans During 1978, four additional interest-free loans were made to publishers.

Balance outstanding at 31st December 1977 3,330 Additional loans (4) 16,600 Repayments (3,336) Balance outstanding at 31st December 1978 £16,594

Note 9: Loan Guarantee The Council has guaranteed a term loan of £44,805 made by the Bank of Ireland to Project Arts Centre, in respect of the purchase of the freehold of the premises occupied by the Centre at East Essex Street, Dublin. The Council has also guaranteed to pay to the Centre in 1978 and for seven subsequent years a grant equal to 80% of the annual repayments in respect of the loan. The balance of the loan outstanding on 31st December 1978 was £41,557.

Note 10: Future Commitments At 31st December 1978 the Council had approved grants and guarantees against loss on various activities due to take place after that date. The amount involved, £672,793 is not reflected in these accounts.

Photo Credits

Abbey Theatre 14 B.A.C. Films Cover Fergus Bourke 32, 33, 43 Maurice Cooney 4, 38 Irish Ballet Company 27 Irish Film Theatre 18 Paul O'Flynn 26 Irish Times 20 Kilkenny Design Workshops 30,46 Listowel Writers' Week 13 Pieterse-Davison, 10, 13 Project Arts Centre 34,36 Terez Nelson Dance Company 24 Wexford Arts Centre 7, 38