An Chomhairle Ealaíon
An CeathrúTuarascáil Bhliantúil is Fiche, maille le Cuntais don bhliain dar chríoch 31ú Nollaig 1975. Tiolacadh don Rialtas agus leagadh faoi bhráid gach Tí den Oireachtas de bhun Altanna 6 [3] agus 7 [1] den Acht Ealaíon, 1951.
Twenty-fourth Annual Report and Accounts for the year ended 31st December 1975. 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.
An Chomhairle Ealaíon
Members
Patrick J. Rock, Chairman Kathleen Barrington John Behan Brian Boydell Tom Caldwell Máire de Paor Andrew Devane Séamus Heaney Dr J. B. Kearney Patsy Lawlor Hugh Maguire Eilís; Dillon Seán Ó Tuama Brian Quinn Richard Stokes Dr T.J. Walsh James White
Staff
Director Colm Ó Briain
Administration Officer David McConnell
Literature and Film Officer David Collins Music Officer Dinah Molloy Visual Arts Officer Paula McCarthy
Secretarial Assistants Veronica Barker Kathryn Cahille Patricia Molloy
70. Merrion Square, Dublin 2.
An Chomhairle Ealaíon
An Chomhairle Ealaíon was set up by the Arts Acts 1951 and 1973 and consists of a chairman and not more than sixteen other members appointed by the Taoiseach. The present Council was appointed on 31st December 1973 and its term of office expires in 1978.
The principal role of the Council is to stimulate public interest in the arts; to promote the knowledge, appreciation and practice of the arts; and to assist in improving the standards of the arts.
The Council also acts as an adviser on artistic matters to the Government and Government Departments and is one of the four bodies which have a statutory duty to make representations to local authorities in connection with applications for planning permission in areas of special amenity throughout the country.
The Council receives an annual grant-in-aid from the Oireachtas.
In the Arts Acts, the expression 'the arts' means painting, sculpture, architecture, music, drama, cinema, literature, design in industry, and the fine arts and applied arts generally.
Chairman's Introduction
1975 was an extremely significant year for the Arts Council. It saw the appointment of a full-time Director, Colm Ó Briain, in accordance with the 1973 Arts Act. This was followed later by the appointment of a Visual Arts Officer, Literature7Film Officer and a Music Officer. These developments meant that at the end of the year the Council was in a better position to discharge its existing responsibilities and to take on increased responsibilities.
The year also provided firm evidence of the Government's desire to see the Council play a fuller role in the national development of all the arts. On 19th December the Minister for Finance announced that he was transferring responsibility for the Abbey Theatre, the Gate Theatre, the Irish Theatre Company, the Irish Ballet Company and the Dublin Theatre Festival to the Council from his Department. The Council welcomes this transfer of responsibility and pledges itself to serve the best interests of its associates.
The coming year will see the development of closer and more valuable links between the Council and all the bodies who are involved in the arts in Ireland. The spirit that will pervade these closer associations will be one of co-operation, consultation and collaboration, on the understanding that we are all using scarce resources to achieve the same end. It is worth emphasising at this juncture that the Council is very conscious of the immense contribution made by voluntary organisations in ensuring the survival and development of many art forms and it will do everything possible to ensure that such organisations continue to thrive in the future.
Broadly speaking, our responsibilities are twofold. We have an obligation to our artists to ensure that proper facilities exist for training, exhibition and performance; and we have an obligation to the public, both children and adults, to ensure that they are provided with a wider and deeper appreciation of the arts. Furthermore, we have an obligation to both artists and public to see that adequate facilities exist, especially at regional level, to enable all to participate meaningfully in arts activities.
Although we had a welcome increase in our state grant for 1975 from £113,000 to £200,000 we are still operating from a very tiny base. We have had to turn down many worthy applications for assistance, and in the current economic situation it is difficult to see how we can play a significant role, especially in stimulating regional development - unless there is a considerable shift in public opinion towards the arts. Such a shift would have to be accompanied by a preparedness to pay both at central level through taxation and at local level by earmarking a portion of the rates revenue. We are confident that the benefits resulting from such a move would be in the interests, not only of this generation, but of future generations as well.
During the year the Council lost its Chairman, Professor Geoffrey Hand, to the European University in Florence. His keen mind and generous outlook is a real loss. but he will be remembered for guiding the present Council from its inception in 1973 to its high level of motivation in 1975.
The year also saw the departure of our colleague, John B. Keane. During his all too short period with us he left a profound impression on his colleagues and he will be genuinely missed. We thank both Geoffrey and John B. and wish them well.
The saddest event for the Council in 1975 was the death of our colleague, Séamus Murphy. No brief reference in an annual report could hope to do justice to the memory of one of Ireland's greatest sculptors. We were grateful that he could be with us for a short while in person - we know that his memory and his achievements will be with us forever.
The two vacancies on the Council were filled by the Taoiseach's appointment of J.B. Kearney and Hugh Maguire and we are already richer for their presence. I, myself, had the privilege of succeeding Professor Hand as Chairman.
I should like to thank every member of the Council for their voluntary, generous and diligent efforts on behalf of the arts in Ireland. I should also like to thank the Director, and the young team that now constitute the Council's staff, for their responsible and dedicated work.
A special word of thanks to the Taoiseach, Mr Liam Cosgrave T.D., whose interest in our affairs is a source of constant encouragement. I should also like to thank the Secretary of his Department, Mr Don O' Sullivan, and Mr Richard Stokes, Principal Officer, Department of the Taoiseach and member of the Council, for his invaluable advice and assistance in our endeavours.
Patrick J. Rock
Report
The new policies of the Arts Council began to take shape during the year. After the Director took up office at the beginning of March, the Council made an examination of the staffing arrangements and drew up a comprehensive development plan for an increase in its staff to service various specialised areas in the coming years. It was decided to create three posts initially. Appointments were mode in December. The new Officers are David Collins who joined the Council as Literature/Film Officer from the National Library where he was Assistant Keeper; Dinah Molloy, an accomplished musician and compiler of the very successful reference book "Find Your Music", who became Music Officer; and Paula McCarthy, a graduate in the history of art working at the Wexford Arts Centre, who took up the position of Visual Arts Officer.
In April, Mervyn Wall retired. He had served the Council as Secretary for eighteen years. A tribute was paid by Seán Ó Faolain to the unique contribution Mervyn Wall had made during those years to the development of the arts in Ireland, at a special presentation by Council Members post and present, with whom he had worked. The Council wishes him well in his retirement and hopes to see in his future novels continued evidence of his compassion, wit and intelligence.
The Council's Exhibitions Officer, Oliver Dowling, resigned during the Summer in order to set up a private gallery. The Council wishes him every success in his new venture and is happy to know that his knowledge and expertise can be availed of by the Council in the future.
While all these changes were taking place, the research for a Report commissioned jointly by the Council and the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation was being completed. Millicent Bowerman had concluded her investigations throughout the country and Sir James Richards had begun to write the Report. which was published in January 1976. Since it refers by and large to artistic activities that were taking place in 1975, it is proper to consider it here. The comprehensive information and the large number of recommendations it contains provide an important basis for the Council to prepare plans for growth and development, and for that reason it is presented formally to the Government as an appendix to this Report. Although the Report was prepared for the Council and the Gulbenkian Foundation it should be stressed that the research was completely independent of both bodies.
Sir James Richards is Editorial Director of "European Heritage" and a Member of the Fine Arts Committee of the Institute of Contemporary Art. He was editor of "The Architectural Review from 1937 to 1971. Millicent Bowerman was formerly Deputy-Director of the Greater London Arts Association.
The Council owes a deep debt of gratitude to Sir James for his work on the Report and particularly to Millicent Bowerman who combined her role of investigator with that of an ambassador of goodwill on behalf of the Council.
As the Chairman mentions in his introduction the Minister for Finance announced in December that he was transferring responsibility for the Abbey Theatre, the Gate Theatre, the Irish Theatre Company, the Irish Ballet Company and the Dublin Theatre Festival to the Council from his Department. Although the transfer takes effect from the beginning of 1976, discretion with regard to the grants for these organisations will not operate until 1977. This change marks an important development in the role of the Arts Council as a national body. The change also recognises the vital part the Council has to play in fostering all the arts at a national level and makes it responsible for administering funds four times greater than before.
There were a number of ways in which the Council was able to co-ordinate various arts interests during 1975. Under its auspices representatives of eight private galleries met together to discuss a joint approach to the difficulties which had arisen from the imposition of Value Added Tax (see page 36). In view of the recent responsibility for Cinema entrusted to the Council by the Arts Act, 1973, an invitation was extended to the National Film Studios of Ireland, the
National Film Institute of Ireland, the Irish Film Society and Cork Film International to meet with representatives of the Council in order to discuss ways of co-ordinating various developments in this field (see page 23). In December after several months of examining the problems relating to the promotion of opera, the Council decided to set up an Advisory Committee on Opera and has invited various individuals and organisations to sit on this committee (see page 25).
The Council's advice in relation to Section 12 of the Arts Act, 1973 was sought by a number of local authorities. This Section, which specifically enables local authorities to support exhibitions or events or alternatively to give such support through the Arts Council itself, is being increasingly availed of. In particular, the Council was happy to be of some assistance to Cork Corporation with suggestions concerning procedures to be adopted by the Corporation's Cultural Committee. The Council is extremely pleased that the Corporation has appointed John O'Donovan. a member of the Corporation's staff, to act as secretary to the Cultural Committee and to be the official responsible for the Committee's arts activities.
Dundalk Urban District Council also sought advice and took action regarding a series of concerts and performances sponsored and organised by the Urban District Council.
An extremely well organised campaign is under way to build a theatre in Sligo and Sligo Corporation asked the Council's advice and assistance in regard to the provision of funds for the project. A grant of £600 was made direct to the Arts Council by Cavan County Council.
The Department of Education has set up an education and information service to make the Collections of the National Gallery, National Library and National Museum accessible outside Dublin. There are at present two centres, one at Castlebar and the other at Trim, involved in this programme. The Council was invited to participate with the Gallery, Library and Museum in a public seminar in Castlebar on the best methods of achieving decentralisation of the nation's Collections. During the year both Centres availed of the Council's touring exhibition of graphics (see page 31).
The National Council for Educational Awards appointed an Interim Committe6 on Art and Design Education which the Director was invited to join and he was subsequently appointed Chairman of its Fine Art Panel.
The continuing difficulties of our colleagues in Northern Ireland has not prevented liaison and co-operation, and a number of joint projects were undertaken. The Chairmen and Directors of both Councils are now meeting together at regular intervals to explore ways of extending into practical artistic ventures the close relationship that has existed between the two Councils for many years.
The vote from Dail Eireann for 1975 was £200,000 and there was income from other sources amounting to £9,500. Although there have been steady increases in the Council's grant in the past few years, the amount is still quite inadequate, not only to initiate new projects and to assist new applications, but also to service those activities that depend on the Council for continued support.
The Council is also handicapped in that this grant does not allow the Council to assist capital projects. While the grant continues to be of a modest nature, as at present, there can be no long-term planning about facilities and accommodation for the arts and, indeed. there is a grave risk that existing accommodation might be insufficiently maintained or completely lost to the nation. One such major facility would be Annaghmakerrig, the Co. Monaghan home of Sir Tyrone Guthrie which he willed to the State in 1971. The legal complexities of his estate are nearing resolution and, since Sir Tyrone's will specifically mentions that the Arts Council should be entrusted with the management of his house as a working place for writers, artists and musicians, the Council is making preparations to give effect to this intention. Annaghmakerrig was visited during the summer and there has been consultation with members of Sir Tyrone's family. A report has been prepared for submission to the Minister for Finance, to whom it is anticipated the property will legally transfer in the near future.
It is clear, therefore, that the Council will need to receive a substantially increased vote from Dáil Eireann if it is to meet the responsibilities with which it is entrusted. Indeed, before the recent increases in its grant-in-aid, the Council was obliged to over-spend and by the end of 1974 the accumulated deficit was in the region of £44,000. The Council is committed to reducing this deficit over a number of years and, as will be seen from the Accounts'. the reduction in 1975 was about £11,000. However, the Council cannot afford to make savings each year of the size implied by these figures. This year's figure includes a saving of several thousand pounds made in order to give substantial assistance to the major exhibition, ROSC, when it takes place in 1977. For this reason the reduction in the deficit achieved during 1975 will have to be seen as covering a two-year period and only a small reduction is planned for 1976.
Combined Arts
Grants to Arts Centres Project Arts Centre, Dublin 12,000 Wexford Arts Centre 4,000 Funge Art Centre Gorey 1,300 Grapevine Arts Centre, Dublin 250 £17,550 Grants to Arts Festivals
Kilkenny Arts Week 1,800 Writer’s Week in Listowel 1,597 Dublin Arts Festival 1,500 Dún Laoghaire Arts Week 300 Cúirt Ailigh 250 £5,447
Miscellaneous Grants “Structure “ magazine 600 “The Arts in Ireland” magazine 200 Mrs Bea Trench: Lectures to schoolchildren 100 Course for primary school-teachers 319 St Patrick’s Classical School Navan, lectures 150 Newbridge College, lectures 150 £1,519
Literature
A major innovation in 1975 was the creation of Bursaries for Creative Writers. Four awards were made, to Francis Stuart, Donall MacAmhlaigh, Conor Farrington and Michael Hartnett. The purpose of the Bursaries is to enable writers to buy time in order to concentrate fully on their writing. Both Donall MacAmhlaigh and Conor Farrington used their Bursaries to take leave of absence from their employment so as to finish work in hand: Donall MacAmhlaigh devoted his time to a full-length novel and Conor Farrington to a trilogy of plays.
Support for individual writers can only be fully justified if there are opportunities for publishing. A number of publishers received support from the Council. The Council assisted the Dolmen Press with two publications, "The Brazen Horn" by Denis Johnston and a collection of Borges's writings entitled "Irish Strategies". The Dolmen Press, finding its existence threatened by a lack of working capital, turned to the Council for help and received an interest-free loan. This is the first time that the Council has mode such a loan and feels that it is a proceedure which may be used again when the circumstances warrant. The Council's finances could not premit such occasions to be frequent or the amounts involved to be very large.
An interesting new imprint, Poolbeg Press, was launched in 1975. Its immediate aim is the publication of short stories by Irish writers. The Council has guaranteed support to Poolbeg for four years, and the Arts Council of Northern Ireland has also given support as co-sponsor, for the publication of two volumes each year. The first two books in the series are "A Road to the Shore" by Michael MacLaverty and "A Sexual Relationship" by Gillman Noonan. This Press represents an important step towards providing an outlet for Irish fiction, a category that by and large has tended to be neglected by Irish publishers in the post. The publication of poetry, on the other hand, is relatively thriving, The Gallery Press received support for four of its titles in 1975, "The Frost is all Over" by Pearse Hutchinson. "A Garland for Captain Fox" by Robert Greacen, "A Raft from F1otsam" by John Jordan, and "A Farewell to English" by Michael Hartnett.
The Goldsmith Press also received support for a book by Michael Hartnett, "The Retreat of Ita Cagney-Cúlú Íde" and two other publications, including the magazine "Era 2". A new magazine, "Cyphers", made its appearance edited by Eileán NI Chuillean6in, and two editions appeared during the year, but only one required assistance. The Irish University Review received substantial assistance from the Council for two editions, the first one being a special issue devoted to the work of Brian Coffey, the Irish-born poet now living in England. "Threshold" the magazine of the Lyric Theatre in Belfast received support from the Arts Councils North and South as did the Carcanet Press for "Two Decades of Irish Writing". The Council also assisted Claddagh Records with their recording of a selection of Valentin Iremongers' poetry, entitled "On Sandymount Strand", and a grant was given to the Irish Academy of Letters. Small grants were given to Mayo Archaeological and Historical Society and to the North Cork Writers Festival. Writers' Week in Listowel, which enjoyed its most successful year ever, was also supported. The exhibition associated with the Week is discussed in full. in the section dealing with the Visual Arts. It may be mentioned that by the end of the year preparations were well advanced for the provision of a ten week course for writers at University College Galway.
Periodicals
£ Irish University Review 1,500 The Dublin Magazine 300 Cyphers 348 Threshold 300 Lines Review 150 Broadsheet 100 Yeats Studies 100 Anthos 40 Forward 2,838 £ Forward 2,838 Presses
Dolmen Press 1,500 Poolbeg Press 1,000 Gallery Press 886 Goldsmith Press 750 Carcanet Press 325 Wolfhound Press 430 New Writers Press 300
Bursaries
Francis Stuart 2,500 Donall MacAmhlaigh 2,000 Conor Farrington 1,500 Michael Hartnett 1,500
Other Activities
Irish Academy of Letters 450 Claddagh Records 300 Lantern Theatre Writers Workshop 200 Mayo Archaeological and Historical Society 50 North Cork Writers Festival 50 £16,579
Drama
The last Annual Report stated "Subsidies to the Abbey Theatre, Gate Theatre and Irish Theatre Company, are at the moment being paid direct from central funds. This preculdes the Arts Council from having any major function in over-all drama policy. Such a situation seems to be completely at variance not alone with the spirit of the Arts Acts but with the operation of Arts Councils in other countries".
A new situation now crises, due to the change which took place in December 1975 (see page.10). However, within the confines of the Council's present policy, assistance was given during the year to three small theatre companies: Everyman Playhouse in Cork, Project Arts Centre and Focus Theatre in Dublin. The Everyman is now firmly established with a season which intersperses its own productions with those of companies from Dublin, Belfast and other centres. The plays are selected from a wide range of classical and modern drama. and include important Irish plays that might not prove successful in normal commercial circumstances. Everyman has acquired a late-Georgian house nextdoor to the Theatre which provides rehearsal rooms and costume storage and where it is planned to provide club facilities. The Project Arts Centre, as part of its multiplicity of activities, provided seasons of lunch-time theatre, late-night theatre and children's theatre. Five new full-length plays by Irish authors were performed at the Project. Other activities in Project are discussed in the section on the Visual Arts.
Growing interest in theatre for children and young people was confirmed by the emergence of two new companies, Team Educational Theatre and The Childrens T Company, both of which received grants from the Council.
The lack of any proper professional training for the theatre is a matter for great concern. It is hoped that some approach to this problem will grow from discussions with the major theatres which are now responsible to the Council. One innovation introduced in 1975 was the creation of a Fellowship for an Apprentice Producer which in its first year is with Siamsa Tíre, the National Folk Theatre based in Kerry. The Fellowship was awarded to Bríd Dukes, who has a background in professional theatre, having worked with the Abbey and with independent companies. Siamsa Tíre is planning to build a theatre in Tralee, half the cost of which is being carried by Roinn no Gaeltachta and B6rd F6ilte. The Council gave a grant to Siamsa Tíre to undertake a study of small theatres in Europe and America and the findings will be made available to any other organisation intending to build a small local theatre.
£ Everyman Playhouse, Cork 4,000 Focus Theatre, Dublin 2,000 Siamsa Tíre 1,500 Lambert Puppet Theatre 1,000 Nora Lever Productions 2,000 Children’s T Company 600 Team Educational Theatre 600 Theatre International for Young People 300 Meredith School of Speech and Drama 40 Play Circle 224 3 Ring Productions 150 Yeats Society, Sligo 100 Caherciveen Convent Hall, stagelighting 500 West Cork Drama Festival, stagelighting 500 £13,514
Film
The Arts Act of 1973 entrusted the Council with responsibility for Cinema and during 1975 a modest beginning was mode. As mentioned earlier, an invitation was extended to the National Film Studios of Ireland. National Film Institute, the Irish Film Society and Cork Film International to meet representatives of the Council in order to explore the possibilities of co-ordinating future developments in film-making and appreciation. Two meetings have already been held and it is expected that opportunities for co-operation will arise during 1976. It is also intended to invite other bodies to join in the discussions and to formalise a procedure for working together. The first grants given to film-makers were small. Two fiction films received support, one based on a John McGahern story "Wheels" and the other, an original screen play by Joe Comerford, "High BootBenny". A grant was also given to the Connemara-based Company "Cine Gael for a film entitled "Cloch" which features the Sculptors' Workshop that took place during Kilkenny Arts Week.
Cathal Black and Company 950 Joe Comerford and Company 750 Cine Gael 400 Dun Laoghaire School of Art Film Group 250 National Film Institute of Ireland 175 Agnes Bernelle and Company 150 Irish Film Workers Association 150 Fergus Fay and Company 75 £2,900
Opera And Dance
The three major opera-promoting bodies supported by the Council provided a diverse and interesting programme during 1975. The Dublin Grand Opera Society had two very successful seasons in Dublin and also played for one week at Cork Opera House. The Spring Season comprised "I Puritani", "Don Pasquale", "Tosca", "La Traviata" and "Un Ballo in Maschera" while Der Rosenkavalier. "Tales of Hoffman" and '11 Trovatore" made up the Winter Season. Wexford Festival Opera provided a unique opportunity to see Cavalli's "Eritrea" in an edition by Jane Glover which she also conducted for the Festival. The other two operas "Le Roi d'Ys" (Lalo) and "La Pietra del Paragone" (Rossini) provided the dramatic and comic contrast to the seventeenth century revival. The Irish National Opera continued its invaluable work of introducing opera to new audiences and gave ten performances of "The Secret Marriage" (Cimarosa) and nine performances of "Cinderella" (Rossini).
During the Dublin Theatre Festival, Christ Church Cathedral was the venue for two small operas by a company drawn largely from the Culwick Consort. The operas were Monteverdi's "Il Combattimento di Tancredi e Clorinda" and "Venus and Adonis" by John Blow.
The Council has felt for some time the need to draw together individuals and organisations experienced in the field of opera. In December, after several months .of discussions, it was decided to set up an Opera Advisory Committee of eight members under the chairmanship of Dr. T.J. Walsh. The terms of reference of this Committee include the following: "The Committee will recommend to the Council ways in which facilities for set building, wardrobe, storage, transport and other services, can be co-ordinated in the best interests of opera promotion. "The Committee will inform itself of the programmes of various opera promoting bodies and will endeavour to ensure that there is no duplication or inadvisable repetition in the plans of grant-aided bodies.
"The Committee will have a particular concern for ensuring that there are opportunities for professional Irish artists (singers, conductors, musicians, producers and designers). "The Committee will have an interest in the training facilities available for performers rid technicians in the field of opera and may recommend to the Council that it take initiatives in this area."
The three major opera promoting bodies are to be invited to nominate members of the Committee and it is hoped that, together with the four other members who will be individuals prominent in the field, the Council will have the benefit of the best expert advice on the future of opera in this country.
Only two grants were mode to ballet during the year, but now that the grant to the Irish Ballet Company is the responsibility of the Council this creates new opportunities for the promotion of dance.
Dublin Grand Opera Society 24,000 Wexford Festival 99,453 Irish National Opera 49,824 Christ Church Cathedral 800 Cork Ballet Company 10400 Dublin Ballet Club 188 £40,665
Music
A vast range of musical activity throughout the country was assisted by the Council. It is quite clear that musical activity is expanding far beyond the ability of the Council to sustain it from its modest financial resources. Performances in Dublin included Bruckner's "Grand Mass in F minor" (Tallaght Choral Society), Haydn's "Creation" (North City Choral Union). as well as seven recitals on the John White organ in St Teresa's, Clarendon Street. In Limerick, the Limerick Music Association organised twelve recitals which featured a strong international influence with the Trio Italiano, the Trio di Trieste, the Vienna Flute Trio and the London Czech Trio among others. The Carlow Music Club promoted a Schubert Week-end and Killarney enjoyed its fifth Bach Festival. The great success story of course, is Kilkenny Arts Week. the core of which comprises a series of lunchtime and evening concerts. This year these included John O'Conor's performance of the Diabelli Variations, Veronica Dunne's performance of two settings by James Wilson from "The T6in" as well as performances by the New Irish Chamber Orchestra, the Irish Youth Orchestra and visiting artists from abroad.
In 1975 the Council gave a grant to the Music Association of Ireland to award scholarships to promising musicians. There were nineteen candidates and awards were made to Derek Moore (flute), Niall O'Loughlin, Ursula Willis, Mary Brady (all 'cello), Sarah Bryans (piano) and to 10 year old Aubrey Murphy (violin) whose outstanding potential has gained him a place at the Yehudi Menuhin School in Surrey. 1975 saw the resignation from the Chairmanship of the Music Association of Ireland 9f Mrs Olive Smith and the Council would like to pay tribute to her many achievements on behalf of music in Ireland.
Choral Societies
St James’s Gate Musical Society 550 St Patrick’s College, Maynooth, Music Society 461 Tallaght Choral Society 289 North City Choral Union 275 Youghal Choral Society 70 Forward 1,645 Forward 1,645
Orchestras Instrumental Ensembles New Irish Chamber Orchestra 1,119 Henry Purcell Consort 1,416 Consort of St Sepulchre 400 Pro Musica, Cork 350 Testore Quartet 300 Douglas Gunn Ensemble 150
Concerts Limerick Music Association, 1974-75 Season 1,750 Limerick Music Association, 1975-76 Season (part) 1,000 Cork Orchestral Society, 1974-75 Season 1,000 Cork Orchestral Society, 1975-76 Season (part) 600 Music Association of Ireland 807 Galway Music Association 535 Carlow Music Club 293 Carlow Arts Council 47 Waterford Music Club 275 Portlaoise Music Club 191 Clonakilty Music Society 166 Cavan Arts Society 60 Association of Young Irish Composers 200 St Teresa’s Church, Clarendon Street: Organ Recitals 184 University of Dublin Central Music Committee 50
Festivals Feis Ceoil, Dublin 788 Arklow Music Festival 200 Father Mathew Feis 50 Killarney Bach Festival 720 Festival in Great Irish Houses 300 Cork Choral Festival : Seminar on Contemporary Choral Music 176 Forward £14,772
Forward £14,772
Educational Music Association of Ireland: Scholarships 3,000 Ceol Chumann na nÓg 1,046 Cork Youth Orchestra 320 Music Teachers Association, Cork 220 Dublin Chamber Music Group 50
Other Activities New Irish Recording Company 2,000 “Counterpoint” magazine 200 Publication of Petrie Manuscript Collection of Irish music, preliminary costs 63 £21,671
Visual Arts
The visual arts have traditionally been the area where the Council initiated events itself in addition to supporting applications made to it. Three major exhibitions were organised by the Council during 1975. The Jonathan Wade Retrospective at the New Library, Trinity College, Dublin, featured 57 exhibits of the work of this important artist who was killed so tragically at the age of 31.
Aspects '75 Contemporary Yugoslav Art at the Municipal Gallery of Modern Art Dublin provided an opportunity to see highly contrasting styles from each of the eight cultural regions of Yugoslavia. An entire room in the exhibition featured tapestries by Jagoda Buic.
The Graphic and Sculpture Exhibition in conjunction with Listowel Writers' Week was an event which attracte7 entries from a very large number of graphic artists as it was the first occasion for this medium to be seen in a major competitive exhibition. The Exhibition comprised 59 exhibits by 41 artists, and the Gold Medal Award 'Duais no Ríochta' went to Mary Farl-Powers for her etching "Torso". The Exhibition was not initiated by the Council but organised by the Writers' Week Art Committee. However, it was such a success that the Council decided to send it on tour and it was seen in Dublin, Gorey, Navan, Kilkenny, Limerick, Ballina, Mullingar, Monaghan, Clonmel and Cork.
Exhibitions from the Council's collection were also held at the Limerick City Gallery and at Clonmel Town Hall. The Council continued to give support to the four major annual exhibitions: the Royal Hibernian Academy, An tOireachtas, Irish Exhibition of Living Art and Independent Artists.
An innovation in 1975 was OASIS - Open-Air Show of Irish Sculpture, which took place in Dublin's Merrion Square. The Council gave the Organising Committee a grant to cover the material costs of eleven sculptures selected by competition.
The adjudicators were James White, Kevin Fox, Campbell Bruce, Michael O'Sullivan and Charles Merrill and awards varying between £96 and £300 were given to the winning sculptors in accordance with cost estimates submitted by each artist. The exhibition was a considerable success, provoking a great deal of comment, both favourable and hostile. The Committee, which is led by sculptor John Byrne, hopes to repeat OASIS bi-annually.
The Macaulay Fellowship for 1975 was in respect of sculpture. The Fellowship of £1,750 was awarded to John Gibbons from Ennistymon, Co. Clare. The Council was priviledged to have as adjudicator for the Fellowship the President of the German Artists Association, Herbert Hajek, himself a sculptor.
The Douglas Hyde Medal and Prize was awarded to Maurice McGonigal P.R.H.A. for his painting "Na Rásaí ag Baile Uí Chonghaile" exhibited in the Oireachtas Exhibition.
The Council purchased 23 works of art during 1975 for its own Collection and grants were made in respect of 83 works acquired under the Joint Purchase Scheme. At the end of the year the Council had 244 works of art in its Collection.
The acquisitions to the Collection were:
Artist Title Medium Alicia Boyle Pattissons watercolour Brian Bourke Frau Stutz’s Cherry Tree watercolour Brian Bourke Frau Stutz’s Cherry Tree watercolour Charles Brady White Tennis Shoe watercolour George Campbell Autumnal Complex 2 oil Patrick Collins L’Halles Paris oil on canvas Eileen Costelloe Derelict Boat 2 oil on canvas Eileen Costelloe Flower oil on canvas Gerald Davis The Thaw oil on board Brendan Foreman Painting acrylic on canvas Martin Gale The Artichoke Window oil Roy Johnston Sixteen Rotated Forms II acrylic on canvas Danny McCarthy Gethsemane Again oil on canvas Maurice McGonigal The Cloud, Mannin oil on canvas Connemara Norah McGuiness Colony of Terns oil on canvas Theo McNab Room 3/2 oil on canvas Cóilín Murray Vertical Staffs oil on canvas Evin Nolan Indian Dancer acrylic on wood Andrew O’Connor Commodore John Barry sculpture Andrew O’Connor Jessie sculpture Tony O’Malley Winter Myth II oil on canvas Clifford Rainey Silently Time Slips By sculpture Manus Walsh Ghost Factory collage
Although the Council's Joint Purchase Scheme continues to be attractive to public bodies eligible to participate in it and although many works in the Collection are available on loan to appropriate institutions, nevertheless, the Council is concerned that Irish artists are not exhibited as widely as they should be in major public buildings. An investigation
is under way into various schemes which operate abroad, whereby it is compulsory that 1% of the cost of a new building should be devoted to "fine art decoration". Information has been made available to the Council about such schemes as they exist in the Netherlands, in France,' in Germany and in the City of Baltimore, U.S.A., but much detailed research remains to be done before the Council con reach a decision on the merits of this provision.
The Graphic Studio in Dublin received a grant towards its running costs and also a special grant for the purchase of an etching press, while the Graphic Studio in Galway received a small grant for materials.
Project Arts Centre, while promoting theatre (see page 20), music and film, is largely associated with the visual arts. It opened in March in its fourth premises, described by the Irish Times as "the best gallery in Ireland, North or South". After many years of uncertainty, Project has a lease on its new premises until 1981. The programme of exhibitions there in 1975 featured work by artists from abroad, including Graphics by Gunther Gross and a Group Show by the Glasgow League of Artists.
The success of Kilkenny Arts Week has already been referred to (see page 27). In addition to concerts, recitals and a series of poetry readings - one of which was given by Robert Lowell - the Arts Week featured several exhibitions. These included a group show by Limerick Artists, exhibitions of English ceramics and posters from Europe, and a major exhibition of the work of Cecil King. The Sculptors Workshop organised by the Independent Artists aroused great interest and is to be featured in a film sponsored by the Council (see page 23).
One of the architectural projects assisted by the Council was for Urban Renewal Research on a proposal from the Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland. The object of the research project is to draw up proposals for a renewal plan for an area of Dublin City on the north side of the Liffey, bounded on the west by Blackhall Place and on the east by Church Street. This particular area was selected because of its great visual interest which requires, and is capable of, renewal, The area has not previously been the subject of extensive study. Tomas Ó Beirne, an architect with An Foras Forbartha, has been assigned full-time to the research which will be completed by mid-1976.
During the year a number of gallery owners expressed concern to the Council about the imposition of Value Added Tax on the sale of works of art from galleries. It was not clear whether galleries should be regarded as providing a service, and therefore taxed at the lower rate on their commission, or otherwise and taxed at the higher rate on their total turnover. Nor was it clear that the tax was being applied consistently. Under the Council's auspices, eight private gallery owners met to discuss the problem with particular reference to the case of one gallery which had been reassessed at the higher rate, making it liable for substantial arrears. The group agreed to contest this in the Circuit Court and to contribute to the costs involved. At the Hearing, the Director gave evidence on behalf of the Council to establish that the relationship between a gallery owner and an artist was that of an agent. The Court found that this was so and that the appropriate rate of Value Added Tax was the lower one, to be applied only on the agent's commission.
Early in the year Bórd no Móna received full planning permission to demolish five Georgian houses in Upper Pembroke Street, Dublin and in their place to build modern offices with a reproduction facade. Through the courtesy of the B6rd, members of the Council visited the houses and. having seen that they were in excellent structural condition. determined to take every possible action to prevent their demolition, which had been scheduled to take place in January 1976. After considerable controversy and discussion, B6rd no M6na decided not to proceed with their plans but to sell the houses under conditions which will ensure their total preservation. The Council welcomes this very important decision and hopes to work closely with the other bodies prescribed under the 1963 Planning Act, for the revision and definition of the law in order that there will be reasonable protection for architecturally significant buildings as soon as possible.
Exhibitions - Dublin £ Oasis Open-air Sculpture Exhibition 3,000 Irish Exhibition of Living Art 1,200 An tOi reachtas 1,169 Royal Hibernian Academy 680 Independent Artists (Dublin and Kilkenny) 959 Andrew O’ Connor Exhibition 500 Irish Society for Design and Craftwork 500 Group 5 100
Exhibitions - Elsewhere
Cork Arts Society 500 Dundalk Art Promotions Committee 278 Mayo Arts Society 150 Soroptimist Club of Galway 150 North Louth Painters 50
Other Activities
Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland: Urban Renewal Research 6,000 Project Graphic Studio, Dublin 2,513 Éigse Bhreifne 500 Four Masters Memorial Committee 350 Bray Civic Institute Ltd 150 Architectural Association of Ireland 250 Living City Group 100 U.C.G. Visual Arts Working Party 500 Ulster Architectural Heritage Society 300 Sligo County Library and Museum 134 “Introspect” magazine 600 “Studies” magazine: Visual Arts issue 400 £21,033
Grants Towards Purchase of Works of Art £ Great Southern Hotels 1,330 Office of Public Works 6654 Athlone Regional Technical College 502 Cork City Library 500 Strand Hotel, Rosslare 365 Oughterard House Hotel 303 Newpark Hotel Ltd., Kilkenny 160 Renvyle House Hotel 176 Castleknock College 140 St Angela’s Training College, Sligo 125 Clongowes Wood College 81 Kildare County Library Committee 55 Sligo County Library and Museum 50 Córas Tráchtála Teoranta 48 Crescent College Comprehensive School, Limerick 33 £4,533
Accounts for year ended 31st December 1975
Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General
I have examined the following Accounts 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 proper books of account have been kept by An Chomhairle and the following Accounts and Balance Sheet are in agreement with them.
The Accounts and Balance Sheet, together with notes 1 to 6 and schedules 1 to 4, give, respectively, a true and fair view of the transactions of An Chomhairle Ealaíon for the year ended 31st December 1975. and of the state of its affairs on that date.
SEAN MacGEARAILT
Comptroller and Auditor General 27th April 1976
An Chomhairle Ealaíon
INCOME AND EXPENDITURE ACCOUNT Nine Year ended 31st December 1975 Months Ended EXPENDITURE 31.12.74 £ The Arts: £ £ 128,248 Grants and Guarantees (Schedule l) 135,908 Grants towards purchase 4,720 of works of art (Note 2) 4,533 8,362 Council Exhibitions 6,146 2,189 Study of the Arts 9,823 629 Miscellaneous 1,054 157,464 Administration: 19,182 (Schedule 2) 39,047 £163,33 £196,511 0 INCOME Gulbenkian Foundation: Grant towards Study of 1,700 the Arts 7,400 Grants from Local – Authorities: Cavan County Council 600 1,330 Miscellaneous 1,524 Excess of Expenditure over Income carried to Grant- 160,300 in-aid Account 186,987 £163,33 £196,511 0
An Chomhairle Ealaíon
GRANT-IN-AID ACCOUNT Year ended 31st December 1975 Nine Months Ended 31.12.74 £ £ £ 336 Deficit at 1st January 1975 (44,041)
113,000 Add: Oireachtas Grant-in-aid 200,000 2,923 Capital Reserve – 155,959 116,259 Less: Capital Reserve – Excess of Purchase over Sales of Assets at Cost – (Note 4) 1,494 160,300 Income and Expenditure Account 186,987 188,481 £44,041 DEFICIT AT 31st DECEMBER 1975 £32,522
Schedules 1 to 4 and Notes 1 to 6 form part of these accounts.
Patrick J. Rock, Chairman.
Colm Ó Briain, 13th April 1976 Director.
An Chomhairle Ealaíon
BALANCE SHEET AT 31st DECEMBER 1975 31.12.74 £ £ £ 35,244 Fixed Assets (Note 3) 36,738 41,774 Trust Funds (Schedule 3) 43,312 – Interest Free Loan (Note 5) 5,000
Current Assets: 855 Debtors 1,383 – Grants paid in advance 700 673 Cash at bank and in hand 1,109 1,528 3,192
Less: Current Liabilities: 7,802 Creditors 9,010 Grants and guarantees outstanding 37,767 31,704 45,569 £40,714 Net Current Assets (44,041) (37,522) £32,977 £47,528
Represented by: 35,244 Capital Reserve (Note 4) 36,738 41,774 Trust Funds (Schedule 4) 43,312 Grant-in-aid Account: Deficit (44,041) (32,522) £32,977 £47,528
Schedules 1 to 4 and Notes1 to 6 form part of these accounts.
Patrick J. Rock, Chairman.
Colm Ó Briain, 13th April 1976 Director.
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: Grants towards the purchase of works of art These grants 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, the shall not be resold for less than their original price, and half the sum realised shall be refunded to the Council.
Note 3: Fixed Assets
£ Works of Art on hand at 1st January 1975 (at cost) 35,244 Additions (at cost) 7,212 Disposals (at cost) (5,718) Balance at 31st December 1975 £36,738
Note 4: Capital Reserve
£ Works of Art on hand at 1st January 1975 35,244 Grant-in-Aid Account 1,494 Balance at 31st December 1975 36,738
Note 5: Interest-Free Loan During the year the Council approved an interest-free loan of £5,000 to provide working capital for The Dolmen Press Ltd. The loan, which is secured, is repayable over three years, commencing in 1977.
Note 6: Future Commitments At 31st December 1975, the Council had approved grants and guarantees against loss on various activities due to take place after that date. The amount involved, £101,380, is not reflected in these accounts.
Schedules To The Accounts
Schedule 1: Grants and Guarantees
£ Arts Centres 17,550 Arts Festivals 5,447 Miscellaneous 1,519 Literature 16,579 Drama 13,514 Film 2,900 Opera and Dance 40,665 Music 21,671 Visual Arts 21,033 £140,878
Less: Provision for grants and guarantees in previous years no 4,970 longer required £135,908
Schedule 2: Administration Expenses
Salaries, Superannuation and Social Welfare Insurance 23,038 Travelling, Subsistence and Entertainment 4,271 Consultant’s Fees and Expenses 2,321 Office Furniture, Fittings and Equipment (Note 1) 2,193 Rent, Rates, Light, Heat, Insurances, Cleaning, Repairs and other House Expenses 2,069 Printing and Stationery 2,467 Postage, Telephone and Sundry Expenses 2,688 £39,047
Schedule 3: Trust Funds: Assets at 31st December 1975
President Douglas Hyde Award £830.90 6% Exchequer Stock, 1980-85 840 Cash at Bank 42 882
W.J.B. Macaulay Foundation £26,400 9% Conversion Stock, 1980-82 20,546 Cash at Bank 1,467 22,013
New York Irish Institute Fund £1,728.74 6% Exchequer Stock, 1980-85 1,770 Cash at Bank 156 1,926
Dennis Devlin Foundation £2,600 9% Conversion Stock, 1980-82 2,032 Cash at Bank 453 2,485
Ciste Cholmcille £1,200.00 7% National Loan 1987-92 1,030 £8,147.65 8½% Conversion Stock 1986-88 8,099 £2,050.00 9¾% National Loan 1984-89 2,009 £1,020.00 9¾% National Development Loan 1,005 19292-97 £2,000.00 11% National Loan 1993-98 1,840 13,978 Cash at Bank 2,028 16,00 6 £43,3 12 Note: Securities are shown at cost and are held in trust by An Chomhairle Ealaíon.
Schedule 4: Movement of Trust Funds
Broug Expen Carrie ht -diture d forwar Incom forwar d e d President Douglas Hyde 960 59 137 882 Award W.J.B. Macaulay Foundation 21,30 2,462 1,750 22,01 1 3 New York Irish Institute Fund 1,822 104 – 1,926 Dennis Devlin Foundation 2,228 257 – 2,485 Ciste Cholmcille 15,46 1,743 1,200 16,00 3 * 6 £41,7 £4,62 £3,08 £43,3 74 5 7 12 *Note: Income to Ciste Cholmcille includes subscriptions received amounting to £315.
Photographs on pages 4,16,18,19, by courtesy of Fergus Bourke on page 8, by courtesy of Children's T Company on page 21, by courtesy of The Kerryman Ltd on page 22, by courtesy of Cathal Block on page 24, by courtesy of Wexford Festival Opera on page 30, by courtesy of Oasis Committee on page 34, by courtesy of Irish Times Ltd on page 38, by courtesy of Rex Roberts Studios Ltd