An Assessment of the Current Needs of Artists working in Limerick Presented by PLAN, | May 24th 2013 | www.prolan.ie | [email protected] Professional Limerick Artists Network TABLE OF CONTENTS 1.0 Forward 1 2.0 Introduction 2 3.0 Background 3 4.0 Performing Arts Infrastructure; Current Status 4 4.1 PLAN’s mission statement 4 4.2 Partnership 4 5.0 Belltable Arts Centre 5 6.0 Overview of Artforms in Limerick City 6 6.1 Theatre 6 6.2 Music 7 6.3 Visual Arts 8 6.4 Literature 9 6.5 Dance 9 6.5.1 Street Dance 9 6.6 Film 10 7.0 Residencies 11 8.0 Current Needs for Artists in Limerick 11 9.0 A new Arts Centre for Limerick 12 9.1 Governance of an Arts Centre 11 9.2 Pilot Artistic Programme 12 9.3 Research for a new Arts Centre 12 9.4 City as Arts Centre 13 10.0 The next steps for PLAN 13 May 24th, 2013 Presented by PLAN, Professional Limerick Artists’ Network 1.0 FOREWORD This assessment is presented as an overview of the current needs of professional artists working in Limerick City. In response to the closure of Belltable in January 2013, artists have begun to articulate a case for their having a greater role in the ethos and governance of publicly funded arts organisations that have direct impact on the livelihood of the individual artist. Since March 2013, artists have been meeting formally, on a weekly basis, and have formed PLAN, Professional Limerick Artists Network. PLAN comprises individual arts practitioners from theatre, music, literature, visual art, film, sound art, dance and design. The needs of the individual artist form the core of this document and particular emphasis is placed on the physical infrastructural needs of Limerick’s arts community. PLAN sets out its position here in order to open discussion with Limerick City Council/Joint Local Authority, the Arts Council and other stakeholders so that artists working in Limerick can access the kind of supports that are essential to the creative process and that are in line with resources available in other Irish cities. The contents represent the opinions of a significant number of individual artists working in Limerick - it does not claim to represent all Limerick artists nor is it an audit of all arts activity in the city. PLAN welcomes diverse perspectives on the arts and invites any artist to attend a meeting of its network. The observations and suggestions herein mark a starting point for dialogue towards an open and comprehensive approach to planning and development for the arts in Limerick. May 24th, 2013 Presented by PLAN, Professional Limerick Artists’ Network PAGE 1 Professional Limerick Artist’s Network 2.0 INTRODUCTION There is a crisis in the arts in Limerick. This crisis affects all artists, particularly those involved in the performing arts. The recent liquidation of Belltable has brought into focus the vulnerability of the arts as a voluntary sector industry in need of constant vigilance and resource management. Limerick is now without an arts centre, without an Arts Council funded venue and falls far behind other cities in Ireland in terms of artistic infrastructure. Belltable’s closure has created a void in Limerick’s cultural life where once there existed a thriving resource for artists and audiences. The energy that is generated through the arts in Limerick is being curbed. While artists continue to make work, the development of that work is prevented from reaching wider audiences and accessing many avenues of Arts Council funding. A funded arts centre is the natural partner for emerging and established artists who wish to take an idea from concept to realisation. Without such a body to encourage, support and endorse applications to the Arts Council, individual artists and emerging companies of artists face a stone wall in terms of developing new and existing work. The status in some arts circles in Limerick is one of stagnation and paralysis. In response to this paralysis, individual artists have come together to form PLAN, Professional Limerick Artists’ Network. PLAN presents this document to Limerick City Council/Joint Local Authority, the Arts Council and to other stakeholders as a step forward for reinvigorating the arts in Limerick. May 24th, 2013 Presented by PLAN, Professional Limerick Artists’ Network PAGE 2 Professional Limerick Artist’s Network 3. BACKGROUND The year 2000 was one of the most productive years for artistic development in Limerick. Daghdha Dance Company had been selected by the Arts Council as a pilot project for Multi-Annual Funding. This new level of funding saw Daghdha receive €400,0001 in 2000, allowing the company to embark on a major programme of work both nationally and internationally. In the same year, Island Theatre Company was also selected by the Arts Council for Multi-Annual Funding with an allocation of €180,0002. The significance of Multi-Annual funding to both Daghdha and to Island went beyond a financial commitment from the national agency for funding the arts. Rather, Multi-Annual funding was interpreted as an imprimatur of the work undertaken by those companies who were lucky enough to be selected for this innovative funding arrangement. The Belltable Arts Centre was also well funded in 2000 with total Arts Council funding of €352,0003. Belltable was at this time, an established venue for touring theatre companies and had a vibrant visual art programme. UnFringed had become a fixture on the national theatre calendar and Belltable finances were manageable. Limerick Youth Theatre and Fresh Film were both accommodated within Belltable’s administrative facilities. In 2000, direct Arts Council funding to these three city centre arts organisations amounted to €932,000. This level of funding was sustained for some time and was augmented by significant capital funding from the Department of Arts in subsequent years, allowing for the provision of two dance-dedicated spaces in John’s Square and the refurbishment of Belltable. Arts Council annual funding to the performing arts in Limerick City, for the first quarter of 2013, is virtually non existent. Although allocations may have been made to Belltable and/or Daghdha, none of this funding is being made available to artists. 1 http://www.artscouncil.ie/Publications/an_chomhairle_ealaion_2000.pdf 2 http://www.artscouncil.ie/Publications/an_chomhairle_ealaion_2000.pdf 3 http://www.artscouncil.ie/Publications/an_chomhairle_ealaion_2000.pdf May 24th, 2013 Presented by PLAN, Professional Limerick Artists’ Network PAGE 3 Professional Limerick Artist’s Network 4.0 PERFORMING ARTS INFRASTRUCTURE; CURRENT STATUS At the time of writing this report, Daghdha has just reopened with a new Director, Belltable remains closed and Island Theatre company is something of a distant memory. The Lime Tree Theatre facilitates mainstream theatre tours and Limerick Royal has unveiled plans, albeit subject to funding, for a new digital media arts and film centre. Opportunities now exist, through Limerick 2014, for artists to collaborate and resource projects through a new funding stream. The future holds great promise for the arts in Limerick but the question of infrastructure needs to be addressed. Limerick City deserves an arts centre that meets the needs of artists and their audiences and that is governed by a board with a healthy balance of artists, business people and other stakeholders. Artists in Limerick now wish to engage with Limerick City Council/Joint Local Authority, the Arts Council and other stakeholders to deliver a sustainable arts infrastructure for the city. u 4.1 PLAN’S MISSION STATEMENT To act as a representative body for artists in Limerick, operating as a forum and a lobby group, locally and nationally, on issues of common concern, relating to the practice, management and development of the arts in Limerick. • PLAN proposes a partnership for the arts in Limerick, a partnership that is integral to the governance of all publicly funded arts bodies whose infrastructure affects both the artist and audience across all mediums of the arts in Limerick City. • PLAN is committed to campaigning for an appropriate modern civic arts centre for our city. An institution that will support and sustain the diverse community of notable artists and art that Limerick City contributes to the country on a national and international stage. u 4. 2 PARTNERSHIP PLAN believes that a three-way partnership is now essential to the delivery of a new sustainable arts centre model for Limerick. The partnership would initially comprise Limerick City Council/Limerick Joint Local Authority, The Arts Council and the arts community in Limerick. PLAN with some 60+ professional arts practitioners, can represent the artistic community in such a partnership. Other sectoral interest groups might be invited to participate once the three vital partners set out a shared vision. May 24th, 2013 Presented by PLAN, Professional Limerick Artists’ Network PAGE 4 Professional Limerick Artist’s Network 5.0 BELLTABLE ARTS CENTRE The closure of Belltable in January 2013 came at the end of a period of well publicised instability for Limerick’s Arts Centre and left many individual artists and unfunded companies without payment for work delivered during 2012. Following a refurbishment programme during 2012/2013, Belltable invested in the region of €2m into structural upgrades to the auditorium and the main gallery space. The alterations made through refurbishment fundamentally changed the former intimacy of the theatre space and diminished the main gallery to the extent that many artists now regard Belltable as no longer being suitable as a visual arts space. In addition to this, a serious noise pollution issue in the lane behind Belltable undermined all performances from November 2010, during an official re-launch of the refurbished arts centre, until its closure in January 2013.