Support for venues must be a priority in Mayo arts plan
A NEW arts plan for Mayo sets out supports for artists, including bursaries, commissions, work space, and also venues and presentation spaces, some of which are finding it hard to operate.
It aims also include increased access and participation in the arts.
The five-year vision for the arts in the county was approved at the full monthly meeting of Mayo County Council.
Members were told that since the last plan was implemented, just shy of 1,800 events were held in the county, with over 450,000 people engaging with the arts service, and over 860 artists employed.
Film Mayo has assisted bringing over 200 productions to the county, bring spend, employment and global visbility to the county, arts officer Ann-Marie McGing explained in a presentation.
There are 600 professional artists living and working in Mayo and that number continues to grow, with world class talent, from literature to music and visual art.
A network of venues deliver programmes across the county and Ms. McGing said the plan addresses opportunities and also challenges, and the arts service needs continued investment to lead and support projects. Artists, for example, need access to affordable work spaces, and venues also need support.
Castlebar councillor and teacher Harry Barrett said he has witnessed the massive impact arts training and education have had on young people, leaving a lasting legacy.
He was interested to hear about support for local venues. Castlebar, he highlighted, has the highly successful Linenhall Arts Centre, but it is struggling and having to scale back on its programmes.
The centre, he said, depends on GMA funding from councillors to survive, and support for venues should be a key priority of the plan.
He wanted to see the Linenhall flourish, but they shouldn't have to rely on GMA money to keep their doors open.
Councillor Patsy O'Brien agreed that funding has been an issue for centres all around the county, who provide great opportunities to people to develop skills, but are living on shoe strings.
Into the future they needed to be allocated more funding, a sentiment echoed by other members along with providing work spaces for artists.
Commenting on Film Mayo, Councillor Jarlath Munnelly suggested it required a full-time staff role to support the county as a location for film and television production. They all saw the dividends from it, such as the boost to tourism in Achill following the Banshees of Inisherin.
* Published under the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme