Cork County Council Arts Plan 2024 Public Consultation

Draft Strategic Priorities for the Cork County Council Arts Plan 2025 - 2029

Development and improvement of arts and cultural services

The Arts Office seeks to develop the supports and services it provides to artists, arts and community organisations and audiences. We wish to work to improve the infrastructure and resources for the arts to achieve greater stability and sustainability for the arts sector in Cork County. Your views will help us target our existing services more effectively and address gaps in provision.

Improve access to and participation in the arts by all sections of the community

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UNDHR) Article 27a states that “everyone has the right to freely participate in the cultural life of the community, to enjoy the arts and to share in scientific advancement and its benefits”. The Arts Service aligns itself with the Arts Council’s Equality, Human Rights and Diversity Policy and Strategy. Access and participation will be improved through understanding the needs of communities and any barriers they may face. By improving access all sections of the community can benefit. The Arts Plan aims to reflect diversity in County Cork through the principles of equality, inclusion, and respect.  Cork County Council has regard to national policy devised by the Arts Council and other national policies on inclusion, diversity, and equality.

Work to assist the Creative Practitioner to have a viable career in the arts

Creative practitioners include artists, arts workers and those forging a career in the arts. The Arts Service aims to support the artist by ensuring it provides appropriate measures and services relevant to the needs of artists, including provision of professional development opportunities, work opportunities, fair and equitable remuneration, and access to funding and commission opportunities. We are inviting artists and arts workers to respond to the consultation to provide us with their perspectives on what supports, policies, or actions we can implement to make a career in the arts viable.

Incorporate art in placemaking initiatives and developments undertaken or supported by Cork County Council.

Arts and culture are integral to shaping the places we live. Places are made through unique relationships that include social connections, environments, cultures, and heritage. Placemaking is a collaborative process involving the active participation of communities, other stakeholders and bodies such as the local authority. Culture and placemaking research points to "a sense of place" being a key factor in people’s positive wellbeing. Places can be made by good public art practices that situate the community at the centre of the process.

The Cork County Development Plan 2022-28 includes an objective to promote placemaking. This objective includes amongst other things the expansion of creative floorspace and facilities, reuse of historic buildings, improvements to the public realm and the value of accessible spaces for culture.

The Arts Service has a role in facilitating the commissioning of public artworks under the national Per Cent for Art Scheme on behalf of Cork County Council. The Arts Service works with Council Directives, for example Housing, and external bodies such as OPW and TII to achieve this. Public artworks are those that are developed or installed in a context where there is an opportunity for an engagement with a public. The work may be temporary or permanent, in any artform or media.

Ensure Sustainable Development and Climate adaptation and mitigation measures are embedded in our services and policies

We aim to support artists, arts organisations and audiences in reducing the impact of the arts sector on the environment and supporting climate action and awareness, partnerships and collaboration. We are guided by national and local climate action policies. This plan will have regard to the following actions from the Cork County Council Climate Action Plan:

• Work with stakeholders to foster an inclusive, shared narrative to bring communities on the journey of change in tackling climate action & biodiversity loss and promote celebration of the relationship between culture and natural environment.
• Support artist organisations and stakeholders to adopt environmental best practice in their work structures.

Support the further development of Irish Language based arts

Cork County has two Gaeltacht areas, Muscraí and Oileán Chléire. In the county at large the number of people (aged three and over) who could speak Irish increased by just over 14,000 to 238,226 in the 2022 Census. 

Language-Based Arts (LBA) – drámaíocht (drama), scéalaíocht (storytelling), amhránaíocht (singing), agallamh beirte (dialogue in verse), lúibíní (a type of comic dialogue sung in verse) and an fhilíocht labhartha (spoken verse) are identified in the Government’s Straitéis d’Ealaíona Teangabhunaithe na Gaeilge / Strategy for Irish Language Based Arts 2024-27. These important areas of the arts that have a multi-faceted impact on people and communities. 

Cork County Arts Service will continue to engage with Ealaíon na Gaeltachta, the Language Planning Officers in Muscraí and Oileán Chléire and other Irish language bodies. We welcome your views on the measures you think Cork County Council should consider to promote engagement with Irish Language-Based Arts whether as practitioners, participants or audiences.

Support the democratic and policy development function of the local authority

We support the democratic function of Cork County Council through active consultation and engagement towards the development of achievable and sustainable priorities and objectives, acting with integrity and in the public interest, consistent with our ethical, legal, regulatory and government policy obligations. Ireland is experiencing significant social, economic and cultural change. This is having an impact on people’s lives. The arts have always played an important role in providing a necessary space to reflect and understand change. The Arts are integral to a functioning inclusive and democratic society. In this context we welcome any views you may have as to how Cork County Council may plan to further develop its work to embed the arts within communities, and within our broader policy remit.

Research Digest: Culture and placemaking - CultureHive

Data Protection & Privacy

Your personal information is processed by Cork County Council for the purpose of improving and promoting the Arts service in the County. We process this personal information on the basis of consent under Article 6(1)(a) GDPR. You may withdraw your consent at any time by contacting: arts@corkcoco.ie. 

We will not share your personal information with any external third parties. The protection of your personal data is a key priority for Cork County Council and your data will be processed in line with our Privacy Policy, which is available on the following link Data Protection & Privacy Statement or in hardcopy from any Council office. Should you have any questions about the Council’s Privacy Policy or the information that Cork County Council hold about you, please contact the Council by email to dpo@corkcoco.ie or write to the Data Protection Officer, Cork County Council, County Hall, Carrigrohane Road, Cork, Ireland T12 R2NC.

Cork County Council Arts Office provides a range of services that help sustain and develop the arts locally. Every year we support a wide range of artists, arts organisations and communities across the county to engage in the arts, to make new work and share it with audiences. This is achieved through funding schemes, developing and programming participatory arts programmes, and partnering with collaborators to deliver high-quality engagements that enriches and contributes to the cultural, economic and social fabric of the county. Initiatives include Culture Night, Cruinniú na nÓG, arts for health programmes, artists in residence, library arts programmes, artists development and training, early years arts, arts in education, public art, community arts, and much more.

Our Vision is:

• A county where the arts are valued, supported and sustained to the benefit of the public, artists, communities and visitors to the county.

Our Mission is to:

• Improve the wellbeing and quality of life of the people of County Cork by promoting participation in and enjoyment of the arts
• Value the unique contribution of the arts to maintaining a culturally vibrant county
• Place equality, diversity and Inclusion at the centre of the work we do
• Be people centred in our approach
• Incorporate consideration of environmental and climate impacts in the work we do
• Provide and develop services in the arts that are open, accessible, transparent and accountable

Our Services

Cork County Arts Services include funding, programming, residencies, commissioning and professional development for artists and arts organisations.

Funding

The 2003 Arts Act enables a local authority to make financial or other assistance available for the purposes of:

1. stimulating public interest in the arts
2. promoting knowledge, appreciation, and promotion of the arts
3. improving standards in the arts

Cork County Council currently supports arts organisations, voluntary arts groups and individual artists the Arts Grants scheme, the Irish Language Arts scheme, the Artists in Schools programme, direct financial contributions to arts centres, the international promotion award for artists, and artists bursaries. The Arts service also manages the Dearcán Award, an annual bursary for a county-based designer with Benchspace in Cork city. Each year artists are invited to apply for funded residencies in the Ballinglen Foundation in Mayo and the Tyrone Guthrie Centre in Monaghan to support their creative development.

Programming

• Library Arts The Arts Service works with the Library Service to provide arts-based events and activities in the 25 branch libraries and the 4 mobile libraries. Programmes include Seachtain na Gaeilge, Bealtaine, Cruinniú na nÓg, summer Arts Programme, Africa Day, National Play Day and the Childrens book Festival.
• Writer in Residence The writer in residence works with several libraries each year to promote writing and creativity for adults and young people. They support new and existing writing groups and promotion of literature throughout the county.
• Performing Arts The Arts Office provides a performing arts programme support service to rural venues and festivals. This largely supports theatre activity in rural areas but also includes music performance and contemporary dance.
• Visual Arts Cork County Council programmes LHQ Gallery in County Library headquarters. The programme supports visual artists at all stages of their careers, including the Emerging Artist Award, which also includes a bursary and curatorial support. The Arts Service team is always interested in attending studio visits across the county and providing curatorial advice to county artists preparing for funding applications, exhibitions, etc.

Commissioning

The Arts Service strives to support the creation of new work that is relevant to the people of County cork and is of the highest artistic standard. Recent commissions include:

• 2019 New play “Crossword” by North Cork writer Katie Holly commissioned by Arts Office for performance in branch libraries.
• 2022 Irish Language play for Children by Writer/Actor Grace Kiely commissioned for performance in Libraries, in partnership with the Irish Language Office.
• 2021 - 2023 ‘The Score’ a multi-media immersive visual art installation by James L Hayes.
• 2022 – 2023 ‘to the Letter’ a visual art research project and touring exhibition by Dolores Lyne, in partnership with the Heritage office and the Commemoration Committee of Cork County Council.
• 2024 New commission in partnership with West Cork Music to celebrate the 35th anniversary of the acquisition of the Cork County Harpsichord.

Management of the Per Cent for Art Scheme and Public Art Programmes for Cork County Council

The Arts Service works in partnership with other Cork County Council directorates to commission and deliver artworks as part of the public art and per cent for art programmes. The aims of these programmes are to engage people in Cork with high quality, contemporary art in all art forms in a range of contexts, to enhance the public realm and contribute to placemaking through contemporary art practice.

Community Engagement, Education and Participation

The Cork County Arts Service works in partnership to deliver meaningful arts engagement to people of all ages in County Cork. These include:

• Arts for Health West Cork: Partnership programme to enable older people accessing West Cork hospitals and day centres to enjoy a creative and fulfilling life through the arts with a range of artists.
• Creative Enquiry, Sirius Arts Centre: Developmental project examining approaches to interacting with older people through creative activity.
• Cultural Companions: This programme aims to provide increased opportunities for older people wishing to engage with Ireland’s vibrant arts and culture scene to connect with like-minded people in several hubs across the county.
• BEAG this immersive programme explores the developmental possibilities of play, imagination, creativity and expression with and for children under three years of age in childcare settings. It has also recently developed once-off encounters for ages 0-3 and their families in libraries.
• Cork Young Filmmakers is a countywide programme providing access to filmmaking for young people between the ages of 14 and 19, supported by professional filmmakers.
• Sliabh Luachra Music Trail is a partnership project with the Arts Offices of Kerry County Council and Limerick City and County Council. This project aims to preserve and promote the musical heritage of the Sliabh Luachra region.

Education

• Tuning-Up and Composer in the Classroom: These music programmes engage children and young people in primary and post-primary education.
• Theatrix. A Circus in Schools project for Primary Schools
• Frameworks: Each year, artworks from the County Art Collection are installed in several primary schools across the county. An art facilitator engages classes responding to the collection.

Public Engagement

• Culture Night Every September Cork County Council works with volunteers, artists and organisations to showcase a range of arts and creativity across the county. This is free for the public. The programme is curated and managed by Cork County Arts Service and takes place in towns and villages across County Cork. In 2023 over 250 events took place in 21 towns and villages throughout County Cork.
• Creative Places West Cork Islands is an islands initiative funded by the Arts Council and cork County Council, from 2022 – 2025. It will develop and sustain community-led cultural resilience across the 7 inhabited West Cork Islands in a long-term, meaningful way that supports the environmental, social and economic well-being of place.
• Creative Ireland: In each of the 31 local authorities, the Creative Ireland Programme has established a Culture and Creativity Team which brings together local expertise in arts, heritage, libraries, enterprise and community engagement, to foster collaboration and spark new initiatives. A local Creative Ireland Programme Co-ordinator and a Creative Communities Engagement Officer has been appointed for each local authority. At the core of the programme is the founding vision that creativity must be at the very heart of public policy and that participation in cultural and creative activity effectively promotes the wellbeing of the individual, the community and the nation at large.

Artist Professional Development

• Work opportunities There are a range of work opportunities for artists in all art forms across the county, through the art services range of public engagement and education programmes. There is an annual call out for facilitators who are then offered work opportunities in areas such as Frameworks, Bealtaine, Cruinniú na nÓg, etc.
• Training and development Cork County Arts Service regularly programmes webinars, seminars, one-to-one tutorials and training modules to support the professional development for artists and organisations. Recent examples include a training programme with VAI for visual artists.
• MÓR Artists collective Cork County Arts Service supported the establishment and continued development of the MÓR Artists Collective, in partnership with Waterford City & County Council and Greywood Arts.

Equality, Diversity, Inclusion

• Rainbow Library is an inclusive creative programme for LGBTQIA+ young people interested in writing and illustration.
• Inclusive Disco is an initiative supported through the Creative Ireland programme that provides young people with a disability to participate in an accessible disco experience
• ‘Access All Areas’ training in accessibility, participation, and inclusion for professional and voluntary arts organisations.
• Arts with Ukrainian and IPAS communities This is facilitated through several schemes, including Creative Ireland, International Play Day, Cruinniú na nÓg and National Play Day.