The Arts
This Government is committed to implementing a range of steps for the Arts which will see participation broaden and deepen in the next five years.
Arts and Education We will: • Support training and professional development for the performing arts by creating, enhancing and extending modules of in-service training. • Support measures that are child centred in arts and cultural programmes and develop and enhance child centred policies that impact throughout the country. • Increase funding to the Arts Council for education initiatives. • Promote an appreciation of and engagement in arts and culture from early education through to all education levels through the implementation of a national comprehensive strategy.
Arts and Participation We will: • Encourage and support the strategic development of the arts in local communities, both geographic and communities of interest, for the disadvantaged and for minority groups. • Encourage, promote and foster volunteerism in the arts, drawing on our successful development of volunteerism in sports. • Ensure that arts venues are adequately funded to facilitate activities and to maximise community use and accessibility for all.
Arts and Investment We will: • Encourage partnerships between local authorities, central government, relevant local community groups and the Arts Council with a view to funding arts locally. • Develop a new policy to create and sustain employment in the arts, particularly arts employment that can market, operate and develop our local arts infrastructure. • Provide new tax and other incentives aimed at making cultural and educational philanthropy more attractive and to help those working in the arts to make a decent living. In recognition that higher economic growth can benefit the arts, we will encourage the full participation of the private and corporate sector in supporting the development of our arts infrastructure and arts programmes and services. • Continue to support the development of the traditional arts. • Create a new combined Cultural Visa and Work Permit that simplifies and speeds up entry by incoming artists and groups to Ireland. • Ensure that dynamic incentives remain available to the film and television sector and develop bi-lateral agreements to maximise the potential of Section 481. • Continue the examination of fiscal incentives to encourage investment in our indigenous film industry.
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