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There is now an emerging consensus that culture, and the creative process, can have a significant role in the reinvigoration of our economy as a reminder to the wider world that the resourcefulness of the Irish imagination still remains an integral part of our identity. That is a vital message to convey around the world today – a counterbalance to the image of wasted opportunity. via irishtimes.com
http://bit.ly/dxjJ0 >> This is exactly the sort of message that the arts in Ireland should be giving: simple statistics detailing exactly the extent to which the arts is contributing to the Irish economy.
"Well-commissioned public art can turn space into a “place”, and this is particularly significant as our new motorway system bypasses idiosyncratic towns and villages, negating any sense of the local, and turning trips across the country into potential journeys through nowhere." http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/weekend/2009/0905/1224253879554.htmlBut there is also a lot more to public art than just roadside installations...
http://www.guardian.co.uk/culture/2009/sep/07/artists-in-exile"In Europe, Harding says, standard preparations for a concert might be three or four rehearsals plus a dress rehearsal; in the UK, it will be two plus a dress rehearsal. This is also an issue for composers: a piece premiered by a UK group might get a third of the rehearsal time it would in France or Austria. Like so many things, it's a question of funding. British cultural institutions have traditionally run on a combination of earned income and state...
Putting a price on culture - The Irish Times - Tue, Aug 11, 2009http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/features/2009/0811/1224252358149.html It is time for us to make plain that the massive contribution of culture to the spirit, international standing and economy of this island should be acknowledged and built on rather than savaged without a second thought.