McWilliams to open month-long debate on arts

OUTSPOKEN economist and commentator David McWilliams will open a month-long public debate on the future of arts and culture in Cork city this week.

McWilliams will discuss the contribution the arts can make to the economic life and well-being of a city during the opening lecture of the series this Thursday.

He recently staged his one-man show, The Outsider, at the National Theatre.

His lecture will take place in Cork City Hall’s Millennium Hall in the form of an interview with Dr Helen Phelan, associate director of the Irish World Academy of Music and Dance at University of Limerick.

It is the first in a series of public talks by leading arts and cultural figures on the role and value of the arts to the local economy.

It is part of a wider process of public engagement and consultation facilitated by Cork City Council as it develops its Arts and Cultural Strategy 2010 to 2015.

The meetings are open to people who work in the arts, individual artists, voluntary and community groups as well as members of the general public. Admission is free.

Cllr John Buttimer, chairman of the council’s Arts Committee, has urged members of the public and those interested in the arts to attend the meetings.

“The IDA and Enterprise Ireland have found that cities and regions which offer a full range of cultural, commercial, retail, medical and entertainment opportunities do better at securing investment, again emphasising the importance of the arts and culture sectors,” he said.

Others who have been lined up to present lectures include;

* Aidan Connolly, the executive director of the Irish Arts Center in New York, on September 8;

* Designer Bob Crowley and filmmaker John Crowley in conversation with Emelie Fitzgibbon on September 15;

* Dr Dragan Klaic, theatre scholar and cultural analyst, who will discuss the mass phenomenon of festivals on September 29.

This series of lectures follows meetings in July for individuals and groups involved in different aspects of the arts sector.

* You can join the conversation on the future of the arts in Cork city on facebook.com/corkcityarts or on Twitter @corkcityarts.