Artists lost sight of cultural role

Just because your columnist Gerard Howlin (Opinion, Jan 8) is not clear about what the Government is trying to do with Limerick City of Culture does not mean that they aren’t.

Few would disagree with the idea that “the Arts” is little understood. Cultural ambassadors and artistic aficionados believe there is no discipline that nurtures and sparks the cognitive ability to imagine, and unleashes creativity and innovation, more than arts and culture. That is why the arts are important for this country. In stark contrast, there is a widespread acceptance in the USA, for example, that funding for the arts is more motivated by the idea that cultural opportunities are among the things that make cities attractive as places to live, and help firms to attract or maintain people with the skills needed to be competitive.

What is the purpose of the City of Culture? Is it a localised mini-Arts Council, created to boost local artists’ careers and work? Or is its purpose to make Limerick a more attractive place? The much-berated Pat Cox, chairman of the Limerick City of Culture, was quick to point out at the mob meeting on Jan 2 that the City of Culture was not about artists. It was about the city.

Arts funding is needed because the gap between production costs for the events and works that inspire people is often less than the ticket revenues they generate.

In addition, the developmental argument for individual artists is also strong. City of Culture initiatives are, by contrast, a fantastic way for a city to pull itself up by its bootstraps and even, potentially, to reinvent (or rebrand) itself. It should be a partnership between the artistic community and those charged with implementation towards that goal. It is the artistic community’s opportunity to serve the city beyond their standard overarching goal of inspiring people, freeing them to imagine and helping them unleash their innovative spirits.

I don’t believe the board ever lost sight of the fact that the artistic community was central to the Limerick City of Culture. It was some of the Limerick artistic community that failed to understand their role was one of service more than to be served. The proof of that is the untold damage they did to the initiative in its first week.

Fraser Brown, MBA

CEO — Monica Loughman Ballet

Rathfarnham

Co Dublin