The details of Budget 2020 were revealed by Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe today and of interest to us are the changes to funding of arts and culture for the year ahead. In 2017, Leo Varadkar promised to double the arts budget by 2024 in his election promises, which was then €158.3 million (so double is €316.6m), far short of 2008’s pre-recession budget of €245 million.
There has been skepticism over how Varadkar would enact this promise in the annual budget and we can look at how Budget 2020 has fallen short of that promise by including this year’s 2.1% increase to €193m (an addition of €3 million). A year-on-year increase of 10% would have to be met in order to meet double of the 2017 budget. That means a 30% increase in the three budgets since that promise and with this year’s budget the overall increase since then has fallen way short with 21.6% over three years.
| 2025 projection | €316.6m target Double 2016 Budget | Added | Total | |
| 2020 | 2.1% | €3m | €193m | |
| 2019 | 12% | €36m | €189m | |
| 2018 | 7.5% | €13m | €171.3m | |
| 2017 | -16% | – €30.2m | €158.3m | |
| 2016 | €188.5m | |||
| 2008 | – | – | €245m |
highest before recession
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Other main points from this year’s budget.
- The Arts Council received a €5m (7%) increase to over €80m but it’s broken out as below into an increase of €1.25m in additional funding to enhance the work of the Arts Council to support performing artists, arts festivals, street arts, family events etc and a separate reallocated €3.75m earmarked in relation to the traditional arts, Culture Night and Creative Schools
- An additional €1.1m in capital funding (€6m in 2019) is being provided for the European City of Culture – Galway2020.
- Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland is to receive additional funding of €1m.
- €1m is to be provided to allow for the start of the process of transferring the National Symphony Orchestra to the remit of the National Concert Hall.
- Funding of €250k for the amateur theatre sector across Ireland.
- Continued funding for Culture Ireland and Creative Ireland which last year received €7.15m and €4.1m respectively. No figures on this yet.
More reaction as we get it.
The Minister is due to give more information on it all in a press conference on Thursday.
Here are the main points from the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Josepha Madigan TD’s press release, verbatim:
Total funding for the arts and culture sector in 2020 will increase by over 2% from €189m to almost €193m. This funding will comprise €153m in current expenditure and €39.7m in capital investment.
- Arts Council funding for 2020 is up €5m to over €80m. This includes €1.25m in additional funding to enhance the work of the Arts Council to support performing artists, arts festivals, street arts, family events etc. This funding also includes €3.75m reallocated from within the Department’s existing Vote which will strengthen the breadth and reach of the Arts Council’s role particularly in relation to the traditional arts, Culture Night and Creative Schools.
- Following funding of €6m in 2019, an additional €1.1m in capital funding (€7.1m in 2020) is being provided for the European City of Culture – Galway2020. This supports the Government’s commitment to deliver Galway 2020 European Capital of Culture, a significant platform from which to highlight Ireland’s creativity and to build bridges with European partners.
- Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland is to receive additional funding of €1m. It follows the Government’s decision to extend the Section 481 Film tax credit to 2024 and the regional uplift of 5% which provides an additional incentive to increase Irish and international production across the regions. These measures are in line with the Audiovisual Action Plan which sets out the Government’s ambition to make Ireland a global hub for the production of Film, TV Drama and Animation.
- An additional €900k for the Decade of Centenaries 2020 Programme. This will enable the delivery of a significant programme of commemorative events – including Bloody Sunday on 21 November and the execution of Kevin Barry on 1 November – in an appropriate and meaningful manner consistent with the advice of the Expert Advisory Group.
- €1m is to be provided to allow for the start of the process of transferring the National Symphony Orchestra to the remit of the National Concert Hall.
- Funding of €250k for the amateur theatre sector across Ireland.
- Continued funding for significant ongoing Departmental programmes including:
- Creative Ireland Programme which supports opportunities for people of all ages and in all parts of the country to engage with creativity and to derive all of the personal and collective benefits that flow from that engagement.
- Culture Ireland which promotes Irish arts worldwide by creating and supporting opportunities for Irish artists and companies to present and promote their work at strategic international festivals and venues in line with commitments set out in the Government’s Global Ireland 2025 policy.
- Cultural Institutions – to facilitate the protection of the national collections and the enhancement of visitor experiences and services. A cornerstone of the Department’s culture investment programme under Project Ireland 2040 is the €460 million that is being set aside for the renovation of the National Cultural Institutions.
