How Many Arts Festivals Were Canceled Due to Funding Shortages Despite €9M Arts Council Spending on Consultants Since 2019
Something is rotten in the heart of the arts council.
The Arts Council are in the news a lot this week because of their antics around building an IT system that had to be scrapped after already pouring €5.3 million into a digital black hole.
The Irish Times revealed today that the Arts Council has spent €9m on consultants since 2019. The Arts Council's primary function is to fund, develop and promote the arts in Ireland, not consultants’ pockets So, I was wondering how many arts and music festivals have been cancelled due to lack of funding since 2019.
The Scene + Heard
Indiependence
Siamsa Tíre
Body and Soul and the Life
Sea Change
Wild Roots
Forever Young
Playing Fields
Far West Fest
Doolin folk festival
Richard Harris Film Festival
Limerick’s Pigtown Festival
The Promenade Festival
All Together Now
Ballina Salmon Festival
Queen of the Land Festival
French festival
The list is endless. I didn’t list all of them, but it’s 40+ since 2019.
If you were on a committee for any of those festivals, who couldn’t get funding while the Arts Council were blowin…
Keep reading with a 7-day free trial
Subscribe to The Irish Politics Newsletter to keep reading this post and get 7 days of free access to the full post archives.