STREET ARTISTS IN EUROPE - Fondazione Fitzcarraldo

Street Artists in Europe
Irish Arts Council has been supporting street arts for some years, but July 2006 marked the first
time it adopted a definite policy in support of circus and street arts and performances. The Arts
Council has a specialist in the sector and a permanent staff member working with the local
authorities. That official relays the policy objectives and helps fulfil them. Thanks to the
existence of these two institutional levels, the Arts Council’s policy can be discussed and
implemented regionally and locally.
The Arts Council is currently considering new funding schemes for artists and organisations. It
is consulting street arts performers about various projects, including setting up a documentation
centre for street arts, circus and shows, and creating a national support organisation for the
sector. It is seeking to diversify its partners in order to develop training programmes for all
levels. It would like to be able to promote the programming of shows, support training in that
sector, develop networks, and so forth. These areas of policy development in support of street
arts are centred on two main ideas, which are highlighted by meetings and consultations
between institutional players and artists: advocacy and recognition. ‘Advocacy: the Arts Council
needs to be an advocate for this area of practice and the artistes within it. There are
environmental issues including resources (physical) and working conditions (taxation, health
and safety, insurance), which The Arts Council is best placed to impact on with local and central
government. - Value of The Arts Council: The artistes within these fields place a high value on
the importance of the Arts Council recognising the worth of artists within this sector. This
makes it easier to secure funds from other sources but also affirms the practice at a societal
level’ 190 .
The Arts Council allocates various types of aid to companies and festivals: investment,
production, projects, and promotion. In 2005 it financed three street arts projects: Bui Blog,
Macnas and Spraoi, amounting to a total aid of around EUR 900 000 a year. In 2006 the Arts
Council set up a special fund for production and tours, although no aid has yet been allocated.
At regional level, the local authorities allocate aid for street projects by directly funding the
show or festival, or by offering a residency project. At municipal level, aid for street arts is
usually granted in the context of festivals or educational projects for young people. The artists
may also be supported by residencies and promotion centres. These may be funded by the Arts
Council, or by the local authorities where they are located. The Arts Council and the central
government can also offer promotional aid via the budget earmarked for tourism.
It should be noted that parades are part of a very old cultural tradition in Ireland. They are wellestablished
and held in most cities during holidays such as Saint Patrick’s Day and Halloween.
These parades are part and parcel of Irish culture and cultural policy must take them into
account. They are therefore generally financed by the public authorities. In 2006, for example,
more than EUR 1m was provided for the Saint Patrick’s Day celebration in Dublin. However,
even today street arts are not very developed and there are still few companies 191 . ‘There is a
low number of artists working in the street arts sector in the Republic of Ireland. Only four or
five companies or practitioners undertake work on a regular basis’ 192 . The sector’s development
prospects will depend on the impact that this new cultural policy, encouraged by the State unlike
in most other countries, will have on the ground.
190 Reply to the survey by a specialist in circus, street arts and shows from the Arts Council of the Republic of
Ireland (Dublin, Republic of Ireland).
191 Ibid.
192 Ibid.
129
PE 375.307