‘Life Worth Living’,
‘Life Worth Living’,
The Report of the Arts and Culture Recovery Taskforce
NOVEMBER 20th 2020
EPIC welcomes the positive recommendations contained in recently published report from The Arts & Culture Recovery Task Force, and would like to thank the Minister, Catherine Martin, and the Chair of the Taskforce, Clare Duignan for the inclusion of the Live Events Industry in this group. The report includes recommendations on policy and planning, income, taxation and financial provision, education and training, technology supports; mental health, social protection, community development, social inclusion as well as around copyright. EPIC are hopeful for the fast implementation of the report and will be active in pressing for a speedy delivery as this needs to be acted upon immediately by government to help build on the welcome supports introduced in the budget in October. There are 3 recommenations that particularly affect us - the Universal Basic income pilot scheme, the CRSS alternative for our SMEs and the establishment of a stakeholder representative group to address how we can get make to work as speedily but as safely as possible. It is going to be very important, and we should not underestimate the necessity to keep up the pressure, for these to be implemented ASAP
‘Life Worth Living’ - Click Here .. https://www.gov.ie/pdf/?file=https://assets.gov.ie/97434/162e9253-ca14-4395-a1e8-221d51ff401f.pdf#page=null
Commenting on the report, the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, Catherine Martin, T.D., stated:
"I very much welcome the report “LIFE WORTH LIVING” submitted by the Arts and Culture Recovery Taskforce and thank each and every member of the Taskforce for their time, expertise and commitment in this hugely difficult time. I met with the Taskforce at the start of its work and was struck both by the members’ dedication and also the seriousness of the situation facing the Arts and Culture sector.”
"The Taskforce has produced a set of recommendations on how best the arts and culture sector can adapt and recover from the unprecedented damage arising from the COVID-19 pandemic. The sector includes the arts, culture, the audio visual industry, live entertainment and the events industry.”
“As I have stressed on numerous occasions, the Arts and Culture sector was the first to shut and will in many cases be the last to re-open. This report will be hugely beneficial to me and to my colleagues in Government as we examine ways to help the Arts and Culture sector emerge from the very difficult position in which it finds itself. I note in particular the Taskforce’s assessment of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on both existing livelihoods within the sector but also people’s future prospects, not just financially but in areas such as wellbeing and maintaining existing skill sets. I am under no illusions about the scale of the challenge and the many competing priorities facing Government. Nonetheless, I am delighted that as a Government we have been able so far to respond to date on many of the issues highlighted within this report. We can always strive to do better and that is what I aim to do.”
Clare Duignan, Chairperson of the Arts and Culture Recovery Taskforce, added:
"I am delighted that the Arts and Culture Recovery Taskforce has completed our work and submitted the report “LIFE WORTH LIVING” to the Minister. I must give a huge thanks and praise to my colleagues on the Taskforce. They have committed so much time and energy in helping to craft and shape the report that is now available for all to read. I would also like to thank all those who made submissions during the consultation stage ensuring that this report is a fact driven, balanced document.
“As I say in the report; almost all activity has stopped in the Arts and Culture sector. The survival, recovery and sustainability of this sector is dependent on economic policy and decision-making in the short and long-term. I strongly believe that this report gives the Government the information required to help the sector by ensuring its recovery, building on its resilience and strengthening it for the future.”
EPIC looks forward to working alongside our colleagues from the Event Industry Alliance, the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media and Minister Martin in ensuring that live events, and the workforce that supports the sector, continue to be included in government supports moving forward.
A summary of each recommendation is provided below:
Ensuring Recovery
1.Protecting Livelihoods and Careers;
Pilot a Universal Basic Income Scheme for a three-year period in the Arts, Culture, Audio Visual and Live Performance and Events Sector.
The Taskforce also recommends an extension of the Professional Artists on Jobseekers Allowance Scheme to other art forms as recommended in the 2019 review.
2. Mitigating Income Loss
Establish a new VAT compensation scheme for Artists and for freelance Arts, live Entertainment and Events Workers and Companies.
3. Ensuring Fair Pay for the Makers of Creative Content
Transpose the EU Directive on Copyright in the Digital Single Market into Irish Law without adjustment or dilution of the directive as it relates to rights holders.
The Taskforce submits strongly that the Audio Visual Media Service Directive (AVMSD) should be transposed into Irish Law immediately, because of its importance to the Audio-Visual and Creative Screen Sectors.
4. Securing the Viability of the Live Events Industry
Introduce a business supports grant scheme for SME’s in the Events Industry that are excluded from the COVID-19 restrictions support scheme (CRSS)
5. Sustaining Local Authority Capacity to Support Arts, Culture, Live Entertainment and Events
Government should commit to continue its provision of financial support to Local Authorities to offset any loss of income they experience in 2021 so as to enable them to maintain their investment in Arts, Culture and Events at 2020 levels.
Building Resilience
6. Ensuring the Wellbeing of Ireland’s Creative and Cultural Community
Establish a programme that provides wellbeing supports to the creative sector.
7. Building Sectoral Capacity through Upskilling and Professional Development
Establish a capacity building and up-skilling scheme for Artists and Creative Workers aimed at recovery and renewal through Professional Development
Facing Forward
8. Making Space for Arts & Live Entertainment to Contribute to National Recovery
The Treatment of Cultural Activities and Venues under the various levels of the resilience and recovery 2020-2021 plan for living with COVID-19 requires urgent review to better reflect actual circumstances and the particular behaviours of Artists, Audiences and Venue staffs in this area of Irish Life.
A representative stakeholders group should be established so that cultural providers can engage with public health experts and other stakeholders to design guidance and support mechanisms, for the re-introduction of safe public engagement in Cultural Activity.
9. Providing more Outdoor Public Spaces for Cultural Events
Establish ‘Re-imaging our public spaces’: A capital improvement programme, including targeted resources for local authorities to adapt, equip or improve public spaces for cultural and events activities as well as an activation fund for the private sector to utilise their space
10. Addressing the Environmental Impact of Arts, Cultural and Event Activities
Establish and fund a Creative Green Programme. This could promote sustainable practices in the sectors, informed by research and actions already undertaken nationally and internationally.