The other current cause celebre in the Irish art world (apart, that is, from the controversy over the IMMA directorship) rumbles on, but rather more quietly. It involves the decision by Project's artistic director, Kathy McArdle, not to renew visual arts director Valerie Connor's contract.

This decision prompted an unprecedented response from a significant cross-section of the visual arts community here and in Britain, involving a well-supported petition (dispatched to the Project board and to the Arts Council). It also triggered an impromptu debate among the audience at a symposium (unrelated to the issue) at the Project on December 2nd last, and a resolution urging the board to rescind the decision. Everyone at the meeting, bar two, voted in favour of the resolution. The two included Project's curator of talks and critical events, Tim Brennan, who voted against, and the chairperson of the board, who, abstaining, pointed out that appointments and contracts were at the discretion of the director.

Nevertheless, it seems that the decision is to stand.

Signatories of the petition expressed unease at "the downgrading of the visual arts profile" of Project implied by the decision not to renew Connor's contract, and the non-appearance to date of a visual arts programme for the coming year. In the normal course of events, the programme would be blocked out well in advance.

It may be significant that there is only one board member, the highly-regarded multi-media artist, Alanna O'Kelly, with a background in visual arts. A terse press statement from Project merely reaffirms the centre's commitment to the visual arts and says that the development of its programme is ongoing. It could be, though, that many Irish visual artists would find the idea of involvement in Project a bit of a poisoned chalice at the moment.

So 2000 is well gone and the Abbey still hasn't had a "green light" from the Government as to where its new theatre should be built. On site? On the docks? Elsewhere?

The Abbey needs a go-head from the Department of the Taoiseach, but there still isn't agreement there as to whether it should abandon Abbey Street. Perhaps the Taoiseach's department is loath to have the Abbey cross the river to the docklands? Certainly, there seems no strong opposition to this plan in the Department of the Arts.

The Abbey's Madeline Boughton says "the indications are" it should have an answer within three to four months. Time is pressing, if the Abbey wants to have a new home for its centenary in December 2004.

Is it chauvinism about our traditional music which means that there isn't anything remotely like Glasgow's "Celtic Connections" festival on the Irish calendar? The festival at the Royal Concert Hall started yesterday, runs until the end of the month and is a smorgasbord of roots music. The String Sisters take to the stage again, with Scotland's Catriona MacDonald marshalling our own Mairead Ni Mhaonaigh, America's Liz Carroll, Norway's Annbjorg Lien and Cape Breton's Natalie McMaster.

Other artists include Kate Rusby, Kate and Anna McGarrigle, Mary Black, Rickie Lee Jones, Eddi Reader, Sharon Shannon, Irish De Ment, Brian Kennedy, Alain Stivell - the list goes on and on . . .

Better still are the ancillary events, such as workshops for children on decorating a didgeridoo and making Celtic animals and a song cycle featuring Glasgow's Irish singers. If you can possibly get there in the next three weeks, do so (booking on 0044-141-2875511).

This weekend sees the beginning of Coisceim's concerted attempt to get 14- to 18-year-olds around the country using their bodies.

Some might say they do that enough already - but not so. Coisceim's "Ezimotion" project, sponsored by the ESB, focuses on overcoming the physical inhibitions of adolescents.eim's development manager, Jak Ahluwalia.

The "motivators" of the scheme, youth group and youth theatre leaders, are spending this weekend together developing the project, and the participants' activity weekends will take place in Galway (January 20th-21st), Letterkenny (January 27th28th), Waterford (February 17th-18th) and Listowel (February 24th-25th).

If you want to take part, there are some places left. Contact Coisceim on email at coiscim@iol.ie