Olive Braiden is proud of her legacy at the Arts Council, writes Deirdre Falvey, Arts Editor
OLIVE BRAIDEN, chairwoman of the Arts Council, is to step down next month at the end of her five-year term, she announced yesterday.
Minister for the Arts Martin Cullen had asked her to continue for another term, she said, but she has decided not to continue in the role.
"The arts are a very vigorous sector," she said. "In my five years at the council, I was at over 1,000 events - actually nearly 2,000, but I don't want to boast too much!"
She was speaking at the announcement of Ireland's representation by nine architects at this year's 11th International Architecture Exhibition, Venice Biennale, from September, on the theme "The Lives of Spaces".
Talking later, she said: "I gave my all for five years". Things have changed very much in the past five years, she said, and she felt that the arts sector was in a very solid state, ready for the challenges ahead.
And while the council hasn't reached its funding targets, she said its funding had "doubled in five years, and is definitely much more secure than it was".
She stressed that she was sorry to be going, but wanted to have more time for herself. "I'm a great believer in the changeover in membership of boards" to freshen them up, she said.
Ms Braiden has been active in a variety of roles in the past. She was involved with the Rape Crisis Centre for many years, and later the Crisis Pregnancy Agency.
She completed her masters in gender studies after she was appointed to the council.
And while she has nothing particular in mind for the future, Mr Cullen, while thanking her for her contribution, hinted at a future role yesterday, saying that he didn't want to lose her from public service: "I'm sure we'll find a space for you again."
The council's executive teams work well together, she said, praising director Mary Cloake, staff, the department, and representatives of arts organisations who shared their experience with her over the years.
She described it as a difficult job, which is unpaid but takes up a lot of time. "It is different from serving on a lot of boards, and is more like an executive chair role because the council makes a huge number of decisions."
Braiden was a very active chairwoman, visible and vocal, attending a large number of events all over Ireland, but also lobbying in the background: "I totally believe in working on getting funds. I never let up," she said.
"I have to be hands on or I'm not interested." But while it's tough, and very time-consuming, it is certainly not well paid (there is a small fee for the role). Other people might approach the job differently, she said.
Finding the right person to take over the role could be difficult: someone who is a shrewd political operator, has an affinity for the arts and has the time to devote to a role that doesn't offer financial reward.
The Arts Council is, apparently, a sought-after appointment and there is some lobbying and jockeying for position. Under its overlapping membership rules, a number of appointments are due to the council very soon, and the new chairman is expected to be announced in September.
Talking about chairing the current Arts Council, Ms Braiden said "they could talk for Ireland, and are very enthusiastic about specific things. People are very giving of their time and expertise and deserve to be heard. It can be a tricky enough board to chair, allowing everyone to have their say and bring the discussion to a conclusion and make decisions."
The board worked well together and there were no factions or infighting, she said, but "there was loads of robust discussion".
Over the past five years, two members of the council have died, Jerome Hynes and John McGahern, both of whom she was close to, and misses.
She has great faith in the current Minister, she says, and feels "he will really leave his mark on the arts". He has great experience in other portfolios, and "knows the importance of funds to the arts".
Always optimistic, Braiden said things are not financially "as bleak as they might look from reading the papers".