Madam, – I’m taking a few minutes out of a very busy schedule, managing the Frank O’Connor International Short Story Festival to address issues raised by Stuart McLaughlin’s article (Arts, September 17th). The Munster Literature Centre, with fewer than two full-time staff, produces each year two literary festivals, four publications and a series of writing workshops, curates several literary awards including the largest in the world for the short story, and maintains a website, an audio and video archive, a book library and a drop-in centre for writers.
If I as executive director (and only full-time staff member) were to calculate “the economic value” in terms and language required to convince Mr McLaughlin’s would-be private sector arts donors, it would require the hiring of a consultant from the private sector to make the assessment, a consultant who would charge for his/her time a fee far in excess of any fee a world-class artist or arts organiser would charge for their time. I would have less money available to deliver the services I’m meant to be delivering.
The value of the arts, even that portion which is economic, is something which can never be adequately represented on a balance sheet.
Cork is twinned with Shanghai. When Cork courted Shanghai to establish the twinning relationship the strategy was three-pronged: educational, business and cultural. The Chinese delegation as they departed said that if Shanghai were to twin with Cork it would not be because of the educational or business attractions but because of the strength of our culture. The twinning relationship has subsequently led to growth and co-operation in the business and education fields. How do we demonstrate that value on a balance sheet?
We do not need accountancy instruments to demonstrate the real economic value of the arts to private businesspeople who want to come up with spurious excuses for their lack of generosity. Businesspeople and others who know the cost of everything and the value of nothing simply need to open their minds and look without prejudice.
The arts are the only thing which makes this tiny country of four million people world leaders. The irony is that while Ireland is a world leader in arts production, when it comes to private arts sponsorship we are Somalia.
Mr McLaughlin should stop asking us to waste more public money on private consultants to attract funding from non-existent Irish private donors. While I’m at it, he might stop asking Arts organisations to contribute funds towards the costs of Business2Arts. Prove his own worth and reason to exist by raising all his money from business. If Business2Arts can’t at least do that they should cease to exist. – Yours, etc,