The days of a thumbs up or down from a critic to decide the fate of a new work or project are coming to a close. Between publications cutting back on the number of professional reviewers and the ability of everyone to be a critic online and on social media, the critic is quickly becoming a relic of the past. Yet is there still a need for someone to exercise those critical facilities and provide more than just a listicle or a tweeted review? Where do we find these critics in 2017 and how do they get paid? And will arts and culture organisations miss the critic when he or she leaves their free seat for the last time?

The speakers at this Cruinniú na Cásca Banter special will be Cristín Leach (art critic, Sunday Times Ireland), Ian Maleney (writer and critic for The Wire, The Quietus, The Irish Times and Fallow Media), Graham McLaren (Director of the Abbey Theatre) and Nadine O’Regan (arts editor, The Sunday Business Post).

Banter is presented by Jim Carroll.