Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Josepha Madigan TD, has today (9 October 2018) announced a 10% increase in Arts Council funding for 2019, bringing the total to €75m.

The Budget 2019 announcement brings the Council’s funding above the 2009 level of €73.4m and closer to its peak in 2007 of €83m. In May 2017, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar promised that he would double arts funding over 7 years. 

The Chair of the Arts Council, Sheila Pratschke, has welcomed today’s announcement:

This is a major increase in investment in the arts and demonstrates a genuine understanding by Government of the important role of the arts in all our lives and in the life of the nation…. The figure of €75m allows the Arts Council to move forward with confidence, providing additional support to artists, enabling organisations to create work of excellence and allowing people across the country have access to high quality arts experiences.

Speaking after the Budget 2019 announcement, Minister Madigan said:

This increased funding is tangible evidence of the importance attached to our cultural and creative heritage under Project Ireland 2040 and clearly demonstrates this Government’s commitment to increase spending in the arts and culture sector on a trajectory that will see funding doubled by 2025.

The recent Arts Council figures can be seen below:

2007: €83m
2008: €81.6m
2009: €73.4m
2010: €68.7m
2011: €65.2m
2012: €63.2m
2013: €59.9m
2014: €56.7m
2015: €56.9m
2016: €60.1m 
2017: €65.1m
2018: €68.1m
2019: €75m

For more on the Budget 2019 announcement, visit www.chg.gov.ie.