Ireland increases Arts Council funding to €134m

Ireland’s Arts Council will receive €134m in government funding in 2024, an increase of €4m.

The allocation was confirmed as part of the Irish government’s budget for next year, published last week.

The €134m represents Ireland’s largest ever annual allocation to the Arts Council. In 2021, its budget was increased from €80m to €130m, the level at which it has remained since.

Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, Catherine Martin, also announced a €1m increase for Culture Ireland and a new €1.9m pilot for regional arts venues, which will provide building and equipment needs, artists workspaces, and adapting facilities to reduce energy needs.

“The sectors overseen by my department have great impact across society and they have shown extraordinary resilience in the face of, first, the Covid-19 crisis, and then increases in the cost of living,” Martin said.

“It has been a priority throughout my term as Minister to ensure that we can respond to these, and other, challenges in a robust and sustainable manner.”

Chair of Ireland’s Arts Council, Professor Kevin Rafter, said Ireland’s increase in public investment in the arts in recent years is “hugely welcomed”.

“When I was appointed Chair in 2019, the Arts Council’s budget was €75m and following today’s budget it will be €134m next year,” Rafter said.

“While the figure for 2024 is at the lower end of what had been sought to address increased costs in the arts sector, it is still a positive acknowledgement of the work of artists, arts workers and arts organisations throughout the country.”