I& #39;ve spend last 3 wks on daily calls & at emergency board meetings of arts orgs trying to survive. They have been positive & professional but scared about the future. Looking for national leadership. Today& #39;s briefing @DeptAHG @artscouncil_ie @creativeirl got it badly wrong 1/4

The tone & content was that the arts should be a beacon of hope for us all, and a source of solace in dark times. Which is fine but presupposes that the arts will survive all adversity, and that makers & orgs will emerge from their garrets & thrive once again in the light 2/4

It failed to acknowledge that artistry is across multiple levels & that professional arts exist in a complex ecosystem that requires nurturing & protecting. Once broken, systems take generations to restore. Once no longer working artists, people do not return to the sector 3/4

The response from government & national agencies needs to be more than about shining a light & making projects for online sharing. Yes, the arts can enable that. But the arts also need those professionals & orgs who make & run the sector to be taken seriously & be protected 4/4