Speech at the Business to Arts Awards
National Concert Hall, 9th September 2014
Tá áthas orm a bheith anseo tráthnóna ag gradam Business to Arts agus gabhaim buíochas libh as ucht na fíorchaoin fáilte.
[I am delighted to be here this evening at the Business to Arts awards and thank you all for that generous welcome.]
This evening is about recognising, commending and indeed celebrating the many fruitful partnerships that exist in this country between the world of business and the world of the arts; a partnership that not only releases creativity within both sides of the relationship but from which there is a significant and enduring public benefit.
In my inauguration speech, I emphasised the importance of seeing the potential of creative communities and of recognising the role of the arts in building a citizenship on a sense of shared meaning, heritage and identity. By identifying, giving recognition to, and encouraging the ongoing process of imagining that constitutes culture and creativity in our society we create the foundations for a fulfilling and inclusive citizenship.
The works of our writers, painters and artists have played, and continue to play, a critical role in assisting us in our efforts to understand the nature of our society and our role within that society. Novels, plays, music, paintings and other artistic works not only reflect the society and time in which they were created; they also, in the here and now, help to shape, shade and subvert the world and the assumptions by which we live.
Those artistic works which are passed on from one generation to the next, allow each generation to attempt an understanding of the culture which shaped them while also interpreting such works within a changing society. But they, importantly, become the basis for a reinvention and re-crafting of the relationship with that society.
At my inauguration I invited all citizens to make their imaginative and practical contribution to the shaping of our shared future, to be active in the realisation of our shared Republic, in the best ethical sense of that term.
It is critical that arts and culture be allowed a strong and central space within our society; a space within which creativity, in all its forms, can emerge for, and be made accessible to, all citizens. It must also be a space within which the arts can continue to evolve in a way that makes them significant, relevant, revelatory and emancipatory in a rapidly changing world. If we as a society are to give expression to the value we place on the arts, then every element of our society will have a role to play: the State, the citizen, and the business sector.
The philosophy behind Business to Arts, of which I am very proud indeed to be Patron, recognises the cultural space as a source of vision, offering innovation in capacity for living and a necessary defining capacity for the public world we share. This concept is about much more than resources and funding. It is a powerful statement of values by the business community in its recognition of the importance of the arts in our society and in our communities.
Since its establishment over a quarter of a century ago, Business to Arts has facilitated many creative and innovative partnerships; and has built up an impressive network of Irish businesses committed to supporting and assisting the arts community across Ireland. I know the network currently comprises over 100 Irish businesses along with 200 art affiliates, which is an impressive achievement and one which has had a significant impact on the cultural dimension of Irish society, playing an invaluable role in the cultivation and development of the arts here.
It is so encouraging when one looks at the list of award recipients, and to know that they represent many other inventive, pioneering and effective partnerships between businesses and artists around the country. It is a reminder too of the responsibility we all share to foster and support our great artistic tradition, particularly as citizens of a country so strongly defined, in the eyes of the world, by our artistic success. It is a success we can and should further enhance as we focus on rebuilding our country’s reputation.
Ireland is greatly indebted to the many businesses who, despite the recent economic turmoil which affected so many people across Ireland, have kept going, retaining and creating employment and thus retaining an integral and valuable role in their communities. That so many have continued to support artists and the arts in their communities and nationally is something that I am proud to recognise and pay tribute to through this important occasion this evening.
As we slowly emerge from the recession, it is also important that we acknowledge and learn from our experience in recent years where businesses continued to play a significant role in the Arts, in an environment where money and time were scarce. Imaginative thinking and a deep commitment to cultural values have shown that there are many ways to endure, even expand, in difficult circumstances.
It is a constant in my own speeches over the years that the cultural space is wider than the economic space and that culture and the arts provision are even more crucial at times of economic constriction and unemployment than at times of surplus and growth.
All of the organisations here this evening have shown that they share a strong belief that developing the arts helps to create vibrant communities and societies, and there are many positive examples here this evening of innovative partnerships and collaborations which continue to develop and advance engagement with the arts within our societies.
By working to reconnect us with our past; by introducing our citizens of all ages to the joys of visual art and the written word; to make the arts accessible to those who are vulnerable or marginalised; to bring the arts out of the theatres, galleries, and concert halls, and right into the heart of your society, all of this evening’s award recipients have imaginatively and generously ensured that the arts become embedded into the lives of our communities and the experiences of our citizens.
I would like to thank everyone involved in Business to Arts for all they do to ensure that creativity and a cultural sensitivity are ingredients of society that do not become marginalised but embraced to bring about a new sense of solidarity. The Business to Arts awards provide a valuable showcase for the types of business and networking relationships that we all hope to see increase in the coming years.
This year marks the twenty-third year of the awards and the event continues to underline the importance of this collaboration between the very different worlds of business and the arts.
Is mór an pléisiúr dom bheith anseo tráthnóna ag an searmanas bronnta seo a thugann deis iontach dúinn na heagraíochtaí gnó agus ealaíne a aithint, agus comhghairdeas a ghabháil leo, atá tagtha le chéile agus a bhfuil caidreamh thar na bearta curtha le chéile acu a théann chun tairbhe do chothrom ealaíonta na tíre seo ’gainne.
[It is a great pleasure to be here this evening at this award ceremony which affords us a great opportunity to recognise and congratulate the business and art organisations that have come together, forming outstanding relationships that benefit both the business and artistic balance of our country.]
I would like to conclude by congratulating you all once again on your achievements and commending you on the important contribution you make to Irish society and Irish citizenship.
Go raibh míle maith agaibh go leir.