Former RTÉ to Lead Arts and Culture Taskforce

The Minister for Media, Tourism, Arts, Culture, Sport and the Gaeltacht, Catherine Martin, T.D., today (September 10th, 2020) announced the setting up of an Arts and Culture Recovery Taskforce. Martin has put RTÉ's former Executive Director of Radio to lead the Taskforce. Clare Duignan has held key leadership roles at RTÉ for over 20 years, and since leaving the broadcaster has been a member of the Board of The Irish Times, The Chester Beatty, Fáilte Irleand, Business to Arts and Ireland Reaching Out. The composition of the taskforce will be announce in the coming days.

The taskforce is being set up as part of the programme for government and its committement to “establish a cross-departmental taskforce to develop a clear approach, informed by the views of all stakeholders, to protect and sustain the arts and culture sector through the COVID-19 recovery and beyond."

Speaking today, Minister Martin said: “The performing arts and live entertainment sector shut down early and it will be among the last sector to re-open fully.  The negative impact on the arts, culture and live entertainment has been well established and quantified over the past five months in research undertaken by the Arts Council and by my Department.  Given that the financial and overall detrimental impact of the crisis on the sector is well established, the Taskforce will propose a suite of solutions and actions to ensure the long term sustainability and health of the sector.  I am delighted that Clare Duignan has agreed to Chair the Taskforce, bringing as she does breadth and depth of knowledge and experience to the role.”

Speaking of her appointment, Ms Duignan said: “It is crucial that these important sectors are not left behind as we rebuild Ireland through the Covid-19 recovery and beyond.  I hope to lead and work with the Taskforce to deliver effective recommendations that will sustain and protect the arts, to help find a way back for artists, performers and live events workers to the audiences and communities they need, and to restore to Irish citizens the creativity and sustenance that the arts and entertainment sectors give us.”

The Taskforce will:-

  • adopt a solution-focused approach;

  • seek sector-specific expert input and consult with stakeholders inviting proposals for its consideration;

  • invite additional individuals or expertise to attend meetings on an ad hoc basis, as it deems necessary;

  • focus on providing intelligence and recommendations for an expected on-going and varying impact of COVID-19 restrictions;

  • identify immediate and medium term goals for recovery and sustainability in the sector;

  • identify possible policy initiatives or impediments to a robust sustainable recovery in the sector;

  • recommend whole of Government policy initiatives and actions to support the sector;

  • report to the Minister for Media, Tourism, Arts, Culture, Sport and the Gaeltacht by the 31 October 2020 in order to provide the Government with an action-plan for the sector.