The Galway West candidates will be quizzed on their arts and culture policies at the first election hustings to be held by arts workers to be held in Galway.
The hustings will take place on Monday at 10.45am in the Radisson Blu Hotel and candidates who have confirmed they will attend are Fianna Fáil’s Éamon Ó Cuív, Fine Gael’s Fidelma Healy Eames and Brian Walsh, Labour’s Derek Nolan, the Green’s Niall Ó Brolcháin, and independents Catherine Connolly, Eamon Walsh, Mike Cubbard, and Noel Grealish.
The hustings will provide an opportunity for arts workers, and anyone who values the contribution of arts and culture to Galway, to raise concerns and discuss issues of importance with the politicians.
“After this election we will have a new government, and that means new policies and new priorities, with no guarantees for the funding or continued investment needed in the arts,” explains Maeve Mulrennan of the Galway Arts Centre and one of the organisers of the event. “The hustings is a chance for arts workers to show the candidates that there are a lot of votes to be had in the arts, and to make a strong case for the arts - in Galway and nationally.”
The National Campaign for the Arts is highlighting four key issues for the arts; the retention of a full cabinet minister for arts, the promotion of the role and value of the arts, continued and increased investment for the arts, and the provision of appropriate social protection for arts workers.
Locally, the NCfA Galway is highlighting five key issues for arts workers in the city and county around the theme of ‘Space’ - space to make work, show work, to learn, to start, and spás don teanga.
“We intend to influence the policies of candidates in this election, but we also have a long-term view,” says Ms Mulrennan. “This hustings is an opportunity for all arts workers in the city and county to tell the people with the power what our issues are. Galway has a massive arts and culture industry and it is time we used the power of our united voice to tackle the issues facing arts workers. Come along and make the arts an election issue. It's important we show politicians the arts matter.
