Members of the arts community have further criticised Government measures aimed at helping the sector during the coronavirus pandemic, with an award-winning designer saying last week’s announcement was “tone deaf”. She announced a €1 million fund, broken down into 334 awards of €3,000, for artists to make “new and original” arts that could be made available on the internet for free. The initiative is being jointly funded from the Department of Arts and the Arts Council’s existing budget, she said. Some of the winners of The Irish Times Irish Theatre Awards, which were announced on Saturday, were critical of the State response. “The gate keepers of culture aren’t just writers and actors, they are visual artists and stage managers, and technicians and lighting designers and crew members.

Source: The Irish Times April 05, 2020 19:52 UTC