THE AREA OF Temple Bar has been “a success” as a cultural space, according to Minister Jimmy Deenihan.
The Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht told the launch of the Dublin Absolut Fringe Festival at the Project Arts Centre today that the area “worked” on the level of a “cultural oasis”. He said:
Temple Bar has worked, it has been very successful. I’m discovering a new organisation here nearly every week. It is working and it’s something very precious. If you can get the street climate right – that means security and so on – it certainly is a cultural oasis and that’s thanks to all the people who work so hard to create the cultural atmosphere.
The Temple Bar Cultural Trust is currently celebrating 20 years of regeneration of the area.
Deenihan said that the role of cultural events such as the Fringe Festival were as vital as ever in keeping Irish society vibrant. However, he warned that the arts, like every sector of Ireland, is facing more cuts this year. He said that he will be trying to argue the point with his colleagues in Government that the arts “despite the fact that they do get very little money” have a massive cultural and social inclusion value. He added:
That’s the point I’ll be making to my colleagues around the Cabinet table in the next few months. Cuts will be made but hopefully the arts will be given some protection.
The Absolut Fringe Festival website has gone live this evening – see below for top tips on what to book as tickets go on sale.
Meanwhile, TheLineIreland has been asking a pertinent question on the streets of Dublin today: Are the Arts supported enough in Ireland? Watch here:
TheJournal.ie is online media partner for the Absolut Fringe Festival 2011.
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