The Arts Council of Ireland has appointed Liz Doherty to fill the new consulting role of Traditional Arts Specialist, beginning in early March. The Traditional Arts Specialist will provide the Council with policy advice and carry out developmental work in the artform. Liz Doherty’s background is as a musician, teacher, researcher and consultant. She graduated from the National Univeristy of Ireland with a Bachelor of Music and was subsequently awarded a PhD from the University of Limerick in 1996 for her research work and dissertation on fiddle music traditions. She has lectured in music and the performing arts at the National University of Ireland, and the University of Ulster. Since 2001, Liz has worked as a consultant on many arts and education projects throughout Ireland and has been instrumental in establishing the successful Roscommon Traditional Arts Forum. The appointment came about as a result of the Council’s 2004 publication, Towards a Policy for the Traditional Arts. Towards a Policy for the Traditional Arts made a variety of recommendations, one of which was that the Council should take primary responsibility for the development and support of traditional arts in Ireland, and integrate them into the Council’s many other activities. To achieve this goal, the Council proposed a public Traditional Arts Policy, which would also inform policy across other state and government bodies. Ongoing consultation with Traditional Artists and the traditional art community was also a key recommendation. As a result of Towards a Policy for the Traditional Arts, artists in Ireland can expect to see awareness campaigns aimed at both the artistic and general community, highlighting what the Council is doing for the traditional arts, and what kind of grants and subsidies are available to traditional artists. It is expected that a funding will also increase for the Traditional Arts, both within the Council, and outside it. Another issue that Liz Doherty will need to face is the ambiguity that surrounds royalties for many traditional artists. The Irish Music Rights Organisation has attracted a share of controversy for its handling of performance royalties for traditional performers. Towards a Policy for the Traditional Arts called for the Council to immediately step in and resolve this conflict to the satisfaction of both parties, though how this will be accomplished is not yet known. Education and Outreach programs will also be an important part of the position, with school-based programs on traditional arts set to rise. There are also a host of other recommendations within the publication, and the Council’s appointment of Doherty is a commitment to the recommendations and the traditional arts in Ireland. For more information about the appointment, visit www.artscouncil.ie To access Towards a Policy for the Traditional Arts as a PDF document, CLICK HERE.