The Arts Council of Ireland is currently consulting with the arts community, key organisations, individuals and the public, to assist in preparing a new approach to supporting the arts. Consultative meetings and discussions to inform Council deliberations begin at the end of February 2005. The focus of the overall process is to seek views on issues which affect the future of the arts in Ireland and the role of the Arts Council. Comments and suggestions on specific areas of the arts or on elements of the Arts Council’s work are also welcomed. Speaking about the process in Dublin today, Arts Council Director Mary Cloake said: ‘It is vital that the Arts Council is consistently in touch with the broadest possible spectrum of thinking within the arts community and to this end it is important that we get the views of as many people as possible through this process. It is my aim to further develop our communication channels with all members of the arts community in order to make sure that the work of the Arts Council is based on best current information on an ongoing basis.’ ‘Setting a coherent direction for the future of the arts, and particularly the Arts Council’s role within that, is a core aim of this project,’ said Arts Council Chair, Olive Braiden. ‘We need to achieve the highest level of mutual understanding, partnership and collaboration across the whole arts community if we are to maximise the effectiveness of our efforts to fully develop the potential of the arts in Ireland. Understanding the views of as many people as possible is key to getting that right.’ Following the first round of consultation in February, March and April, a draft strategy document will be made available for observations, comment and suggestions prior to final publication in September, 2005. For further information, CLICK HERE.