Speech at the opening of West Cork Arts Centre
Skibbereen, Co. Cork, 11th June 2015
Tá áthas orm a bheith anseo sa Sciobairín inniu chun an ionad cultúir tábhachtach nua seo a oscailt agus is mian liom mo bhuíochas a chur in iúl do Bhord Ionad Ealaíon Iarthar Chorcaí as an cuireadh a thugadar dom.
Is mian liom moladh ar leith a thabhairt do Sheán Ó Ceallaigh, go ndéana Dia grásta air, don tiomantas a thaispáin sé don togra seo. Níl aon amhras ach gur fhág sé leagáid luachmhar sheasmhach ag muintir na háite seo, leagáid a aithníonn go bhfuil sé de cheart ag gach saoránach páirt a ghlacadh sa phróiseas cruthaitheach, teacht isteach sa saol chruthaitheach ionas gur féidir idéanna a fhorbairt agus a bhaint amach, agus tearmann agus tacaíocht a fháil ón bpobal atá ann.
I am delighted to be here today in Skibbereen to open this important new cultural space and I thank the Board of the West Cork Arts centre for inviting me to perform the opening.
I would particularly like to pay tribute today to the late Sean Ó Ceallaigh and his generous commitment to this project. There can be no doubt of the enduring and valuable legacy he has left behind, a legacy which recognizes the right of all citizens to access arts and culture, and enter a creative space, a place of refuge and communal support, where ideas can take hold, incubate and be brought to fruition.
The history of West Cork Arts Centre is a long and proud one. For over twenty years it has been greatly enriching the lives of citizens in the West Cork region, an area renowned for its thriving and vibrant arts community. Today we celebrate the expansion of the Centre and its relocation from North Street to the very heart of Skibbereen.
In a number of speeches I have given as President of Ireland I have spoken of the importance of creating enduring cultural spaces, within which various forms of creative activity are made possible. The vital role that arts and culture play in creating dynamic, creative and reflective societies must be acknowledged, as must be the enabling and supporting of both our artists, and of citizen participation in arts and culture. The protection and construction of such spaces of culture as this one are essential in the creation and sustenance of a truly functioning society.
In that context, it could be argued that the provision and enrichment of creative spaces becomes even more important in times of crisis and economic contraction when a pressing need for a national process of re-evaluation and reflection is suggested by circumstance. It is therefore greatly encouraging to be able to celebrate the opening of this new centre at a time when we are coming from unprecedented economic challenges that should serve as a critical reminder of the importance of heritage and culture.
It is through the design and provision of community spaces such as this one that we continue to ignite creativity amongst our citizens as we embed the arts into the physical design of our areas, into the calendar of a community's year, and into the experience of our citizens.
There can be no doubt that opportunities to participate in community based arts provide significant benefits to both individuals and the societies which they inhabit. Engagement with artistic pursuits require us to look beyond the horizons of our own experience, to view things from different angles and perspectives, and provide critical moments of realization which inspire us to view and interpret situations in new and innovative ways as we respond to life’s challenges and dilemmas. It is so often through our encounters with literature, drama and art that we come to understand the human condition, finding our perceptions challenged, clarified or enhanced.
It is such a sense of creativity and imaginative thinking that must lie at the heart of any truly just and equal world, and citizens who think creatively, knowing how to ask the right questions of our decision makers, refusing to unthinkingly accept a dominant ideology or to conform unquestioningly to a status quo are citizens who are key to creating democratic societies that place community and social cohesion at their heart.
In a contemporary world, where creativity is so often undervalued, funding for the arts is sometimes still perceived as being of the nature of grant support, rather than as the investment in the infrastructure of social life, joy and cohesion that it really is. Indeed the profound and valuable contribution that the arts and centres of culture make to society cannot be overstated.
Places and spaces like the West Cork Arts Centre, which allow for experimentation and diversity, while creating dynamic arts communities and encouraging citizens of all ages to seek their own creative pathways, remind us of the importance of ensuring that the cultural space does not become marginal, tangential or even abandoned.
Here in Skibbereen that cultural space has, for over twenty years, been placed right at the heart of the community, to be enjoyed and appreciated by all citizens of West Cork and beyond. Indeed it was apt that the inaugural exhibition at the new centre earlier this year, ‘Fourth Space’, focused on the themes of space, place, time, legacy and transformation. Today we celebrate the enduring legacy of this long established creative space, grounded in strong roots of innovation and community participation, and continuing to grow and flourish in this new and imaginative place.
I am greatly impressed by the diverse range of activities that take place in the Centre, encompassing all of the arts for which we are renowned as a nation, including literature, dance and music, whilst also embracing the myriad new technology which brings fresh and impressive dimensions to the world of creativity. Just as you interweave the old and the new, so you also explore the dynamic interconnection between the different art forms, in particular in your programmes for children which so often explore the flow between writing, music, illustration and theatrical interpretation, fostering a deep appreciation of art in all its articulations .
The inclusivity and true sense of community which lies at the heart of all you do is evident in the interaction between professional artists and those who come here to learn and explore; and also translates into events such as the Arts Ability programme, and dementia friendly sessions which serve as an inspiring reminder of the spirit of inclusion which must be the beating heart of any functioning society.
In all it does the West Cork Arts Centre continues to emphasise that culture is a right, a component of citizenship and that the arts are a vehicle for citizen participation. I commend you for that and I congratulate all those who were instrumental in bringing to fruition this new and exciting space. May I also wish you every success as you continue to enable creativity to emerge and be shared with all citizens.
Go raibh maith agaibh go leir.