REMARKS BY PRESIDENT MARY McALEESE AT THE COTHÚ 1998 ARTS SPONSOR OF THE YEAR AWARDS
REMARKS BY PRESIDENT MARY McALEESE AT THE COTHÚ 1998 ARTS SPONSOR OF THE YEAR AWARDS WEDNESDAY 18 NOVEMBER 1998
I am delighted to be with you again this evening for these awards. I recall that last year I was only a few days in office when I was honoured to be invited to come here for the 7th Awards ceremony last November. So my presence here this evening is perhaps significant as a statement that I have settled in the job.
The last twelve months have been an exciting time for all of us – and has given me many opportunities to recognise the contribution that the business community has made to the economic renaissance that we have been enjoying – a contribution that has been acknowledged in many of the places that I have been in – and particularly during my recent State Visits to Australia and Canada where there was considerable interest in what we have achieved and in the unique partnership arrangements at national and local levels that have been central to our success.
The other dimension to that overwhelming success has been the cultural renaissance that has gone hand-in-hand with the economic boom – and has seen Irish artists in every field of artistic endeavour reach new and exciting heights in the international arena – all of which has been reinforcing the level of national self-confidence that we have achieved – and promoting a “can do” culture that sees more and more people willing and eager to take bold and imaginative steps in the business and cultural arenas.
For both business people and artists to excel they need space – they need to be in a position to explore their creativity and talents without the constraints of economic need and without undue compromise. True creativity should not be bounded by material want which can curtail the creative spirit to operate only to the ‘safe’ limits of what is commonly acceptable and what will easily sell so that body and soul can be kept intact.
What the business community have been doing by channelling their sponsorship through Cothú is providing that essential space to allow artists to blossom – giving many the opportunity to push out their own frontiers of creativity – and facilitating in a very real way the cultural strides that have been made.
But it is not only a one-way street. Many businesses depend on the services of artists and designers to give them the edge in competitive terms – to allow them to trade with the very best in the international marketplace – and to remain at the forefront in terms of quality. More and more businesses are aware of the need for a creative input into product development and packaging – and of the positive impact of association with a culture of high quality artistic design and achievement.
These ‘strategic alliances’ are what will bring us into the new millennium with sustained success – where the combination of artistic flair and business acumen achieves a synergy that is as potent as it is successful.
While the concept of sponsorship is not new – and certainly not new to this country – Cothú has elevated it to a new plane which has brought considerable benefits to artists and businesses alike.
I want to commend Cothú for what they have achieved in opening the doors of opportunity to young artists – and building a successful partnership between two groups of people that were at times considered to be mutually exclusive. While the economic surge we have seen in recent years has been brought by the efforts of many – but particularly by the business community who have provided the leadership, the skills and the drive – material gain on its own is not adequate without the important cultural dimension that enriches the quality of our lives tempering the drive for pure material gain.
I think it is to the tremendous credit of those in business that they have recognised how important it is to have that extra dimension – and how they continue to take an active part in promoting it through their generous sponsorship of the arts.
I know that there are many artists who have benefited over years through Cothú – and have been able to establish themselves as accomplished participants in the Irish and international scene – which in turn is reflecting positively on Irish business.
I share their hope that the fruitful relationship will continue to grow and to prosper in the years ahead – and that the reputation of Irish business and the arts remains up with the highest. I commend the business community for their generosity and commitment to Cothú and for creating that invaluable space for Irish artists to flourish.
ENDS