12/30 As you well know, the income stats for most screenwriters, directors, creative producers & actors (amongst other talent) are shockingly bad. “But Ireland’s industry is still developing...” The UK Producers Roundtable published their report in Feb 2020 (where industry is a

13/30 major, long-established part of British economy) and it’s as bad, if not worse there screendaily.com/news/uk-produc… The bait & switch between Arts & Industry, Inward & Indigenous that characterises so much of the screen sector arguments for Gov funding in Ireland is

14/30 disorientating and, essentially, defeatist/in bad faith from the off. Either we as a people intrinsically value culture, creativity & the arts or we don’t. Gov & industry funded PR endlessly bombard us with message that we do but many working creatively tend to hold very

15/30 different views. This disparity engenders cynicism which, under current conditions, is mutating into despair. Often there’s an instrumental value placed on culture, something that can for example be mobilised & “monetised” by the marketing team in Failte Ireland or Dept of

16/30 Foreign Affairs on trade missions abroad. Incidentally, screen tourism (“set-jetting”) is 1 of key arguments behind proliferation of screen commissions in local gov around the State in recent years, not a sudden desire to develop filmmakers. I know there’s been enormous

17/30 pain, frustration & anxiety across the entire Arts spectrum for years (pitched to crisis now by C19.) The underlying suffering has structural causes and an honest, open reexamination of our collective values lies at the root of beginning any meaningful, deep change.

18/30 Some form of complicity is in the nature of a globalised consumer culture but we need to tackle the fact that while some are indeed guilty it is the responsibility of all of us to work towards a fairer & more decent society or risk having inequality tear everything asunder.

19/30 We’re living through momentous times and as many institutions creak, crack, groan (eg the “United” in both UK & US) and some will collapse under the strain of their own contradictions, new landscapes of possibility, hitherto obscured, come into view. Competition is healthy

20/30 until it’s not&given huge global issues we collectively face, eg climate emergency, radical interventions not liberal reform will be required. So much capital (financial & political) was invested in maintaining the status quo that it was political suicide pre-C19 (when

21/30 last election cycle happened) to even suggest things like a job guarantee/universal basic income but in our new reality even the Financial Times acknowledges it must be in the mix to keep the social contract intact ft.com/content/7eff76… Modern Monetary Theory has outlined

22/30 creative ways to open policy space to tackle this issue politically (obvs we’re limited by Euro rules but where there’s a will...) Austerity is not an option. Everyone who is comfortable currently will have to take a “haircut”, esp the very rich. In this spirit (and to end

23/30 a thread that could go on...) Film In Cork proposes something boldly new: President of Ireland Mr Michael D.Higgins with long-standing impeccable arts commitment, institute a Presidential Forum for the Arts. Gov agencies, politicians, arts organisations, etc taking part BUT agenda

24/30 set&led by the Arts community engaging with widest citizenry of all classes & backgrounds to explore questions like: - What do we as a people value? - Why? - As a society, where do we want to be in 30 years (short-termism is killing ambition & idealism.) - What are most...

25/30 - equitable ways to realise that vision? (Eg Long-term financing from European Central Bank - local governments do it everyday to fund major investments.) - How do we challenge/empower our elected reps to embrace radical change? - Before anyone wastes a breath on yet

26/30 another “talking shop” (I, for one, am hoarse) Government commits in advance to enacting for example the top 3 proposals that come through a democratic vote in the Citizens Assembly system so people really invest in the process. We are going to need to be imaginative & bold

27/30 to put new institutional bulwarks in place against the ravages of deregulated capital. Key Arts voices are simply not being heard & even when given platform to speak many are intimidated by fear of lost future funding from saying what they really feel. The elected branch of

28/30 government is not listening viz. appointment last week of a Minister for Media, Tourism, Arts, Culture, Sport & the Gaeltacht - a Dept set up to fail. A Presidential Forum could perform the role of a national body to side-step the congealed relations, deeply entrenched

29/30 class interests & power structures that are limiting the Irish body politic as we potentially sleepwalk into crisis. If this situation, emblematic of so much that has gone wrong in recent decades, continues to be unaddressed these muffled cries will sooner or later become

30/30 screams. History reminds us that revolutions are emotional events, not political.

Don’t miss this fantastic opportunity for role as Film Artist in Residence Film&Screen MediaUCC : Deadline Oct 29th!