On the 25th January 1952, the Arts Council held its inaugural Council meeting, and the first Arts Act was signed, signifying that the arts were central to Irish life. Since then, the Arts Council has gone from strength to strength, supporting artists to create work that inspires, that reflects the rhythm of everyday and momentous events in public life. Seventy years on, the Arts Council leads the development of arts in Ireland. Discover below some key moments in that journey.
- 1951 The First Arts Act is passed establishing the Arts Council
- 1952 The Arts Council first meetings take place and it awards its first grant of £500
- 1955 The Arts Council supports the purchase of Irish art by public bodies
- 1956 ‘A Proper Institute’ for the development of the arts is opened at 70 Merrion Square
- 1958 The Arts Council supports Irish participation at the Biennale Exhibition in Venice
- 1960 The Denis Devlin Foundation launches a Memorial Award to encourage the writing and publication of contemporary poetry in Ireland .
- 1960 First discussions take place about a tax exemption measure for artists
- 1964 The Arts Council, based on the adjudicators' recommendations, awards the first Denis Devlin grant of £300 to Austin Clarke
- 1966 Cuimhneachain 1916 takes place as the Easter Rising is remembered
- 1967 Rosc, the first international contemporary art exhibition of its kind takes place in Dublin
- 1973 The Second Arts Act is passed increasing the powers of the Arts Council
- A new Arts Council is appointed in December 1973
- 1975 Significant staff appointments are made that include Director Colm O Briain; Lit/film (David Collins), Music (Dinah Molloy), VA (Paula McCarthy) December
- 1976 The first formal meeting takes place between The Arts Council and the Arts Council of Great Britain
- 1976 Transfer of the Abbey, Gate, Irish Theatre Company, Irish Ballet Company, Dublin Theatre Festival from Minister for Finance to The Arts Council
- 1977 Appointment of a full-time regional Arts Officer with the Mid-West Arts Association Paul Funge
- 1981 Aosdána launched by Charles Haughey on 5th March 1981 and is formally inaugurated when the first annual general meeting of all members took place in 1983
- Audience, Acquisitions and Amateurs, the first report of its kind on participation in the arts in Ireland is published
- 1985 The Dancer and the Dance and Deaf Ears reports are published
- Appointment of the first County Arts Officer, Kay Sheehy, is made to Clare County Council
- 1988 Appointment of a Popular Music Officer, Keith Donald.
- 1989 Appointment of a Film Officer, Paul Freaney
- 1990 Publication of "Dreams and Responsibilities - The State and the Arts in independent Ireland" by Brian P. Kennedy
- 1991 Artflight is launched
- 1994 The first Arts Plan is published, presented to the Department of Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht, November 1994 and debated in the Oireachtas in May 1995
- 1995 The Theatre Review is published
- 1998 Drafting of the Second Arts Plan 1999 – 2001 takes place with increased government funding to The Arts Council of €37.5 million in the first year of the plan
- 2001 Critical Voices takes place
- 2003 The Third Arts Act comes into effect, heralding a new era in public support for the arts, with an enhanced policy role for the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism
- 2003 saw the restructuring of the Arts Council to a new membership complement of 12, down from 17
- 2003 and 2004 new staff are appointed in each department of The Arts Council
- 2004 The publication and adoption of the report by the Special Committee on the Traditional Arts
- 2005 Partnership for the Arts (Arts Council goals 2006-10) sets out the framework of values, principles and goals to guide Arts Council in its work
- 2006 The Public and the Arts is launched
- 2012 The Arts Council published its new Arts and Health Policy and Strategy
- 2013 The Arts Council announces a new Arts and Disability policy and strategy
- 2015 Minister Humphreys announces Arts Council’s ambitious commissions ‘to inspire the nation’ as part of Ireland 2016 (6 Aug)
- 2016 The Arts Council announces its investment strategy for 2016 to develop the arts across Ireland and published Making Great Art Work
- 2018 Across the country, one hundred and fifty schools are chosen to participate in pilot Creative Schools scheme from Sep 2018
- 2019 The Arts Council launches a new Equality, Human Rights and Diversity Policy. The policy is launched by Rory O’Neill in Galway Ahead of Places Matter Conference 27 March 2019
- February 2020 Launch of Paying the Artist Policy
- 2021 Arts Council welcomes commitment of €130 million