The Arts Minister Heather Humphreys has published the draft framework policy for 'Éire Ildánach/Culture 2025' - the country's first ever national cultural policy.
This will now be submitted to the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Arts for consideration.
Publication of the 'Culture 2025' document was identified as a priority in the Programme for a Partnership Government.
Minister Humphreys will also hold an annual cultural consultation day - similar to a cultural workshop which was held in the Royal Hospital Kilmainham last year - as part of the process.
Under seven key pillars, the document sets out a series of measures for implementation across Government and public bodies.
These include:
- Examining the systems and structures that support arts and culture
- Increasing citizen participation in the arts
- Progressively increasing funding to arts and culture as the economy improves
- Consideration of how to encourage non-Governmental funding support
- Examining existing systems to ensure that more people can follow a career path in the cultural and heritage sectors
- Improving collaboration within the cultural sector and between the cultural sector and wider civil society
- Building on support for Irish culture on the world stage
- Consideration of how cultural exchange can help build and maintain strong connections in Ireland, and between Britain and Ireland
Speaking at the launch, Minister Humphreys said: "Our culture adds immense value to our lives and to our communities, and 'Culture 2025' is underpinned by the belief that everyone has the right to participate in the cultural life of the nation."
"This framework policy is the result of widespread consultation with the cultural sector since we first launched the Discussion Document on Culture 2025 last summer."
"The document has evolved and become more concise and focused through that process," she added.
The minister says her department will be developing an implementation plan for the document over the next six months.
