Lulu Marketplace

Visual artists in Ireland today are thriving in terms of creative output. However, these visual artists also represent some of the lowest paid members of society. They undertake their career as a visual artist against all odds – and at times feel alienated from a society that gains its cultural identity from their life’s work; yet they continue to succeed to make work. Visual Artists Ireland carried out a survey in December 2008 entitled The Social, Economic and Fiscal Status of the Visual Artist in Ireland. As can be seen artists see the strength of work of the Arts Council of Ireland, the Arts Council of Northern Ireland, Culture Ireland, the British Council, and local arts offices in their support of the visual arts. But their limited funding can go only so far as the call on their resources becomes more and more stretched. We hope this report can assist them in their lobbying.