THE arts are an intrinsic part of the fabric of life and should not be the first area to cut when times get hard, Druid Artistic Director Garry Hynes said at the launch of the 32nd annual Galway Arts Festival in
the city last night.
She urged politicians in the room – who included Minister Éamon Ó Cuív, Labour Party President Michael D Higgins TD, Frank Fahey TD, Mayor of Galway City, Councillor Declan McDonnell, city councillors Terry O’Flaherty, Peter Keane and Billy Cameron and county councillor Seamus Walsh – to argue for maintaining arts funding in spite of the economic downturn.
Earlier, Ms Hynes and Druid had been praised by Mayor McDonnell and Festival Artistic Director Paul Fahy for the magnificent contribution Druid had made to the arts in Galway, Ireland and abroad over many years.