Catherine Martin has pledged €200,000 for an action plan to root out widespread sexual assaults, abuse and bullying in the arts sector.
The Minister for Culture was responding to shocking findings of a report “Speak Up” from the Irish Theatre Institute.
It revealed that almost three quarters of 1,300 arts workers surveyed had either suffered or witnessed some sort of abuse.
Describing the findings as “stark” , the report’s authors added: “For many, it is an acknowledgment of a reality that has been hiding in plain sight. There appears to be a culture of harmful workplace behaviour across Ireland’s arts sector.”
The report found that the majority of the 1,343 respondents had experienced (70%) and/or witnessed (53%) some form of harmful behaviours, including bullying, harassment and sexual assault, that “undermine people’s right to dignity at work”.
Commenting on the findings, Minister Martin said: “I welcome this report and support the recommendations. There are layers of disturbing elements that emerge from the survey.
“The majority of the instances reported took place in the workplace, perpetrators are reported to hold positions of authority and often have not faced consequences for their harmful actions.
“The survey makes it clear that the seven damaging behaviours of bullying, humiliation, harassment, sexual harassment, victimisation, sexual assault and assault occur right across the arts sector, including those in receipt of public funding.
“The arrangements I am putting in place in response to ‘Speak Up: A Call for Change’, are designed to end this scourge and provide safe working conditions for artists and arts workers.
“I want to send out a clear message to the sector that this damaging behaviour will not be tolerated.”
And director of the Arts Council, Maureen Kennelly, added: “The ‘Speak Up’ project, and its report today are both hugely valuable and vital initiatives which will promote and safeguard a culture of dignity and respect across the arts.
“While the findings are stark, they serve to shine a spotlight on the actions necessary to markedly improve dignity at work for all artists and arts workers.”
The report was prompted when allegations of serious bullying emerged against former Gate Theatre artistic director Michael Colgan in 2017.
