A New Report ‘Creativity, the City and the University’ Examines TCD’s Collaboration with major Dublin Cultural Institutions
Posted on: 15 April 2010
A study on the collaboration between Trinity College Dublin and six major Dublin cultural institutions, Creativity, the City and the University, was launched by the Minister for Tourism, Culture and Sport, Mary Hanafin TD in TCD on Tuesday, April 13th last. The cultural institutions include the National Museum of Ireland, the National Library of Ireland, the National Gallery of Ireland, Dublin City Public Libraries, Dublin City Gallery, the Hugh Lane and the Chester Beatty Library. The report charts the historical and current ties between the university and these institutions, and looks to the potential such collaboration has both culturally and economically.
It highlights the importance of creativity and innovation to the future of Ireland’s cultural sector as well as the role that this sector can play in re-energising the economic development of Dublin city and the country. Moreover it emphasises the role the university can play both in the cultural sector and in developing Dublin as a creative hub.
Provost, Dr John Hegarty, Minister Hanafin TD, Dr Johanna Archbold, Prof Poul Holm and Prof John O’Hagan.
At the launch, Minister Hanafin commented: “We have quite spectacular cultural institutions in this country such as galleries and museums which are on a par with anywhere in the world and it is important that we develop greater links between our academic and cultural institutions. Today’s report is about seeing how can we generate these better links, encourage more cultural tourism and blend this with the world of technology, which is where we have had much success, such as through animation. By linking institutions like Trinity College with the cultural institutions, and getting them to work more closely together, share expertise and use the best technologies to link us to Europe, the US and wider world we can promote our fine Irish culture.”
The study was initiated by Trinity College Dublin and was funded by both the College and some of the collaborating institutions. Commenting on its significance, Provost, Dr John Hegarty stated: “The rationale for the Creativity, the City and the University report was that Trinity College together with Dublin’s major cultural institutions could combine their efforts further and enable progress to the forefront of creativity and innovation in the cultural sector. The challenge now is to exploit even more the connections and to learn from international experience in this regard.”
The report also documents the institutions’ common activities where each institution has a mission to collect, preserve, present and elucidate their collections and articulate research strategies and outreach programmes.
Professor of Economics, John O’Hagan at Trinity College Dublin was Project Director of the study and the report’s author was Dr Johanna Archbold, Research Fellow with the Trinity Long Room Hub, who wrote the report in conjunction with the cultural institutions involved.
The report, Creativity, the City and the University was launched during Trinity Week 2010, a celebration of College life. This year’s programme includes an exciting programme of symposia, events, debates, trails and workshops around the theme of Ideas for the Future. All events are free and open to the public.