Aosdána (/iːsˈdɑːnə/eess-DAW-nə, Irish:[iːsˠˈd̪ˠaːnˠə]; from aos dána, 'people of the arts') is an Irish association or academy of artists, each of whom must have produced a distinguished body of work of genuine originality.[1] It was created in 1981 by the country's Arts Council on the initiative of a group of writers with support from the Taoiseach. Membership, which is by invitation from current members, is limited to 250 individuals; before 2005 it was limited to 200. Its steering body is a committee of 10, called the Toscaireacht.
Formation
Aosdána was originally set up by the Arts Council, on the suggestion of writer Anthony Cronin,[2] with support from the Taoiseach, Charles Haughey, well known for his support for the Arts, although Fintan O'Toole has argued that this also served to deflect criticism of Haughey's political actions.[3] The first 89 members were chosen by the Arts Council.
The process of induction relies entirely on members proposing new members, with a system of selective voting used to filter applications.[4] Applications by artists themselves are not allowed.
Stipend (Cnuas)
Some members of Aosdána resident in Ireland receive a stipend, called the Cnuas (pronounced[ˈkn̪ˠuəsˠ], lit.'collect, store'; a gift of financial aid put aside for the purpose of support), from the Arts Council of Ireland. This stipend is intended to allow recipients to work full-time at their art. The value of the Cnuas in 2021 was €20,180 (about £17,000 or US$23,000), having been around €17,000 for some years before that.[5]
The poet Pearse Hutchinson, a member of Aosdána, described it as "a miracle and a godsend" that allowed him to continue writing at a time when he might have had to give up.[6] Composer Roger Doyle has also spoken about the difference it made: "I was elected to Aosdána in 1986. This gave me a small stipend from the Government each year, which enabled me to devote all my time to composing. This changed my life for the better and I have composed non-stop since then."[7]
The title of Saoi (lit. "wise one") is a national honour that members of Aosdána can bestow upon a fellow member. No more than seven living members (previously five) can be so honoured at one time. The honour is conferred by the President of Ireland in a ceremony during which a gold torc is placed around the neck of the recipient by the President.
As of 2024[update], the current living Saoithe were:[8]
The Toscaireacht ("delegation") is a committee of ten members, called Toscairí, of the Aosdána. It meets several times a year to deal with the administration and external relations of Aosdána, reports to every General Assembly, which meets once a year, and sets the assembly's agenda.[11][12] When new members of Aosdána are proposed, the Toscairí have the task of verifying that the nomination process has been complied with, and also that the candidate is willing to accept membership, before the next stage of election is begun.[13]
Elections
Toscairí are elected to the Toscaireacht by the members of Aosdána for two years at a time. All members of Aosdána are eligible for election, and nominations must be made in writing by three members. The electoral process is in two stages. First, within each of Aosdána's three disciplines (Music, Literature, and Visual Arts), the two nominees with the highest number of votes are elected: this guarantees a minimum of two Toscairí from each of the disciplines. Next, the remaining four places are filled by the remaining nominees from any discipline who have the highest number of votes.[11]
Meetings
The procedure at meetings is laid down in the Toscaireacht's Standing Orders. Minutes of its meetings appear on Aosdána's website.[11]
Current Toscairí
As of 2022[update], the Toscaireacht members are:[11]
^Stephen Prince, "Haughey's patronage of the arts sits perfectly with the image he craved:that of a Medici prince", The Sunday Times (London), 18 June 2006, p. 14
^Fintan O'Toole, "How Charlie came to be painted as a man of the arts", Irish Times, 10 February 2007, page 6.
