THIS WEEK sees the beginning of a series of public meetings aimed at gauging opinions on Co. Wexford’s arts provision and analysing how it can be improved in the coming months and years.

Meetings are taking place on: Thursday in Gorey Library at 7 p.m.; Saturday in Wexford Library at 11 a.m.; Monday next in St. Michael’s Theatre, New Ross at 7 p.m.; Wednesday, February 18 in the Presentation Centre Enniscorthy at 7 p.m.; Thursday, February 19 in Bunclody Library at 11 a.m. and finally on Monday, February 23 in Wexford Library at 3 p.m.

Speaking ahead of the meetings, Marie Brennan of Glasshouse Creative said that a lot of good feedback had come through the surveys already but she believed that the public consultations would give a clearer picture as to what people thought of the arts in Wexford.

“We want to show the strengths of the arts in Co. Wexford. When we finish up at the end of February we will go back and look at national policy and see what can be achieved.

“One of the things that came back to us was the belief that Wexford needs to be a great production area, that will see new and substantial work coming out of the county. We also need to look closely at spreading provisions out evenly across arts communities across the county.”

Ms. Brennan remarked that it was her job to do some “blue sky thinking” and compile the findings before looking to see what was possible and what was not, and to offer some independent thought on what the council should be doing.

“There aren’t many councils who would undertake a review like this but it shows that they have confidence in the arts in Co. Wexford.”