From Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media
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Today (8 May 2024), the first meeting took place of the new Advisory Committee focusing on the representation of women and women’s stories in the context of the national cultural institutions and the national collections.
Recent years have shown the importance of highlighting women’s lives, experiences, and contribution to the formative events in all aspects of our modern history. By expressing previously untold stories, we gain a more meaningful, authentic and nuanced understanding of our past, in all of its complexity. Cultural engagement, public events, exhibitions, outreach activities, and creative endeavours, have all supported the documenting and presenting of women’s experiences and participation.
Coinciding with International Women’s Day, Minister Martin appointed a new Advisory Committee to examine how the diverse experiences and voices of women, particularly historically marginalised women, are represented in the context of the national cultural institutions and the national collections.
The committee is embarking on a significant programme of work, which will consider best practice models within cultural policy internationally, undertake a broad public consultation, support the national cultural institutions in reviewing the national collections, and consider feasible options for developing a dedicated presentation of women’s stories. The culmination of the committee’s work will be to make specific recommendations to assist the government in enhancing the representation of women’s experiences, contribution, and voices in Irish cultural organisations and within the national collections.
Speaking after the meeting, Minister Martin said:
"I established this Advisory Committee to recommend actions that will help the government highlight most effectively the achievements, experiences, and voices of women, in the context of our National Cultural Institutions and the National Collections. I have also asked the Committee to examine the feasibility of developing a National Women’s Museum. The members bring a wealth of diverse experiences and expertise to their roles, which will support the consideration of complex and sensitive matters, inclusively and thoughtfully. I am very grateful for their constructive engagement and enthusiasm, and I wish them well in what will be a very ambitious and important programme of work."
The Chair, Dr Sandra Collins, added:
"I am excited to work with the Committee on the broad and ambitious programme of work before us. This Advisory Committee is charged with an important undertaking, and I am looking forward to working with colleagues who bring great insight, wisdom and experience to the table. I am particularly interested in our planned public consultation and making sure that our recommendations build on best practices and the experience and expertise of our Committee and community of stakeholders."
The advisory committee is chaired by Dr Sandra Collins, University Librarian in University College Dublin, and former Director of the National Library of Ireland. It includes members from national cultural institutions in Ireland and abroad, historians, experts in gender and equality studies, representatives from the National Women’s Council of Ireland and from relevant government departments, and those with a range of other experiences and expertise. The members appointed to the Advisory Committee are: