Art and literature

By Kate Quinlan, BIMM graduate, class of 2024, 14 February 2025 The proposed mass redundancies at BIMM Dublin, one of Ireland’s most prestigious music colleges, represent not just an attack on workers’ rights but the potential for a grave cultural loss. Lecturers at the institution, many of whom are accomplished musicians who have contributed to shaping Ireland’s music industry, now find their livelihoods under threat. With outrageous plans to cut approximately one-third of the workforce with lecturers being told they have to all reapply for their jobs, this decision risks irreparable damage to Ireland’s artistic heritage in the name of profit. BIMM is home to some of the brightest talents in Irish music. Its graduates include acclaimed bands like Fontaines D.C., and singer-songwriter Erica Cody. These successes, however, did not emerge in isolation. They were nurtured by the dedication and expertise of BIMM’s lecturers—working artists who have performed with iconic Irish groups such as The Frames, The Stunning, Villagers, and The Coronas. These are not merely educators; they are mentors with unparalleled experience, offering students a bridge between academic theory and the realities of the music industry. “Uber-isation” Despite this, BIMM’s management, now under private equity ownership, has reduced its teaching staff to disposable commodities. By forcing lecturers to reapply for their positions amidst a chaotic “consultation” process, management is imposing a new employment structure that could cut pay nearly in half. As Robert McNamara of the Irish Federation of University Teachers (IFUT) aptly described it, this represents the “Uber-isation” of lecturers—stripping educators of stability, dignity, and fair pay in favour of exploitative precarity. Management claims this restructuring will create a “stable environment” for students and staff. But how can such claims hold weight when the very mentors who inspire and guide students face uncertainty and demoralisation? As McNamara put it when speaking to the Irish Independent, “The lecturers’ working environment is the students’ learning environment.” Undermining staff not only affects their livelihoods but directly diminishes the quality of education and mentorship available to students. Art and education, not profit At its core, these cuts are a symptom of the negatives of privatised education. BIMM, originally founded as an institution for modern music education, has been reduced to a profit-driven entity since its acquisition by Intermediate Capital Group in 2020. This private equity firm—like others of its kind—exists to extract wealth, not to foster cultural or educational value. For them, the lecturers and their students are merely numbers on a balance sheet. The arts cannot and should not be quantified in this way.  Ireland’s music industry is a cornerstone of its cultural identity and international reputation. The decision to gut BIMM’s teaching staff in such a cavalier manner sends a chilling message: the arts and the people who sustain them are expendable in the pursuit of cost-cutting measures. These lecturers, with their wealth of industry knowledge, have not only guided students toward success but have also contributed to the vibrancy of Ireland’s cultural scene. Their insights are indispensable, offering students lessons that textbooks cannot. If these cuts proceed, the consequences will ripple beyond BIMM’s walls. Ireland risks losing an essential incubator for musical talent, depriving future generations of the opportunity to learn from the very individuals who have shaped the industry they aspire to enter. What’s more, the exclusion of the IFUT from this process is a blatant disregard for workers’ rights. The refusal to engage with union representatives speaks to a disdain for the collective voice of workers. All workers and students must support the IFUT lecturers. Every single job must be maintained without attacks on wages or conditions. BIMM should be brought back into the public system if the union-busting management cannot guarantee this. This is not just a fight for fair wages or secure contracts—it is a fight for Ireland’s cultural future. BIMM’s lecturers are more than employees. They are custodians of an industry that has given Ireland a global platform, a source of pride, and an enduring legacy. Their knowledge, artistry, and mentorship are invaluable, and their contributions cannot simply be replaced by a “restructured” model designed to cut costs. This must be a call to the wider public to recognize that when private interests strip resources from the arts, society as a whole pays the price. The Irish government, too, must intervene and uphold its responsibility to safeguard workers and cultural institutions.  This situation is a stark reminder of the dangers posed by the corporatisation of education. It is not too late for BIMM’s management to reverse course and engage meaningfully with its staff, their union, and the wider community. Ireland’s music industry and cultural heritage depend on it. To lose these lecturers is to lose part of what makes Ireland’s arts scene so unique, so vibrant, and so profoundly impactful on the world stage. We cannot allow that to happen.