Eight's grand for some

There’s a handy €8,000 up for grabs for two Cork artists as part of a new national development scheme which opened this week.

The pilot scheme, named Platform 31, is designed to offer support and career development to one artist in each of the 31 local authorities around Ireland. This means that one artist each from Cork county and city will be chosen for the scheme.

Platform 31 was launched this week by the Association of Local Authority Arts Offices (LAAOs), in collaboration with the Arts Council.

The LAAOs have been working with artists in Ireland for more than 35 years to ensure that art is nurtured, protected and celebrated in all communities.

“We embrace the opportunity in our communities to inform and lead new ways of working collaboratively towards cultural development,” said Jenny Sherwin, Wicklow County Council Arts Officer.

She added: “At the heart of all of this are artists, the real animators of the arts in Ireland – the writers, musicians, actors, performers, dancers and filmmakers. We envision this pilot scheme as a platform for these creatives.”

Also commenting was Arts Council Director Maureen Kennelly who said that the Arts Council was delighted to partner with local authorities, who she said are responding “thoughtfully and ambitiously” to what is a challenging environment for artists.

She said: “The carefully considered support network built into Platform 31 sets this bursary scheme apart.”

The €8,000 bursary is open to artists of any discipline and practice who are based in Ireland, as well as multi-disciplinary practice and design of all kinds.

The scheme is targeted at mid-career artists who have been in receipt of support or investment from a Local Authority Arts Office or the Arts Council within the last three years.