Arts grant for magnificent seven
The seven islands off West Cork are set to benefit from a three-year €450,000 investment programme to develop and sustain new creative opportunities for all.
The Irish Arts Council programme, Creative Places, is aimed at communities that have never in the past enjoyed a sustained arts investment.
The programme sets out to build upon existing cultural strengths and is based on dialogue, listening, and reaching out to those who may find it difficult to participate in an active cultural life.
Director of the Arts Council, Maureen Kennelly said it is important that public investment in the arts reaches and benefits more people in a sustained and meaningful way.
“We are delighted to be significantly investing in these places in this focused manner. We look forward to seeing the ambitious new projects that these inspiring communities create together and we are excited by the prospect of supporting them to celebrate and animate new places,” she said.
Each programme will be led by different consortiums made up of local authorities, community development organisations and arts organisations.
Cllr Patrick Gerard Murphy, Chair of Cork County Council’s Arts, Culture and Languages Strategic Policy Committee said: “Our island communities are very important to us in Cork County Council.
“The West Cork islands are isolated in terms of geography and subject to various economic pressures, but they are also resilient.”
The programme will be established throughout the summer and a coordinator will be appointed to initiate conversations with local communities on the seven islands.
These are Heir, Bere, Sherkin, Cape Clear, Whiddy, Dursey, Long, and Garnish.
“Cork County Council has done a considerable amount of arts development work in West Cork and on the islands in advance of engaging in the bid process and the Creative Places award will enable us to work with our local partners to bring this work to an entirely new level.
“I would like to pay tribute to the staff of the Council’s Arts Office and the Directorate for Municipal District Operations and rural Development who have led the bid process and to the Creative Places project partners,” concluded Cllr Patrick Murphy.