Funding announced for Cavan's creative projects

The announcement was made this morning.

Funding of €175,161 has been announced for cultural and other artistic projects across County Cavan.

The Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, Catherine Martin and the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Darragh O’ Brien this morning announced funding of €6.6 million for the 2022 Creative Ireland Programme Creative Communities initiative.

It's part of the Creative Ireland programme which sees a partnership between the departments and all 31 local authorities.

The Ministers say it will offer thousands of opportunities across Ireland for people of all ages to engage with creative projects in their local area.

Nearly 1,500 community-led creative projects took place last year after receiving funding.

This funding includes planning for an enhanced Cruinniú na nÓg - Ireland’s national day celebrating young people’s creativity in June 2022.

There will be projects around Creativity in Older Age with opportunities for older people to participate in creative activities.

Finally, Creative Climate Action projects in partnership with Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications will use the talents of artists and the wider creative industries to connect people with profound changes happening in our environment, society and economy arising from climate change.

Local TDs Brendan Smith and Niamh Smyth have welcomed the funding, the latter saying it offers a good opportunity.

"The ambition of the Creative Ireland Programme is to mainstream creativity in the life of the nation. Participation in cultural and creative activity promotes individual, community and national wellbeing and this funding has proved to be an important flexible resource that has enabled local authorities to sustain and develop vibrant creative communities."

Deputy Brendan Smith highlighted the importance of promoting culture.

"Culture plays an important role in local government’s work in the creation of good places to live and work and councils have extensive expertise across heritage, arts, libraries as well as strong connections with local communities. This programme is important in enabling local authorities to sustain and develop vibrant creative communities and support local artists across a range of activities”.

Minister Catherine Martin today praised the ongoing work to deliver the programmes across the country.

“I am delighted to continue to support the excellent work undertaken by local authorities on behalf of the Creative Ireland Programme. Since the inception of Creative Ireland our partners in local government have been key to the delivery of creative projects that promote an improved sense of wellbeing, social connections and economic development within their communities. Through these projects local authorities have been able to create exciting and constructive opportunities for people and communities. I want to congratulate our local authority partners for their energy and creativity in delivering so many wonderful projects that sustain and enhance the lives of everyone in their communities.”

The Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Darragh O’Brien highlighted the important of culture.

“Local authorities have extensive expertise across heritage, arts, libraries as well as vital local relationships. I firmly believe that culture plays a key role in local government’s work in creating great places to live and work. Creative Communities takes this a step further. Culture and creativity can be part of responses to social isolation, to creating a sense of place and to integrating new communities.”