Council unveils arts funding for over 130 groups

By CONOR NASH

CORK County Council has announced arts funding to over 130 arts organisations and individual artists in the county.  

Arts grants totalling €154,000 were approved by Cork County Council at its recent meeting.

This year’s Council Arts Grants allocations will support the work of many local arts groups, including pipe and brass bands, choirs, traditional music and creative writing groups.

Welcoming the allocations, County Mayor Cllr John Paul O’Shea said that it was important that the Council should support arts activity at community level, particularly in view of the fact that so much activity is generated by the work of voluntary arts organisations. 

Voluntary effort, he said, plays a huge role in the county’s arts scene, providing opportunities for young people to gain confidence through performance in music and drama and for older members of society to engage in beneficial social activity through the arts.

County Council chief executive Tim Lucey said that the Arts Grants scheme is just one of an array of financial supports that the Council now has in place to help drive community development in the Arts. 

In 2016 the Council will allocate over €1m through the Economic Development Fund, a considerable portion of which will support festivals with a regional and national status. 

The programme will be rolled out this year and will contribute greatly to the local economy and community.