County Council continues support for arts

WEST Cork has been allocated a large share of the €160,000 which has been awarded by the County Council to over 135 arts organisations and individual artists.

Allocations have just been announced under the annual Arts Grant Scheme which supports the work of many of the county’s voluntary arts groups including pipe and brass bands, choirs, traditional music and creative writing groups. 

Among those to benefit include Skibbereen Arts Festival  (€6,500); Clonakilty Guitar Festival (€3,500); Drimoleague Singing Festival (€2,000); Engage Arts Bandon (€6,000) and Ballydehob Folk and Maritime Festival (€600).

 Allocations to 34 arts festivals account for the largest share of funding provided by the Council in 2018 at nearly 43% of the overall grant allocation.  The economic impact of arts festivals supported by Cork County Council in 2017 was worth €3.23m to the local economy.

County Mayor Declan Hurley noted the importance of supporting arts activity at community level considering so much activity is generated by the work of voluntary arts organisations: ‘Voluntary efforts plays a huge role in our 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.’

Council chief Tim Lucey said there is a fantastic variety of work undertaken to promote access to, and participation in, the arts. ‘In terms of the outturn for 2017 it showed participation levels approaching 19,000 people and attendance at events of almost 170,000.’ Other local groups allocated funding include: Kinsale Arts Festival, €2,00; Baltimore Fiddle Festival, €3,000 and Cape Clear Storytelling Festival, €1,500.