UNION Hall’s Cnoc Buí Community Arts Centre has received a major vote of confidence with a €200,000 grant under the LEADER Rural Development Programme.

The funding was approved by the West Cork Local Community Development Committee (LCDC) and is supported through SECAD Partnership CLG as part of the LEADER Rural Development Programme 2023–2027.

The grant will enable the sensitive refurbishment and repurposing of several of Cnoc Buí’s historic pre-famine outbuildings, creating additional space for exhibitions, community meetings, administration and cultural events. Construction is expected to begin later this summer, with the new facilities due to open in time for the 2027 summer exhibition season.

Since opening its doors just four years ago, Cnoc Buí has established itself as one of West Cork’s most vibrant community arts centres, combining an ambitious visual arts programme with an ever-expanding role as a community hub.

Championing the visual arts, it has 17 exhibitions already scheduled for 2026. By the end of this year, almost 200 different artists will have exhibited at Cnoc Buí at least once since it opened.

In recent years, Cnoc Buí has also broadened its cultural programme to include performing arts, drama and literature, a direction that the organisation intends to continue developing.

Alongside its artistic programme, the centre has become an invaluable resource for the wider community.

Today, Cnoc Buí provides regular meeting space for 22 local community groups, reflecting its growing importance as a shared space where creativity, collaboration and community life come together.

Cnoc Buí Director Paul Finucane said: ‘This funding represents a hugely significant milestone for Cnoc Buí and for the wider West Cork community. Over the past four years we’ve been amazed by the support we’ve received from artists, volunteers, community groups and visitors.

‘We’ve achieved an incredible amount despite limited space, and this investment will allow us to realise the next stage of our vision. By carefully restoring these historic buildings, we’re not only protecting an important part of Union Hall’s heritage, but creating inspiring new spaces where creativity, learning and community life can flourish for many years to come.’

Once completed, the expanded facilities will provide greater opportunities for exhibitions, workshops, performances, and community gatherings, ensuring the centre can continue to serve the region’s growing cultural needs well into the future.