Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 21 June 2022
217. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the innovative support schemes that have been developed since June 2020 for small local festivals, amateur dramatics and musicals; and the festivals and organisations that have benefited from every such scheme. [32169/22]
View answerPrimary funding for the arts is delivered through the Arts Council. Across its various funding schemes, the Arts Council supports more than 160 festivals annually. The Arts Council seeks to support festivals on a year-round basis and makes a significant contribution to both major festivals and to over 150 small festivals throughout the country through its festival investment scheme. The Council recognises the distinctive role arts festivals play in sustaining a vibrant and sustainable arts profile at local level. Festivals provide opportunities for artists and audiences to experience new work and ways of making work.
My Department operates a small-scale local festivals and summer schools funding scheme designed to support local cultural festivals and summer schools which are not in receipt of other essential Government moneys and which may not be eligible under funding criteria for larger scale events supported by Fáilte Ireland, the Arts Council or similar bodies.
In addition a number of local authorities support small-scale festivals, in some cases, under the all-of-Government Creative Ireland Programme 2017-2022, led by my Department. Under its Creative Communities initiative, annual funding is provided to the 31 local authorities to enable them implement their individual Culture and Creativity Strategies 2018-2022, with €6.6 million provided in 2021. This funding also supports Cruinniú na nÓg, the national day of free creativity for children and young people.
Fáilte Ireland also provides supports for festivals and participative events that focus predominantly on internationally-motivating festivals/events from the point of view of inbound international tourism and bednights. Fáilte Ireland's 'Winter in Dublin' campaign was created to promote a specially curated programme of cultural events and experiences taking place in the capital throughout the Winter. Flagship events within the campaign - such as TradFest - promoted Irish musical talent at their core.
