Aengus Ó Snodaigh
Question:582. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media what funding is available to amateur arts in Ireland, including choirs. [15060/24]
View answerTuesday, 9 April 2024
Questions (582)
Written answers
Under the Arts Act 2003, the Arts Council has primary responsibility for the development of the arts in Ireland. The Arts Council's commitment to the arts is provided for in its 10-years investment Strategy - Making Great Art Work.
Arts participation is a core value across all areas of the Arts Council's work and it is committed to increasing public engagement in the arts in Ireland. The Council provides financial support to a number of initiatives aimed at increasing public access, participation and engagement in the arts. Its festivals investment scheme, is specifically designed to support local and voluntary organisations. The Arts Council provide funding to Sing Ireland which is a membership organisation for choirs in Ireland. Sing Ireland provides information, support and development programmes for anyone interested in, or involved with, choral music in Ireland.
In addition, the Arts Council invests funding in a range of developmental projects including Creative Schools, Creative Places, Creative Europe and Culture Night, and towards the Arts Council’s Equality, Diversity and Inclusion plans. For example, Culture Night, creates opportunities for artists at all levels. Details of all these programmes are available on the Arts Council's website.
In Budget 2024, I provided a record €134m funding for the Arts Council in recognition of the transformational impact of this funding and to support the sector.
A network of cultural infrastructure exists throughout the country with the majority in the ownership of local authorities. Annual support, including programming and revenue supports, is provided to arts centres by local authorities and the Arts Council. Arts Centres are where artists and audiences meet and this is a key part of the Arts Council strategy to invest in public engagement. My Department focuses on providing capital grant funding to assist and maintain these arts and cultural facilities. Funding is administered through applications received for specific Grant Schemes. Within my Department, there are a number of measures in place to support the arts at amateur levels and include:
- Annual funding is provided to Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann for its work in the protection and promotion of Irish traditional music and culture.
- Increased funding for the Safe to Create Programme, including Minding Creative Minds, that supports all artists and creatives.
- A new pilot capital support scheme for Arts, Culture and the Night Time Economy will support development of vibrant late night arts and culture scenes in Irish cities, towns and villages as well as additional capital to assist in the provision of building and equipment needs, artists’ workspaces, and adapting facilities to reduce energy needs and carbon footprints.
- The Music Capital Scheme managed by Music Network provides funding for the purchase of musical instruments to both non-professional performing groups/ensembles and professional musicians. This includes equipment for choirs.
- Creative Ireland Programme funding in 2023 is supporting the delivery of a number of creative projects nationwide.
- Funding is provided for cultural events such as St Patrick’s Festival, Other Voices, Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann that in turns helps to sustain the arts at all levels.
- In collaboration with the local authorities, Fáilte Ireland's regional festival scheme is available to local community festivals;
- A small-scale local festivals and summer schools scheme designed to support local cultural festivals and summer schools that are not be eligible under funding criteria for larger scale events supported by Fáilte Ireland, the Arts Council and similar bodies. The maximum funding available under this scheme is capped at €5,000.
- Some funding programmes within the Broadcasting and Gaeltacht areas also serve to promote many artists and creative talents from across the music sectors.
- Finally, in response to Covid-19, capital funding was provided to local authorities to adapt, equip or otherwise improve public spaces for cultural and events activities as part of the pilot Outdoor Public Space Scheme 2021. These outdoor public spaces will provide year-round use and can improve well-being and contribute positively to the public realm.