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Culture Policy

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 28 April 2021

Wednesday, 28 April 2021

Ceisteanna (123)

Jim O'Callaghan

Ceist:

123. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the status of the cultural capital scheme 2019-2022; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21804/21]

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Freagraí scríofa

The Cultural Capital Scheme 2019-2022 is a €4.7m capital investment scheme for arts and culture centres which opened for applications on 25 October 2019 and closed on 7 January 2020. The scheme will run until 2022 and will focus on enhancing the existing stock of arts and culture centres throughout the country. In line with the Government's action on climate change, this scheme will prioritise projects that reduce an organisation's carbon footprint that will make a real and positive impact on the environment. Projects that provide additional capacity for artists and artistic production particularly in arts centres will also be favoured.

This Scheme builds on the success of the former Arts and Culture Capital Scheme 2016-2018 with funding being made available under the National Development Plan, Project Ireland 2040.  Investing in our Culture, Language & Heritage 2018 -2027 sets out the Government’s objectives for capital investment in Ireland’s culture, language and heritage. 

The Cultural Capital Scheme 2019-2022 is constructed from the following Stream:-

- Stream A offered grants up to €50,000 aimed at refurbishment and upgrade of facilities;

- Stream B offered grants from €50,000 to €300,000 for larger enhancement/expansion/ refurbishment projects;

- Stream C offered grants up to €15,000 and was aimed at upgrading visual artists' workspaces and is run by Visual Artists Ireland (VAI) on behalf of the Department. Funding of approximately €79k was announced  in October 2020 by VAI for Stream C to 10 applicants;

- Stream D was set up in July 2020 specifically for capital adaptations or equipment necessary to assist arts and culture organisations re-open safely after COVID-19 and prevent its spread. This Stream is up and running and accepting applications and will run for the duration of the crisis.  To date 95 SLAs have been issued with grants totalling almost €670,000.

Streams A & B allocations

In December 2020, funding of €255,000 under Streams A and B was announced for 8 organisations.  As Streams A and B were under subscribed, some organisations whose applications did not reach a sufficiently high standard for award of a grant were given a second opportunity to submit an upgraded application.  The re-submitted applications are currently being assessed and it is hoped to make announcements on these over the coming months.  

Stream D is specifically for capital adaptations or equipment necessary to assist arts and culture organisations in re-opening. It is a priority for my Department to examine Stream D applications as they are submitted, with the aim of turning around Service Level Agreements (SLAs) as quickly as possible so that the organisations in question can complete the necessary works to enable them to be ready to re-open.

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