The Arts Council has awarded Creative Places funding to Shannon, as part of a €1,097,000 national investment in communities across Ireland for 2025.
Creative Places, established in 2020, invests in people and places around Ireland that have not previously benefited from sustained investment in the arts. To date, €5 million has been invested in 19 communities, reaching more than 125,000 people.
Shannon is one of three Creative Places to move from research and development to a three-year programme phase in 2025, each receiving €310,000.
From theatre and visual arts to music, film and storytelling, Shannon’s Creative Places programme will build on the town’s dynamic creative energy. The initiative aims to connect residents, artists and local organisations, using the arts to explore Shannon’s distinctive identity and create opportunities for participation across generations.
Working with community partners, the programme will pair experienced practitioners with first-time participants through mentoring and training. The focus is on lasting impact, building skills and confidence that celebrate creativity in the town.
Patrick O’Donovan TD, Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport commented: “Creative Places brings the arts into the heart of communities where sustained opportunities have been limited. The impact is clear—building confidence, wellbeing and local pride, and helping people see their places in new and inspiring ways through creativity.”
Maura McGrath, Chair, The Arts Council said: “Creative Places expands access to the arts and recognises the creativity already present in communities and the value of supporting it to grow. The Arts Council is proud to continue investing in local collaboration, imagination and inclusion through Creative Places.”
Siobhán Mulcahy, Arts Officer, Clare County Council commented: “Working in partnership and putting people and places first, this new funding will support artists and local groups to co-create work in the spaces we share—bringing workshops, performances and community-led projects into everyday life across Shannon.”
Lead partner: Clare County Council
More info: https://clarearts.ie/programme-areas/creative-placemaking/
Creative Places is an Arts Council initiative that invests in communities where there has been little or no sustained arts investment. Launched in 2020, the programme supports long-term collaboration between artists, local authorities and communities to build inclusive and vibrant local arts engagement. To date, €5 million has been invested in 19 communities across Ireland, reaching more than 125,000 people.
The Arts Council / An Chomhairle Ealaíon is the national agency for funding, developing and promoting the arts in Ireland. It works to ensure that the arts are valued and central to Irish life. Through advocacy, investment and partnership, the Arts Council supports artists, arts organisations and communities to engage with and enjoy the arts. The Arts Council was established in 1951 and operates under the Arts Act 2003. For more information, visit www.artscouncil.ie.