People in Clare will experience the arts in new and exciting ways in 2018, according to the Arts Council.
Outlining its plan to invest €68.4 million nationwide over the course of the year, the agency for developing the arts said the focus of this year’s investment would be on creating opportunities for the public to experience large-scale work, as well as work of real artistic ambition, by supporting organisations through its two new funding programmes.
The Council said more than half of its total grant from Government would be invested through its new Strategic Funding programme, for established organisations operating at the highest level across all the areas of the arts. This includes funding for the first time at this level for several organisations.
In addition, there will be increased funding for particular work by artists, emerging companies and organisations through the new Arts Grants Funding programme
Individual artists will be supported through a range of schemes such as bursaries and the Next Generation award, the Council said, with funding too for the dozens of unique festivals that take place in communities across Ireland in 2018.
Amongst the grants offered to organisations in Clare were:
*€105,000 glór Irish Music Centre
*€4,000 Consairtin
*€16,000 Killaloe Chamber Music Festival
*€95,000 Scoil Samhraidh Willie Clancy
Scoil Samhraidh Willie Clancy, established in 1974, is the oldest of all the traditional music summer schools that take place, running for 10 days each July in Miltown Malbay. Its programme of events includes classes, lectures, céilithe, recitals, publication launches, instrument-making and repairing workshops, sessions and a major concert. It is a nationally significant event involving the transmission of all aspects of the traditional arts, with an emphasis on high quality tuition. It also provides multiple opportunities for the public to engage in the traditional arts.
Glór is a local authority-owned venue in Ennis Co. Clare, which opened in 2001, with a 485 seat theatre and a 60 seat studio. Glór was set up to be a centre for the traditional arts. It is an arts resource for Ennis and Clare. It produces work with network partners and hosts multi-disciplinary touring work. It organises a programme of arts engagement with the community.