26 May 2017
By Tom Collins
tom@TheCork.ie
New Local Culture Plan will help to drive creativity in Cork City – Minister Humphreys
An Taoiseach Enda Kenny TD, and Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, Heather Humphreys TD, were joined by members of the Cork City Culture Team to launch the Cork City Culture and Creativity Plan, as part of the Creative Ireland Programme, at a special event in Dublin Castle.
Cork City Council are the local authority for Cork City
The development of Culture Plans for every county is a cornerstone of Pillar 2 of the Creative Ireland Programme – Enabling Creativity in Every County. Since the launch of Creative Ireland in December 2016, every Local Authority has established a Culture Team which includes arts officers, heritage officers, librarians, museum and gallery curators, led by a local Creative Ireland coordinator. Each Team has now put together a plan for their county to encourage communities and citizens to engage, participate and enable their creative potential.
Highlights from the Cork City Culture Plan
- Work with Music Generation to fund and develop a hub in Knocknaheeny
- An extended Summer in the Park programme, to include music and cultural genres not currently represented
- Fleischmann in the Glen, a free classical concert by Cork Fleischmann Symphony Orchestra in Glen River Park
- Cork Heritage Open Day
- Film in Cork, a joint Cork City and Cork County initiative bringing film production training, advice, and information to citizens
- Further development and support for Visit Cork, a dedicated programme to promote Cork as a region both of leisure and business tourism
- Ongoing investment in a range of cultural organisations, such as the Cork Opera House, Butter Museum, Munster Literature Centre, National Sculpture Factory, and The Everyman Theatre
Speaking about the Cork City Culture Plan Minister Humphreys said:
“I would like to sincerely thank all of the Culture Teams in Cork City who have been working so hard in recent months to help us realise some of the key ambitions in the Creative Ireland programme. Cork City already has a vibrant cultural scene and through Creative Ireland we want to see more people in Cork City participating in the arts locally.
“Through Creative Ireland we want to create an ecosystem of creativity in Cork City and every other county nationwide; we want to see more people not just attending the theatre or going to a cultural event, we want to see them getting involved. In this way, we can help to build happier, healthier communities.
“The power of culture cannot be overestimated; arts and culture can open our minds, enliven our communities and enrich our children’s lives. The development of a Culture Plan is an important commitment in the Action Plan for Rural Development, because we believe that culture should be part of the development of every community, be it rural, urban, or somewhere in between. I look forward to seeing this plan being implemented in Cork City in the coming months, to see Creative Ireland in action.”
Jean Brennan, Creative Ireland Coordinator, Paul Moynihan, Director of Services Cork City Council, Cllr Paudie Dineen, Deputisng for Cork’s Lord Mayor
