16 March 2018
By Mary Bermingham
mary@TheCork.ie
People in Cork will experience the arts in new and exciting ways in 2018, the Arts Council have said.
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.
“2018 is going to be an excellent year for people in Cork who enjoy the arts, said Arts Council Director, Orlaith McBride. “whether you love theatre, music, dance, literature or the visual arts, whether you are young or old, you will experience wonderful work that will lift your spirit.”
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 Cork were:
- €180,000 Corcadorca Theatre Company Ltd
- €154,000 Cork Midsummer Festival
- €14,000 Dowtcha Puppets
- €5,000 Mercier Press Ltd
- €2,500 Drimoleague Singing Festival
- €17,000 Blood in the Alley Productions
- €282,000 National Sculpture Factory Cork
Corcadorca Theatre company presents a variety of work across scales and styles. In recent years, it has specialised in site-specific work based in its native Cork City, utilising locations and buildings within the city. It also develops new writing.
Cork Midsummer Festival (CMF) established in 1996 is an annual multi-disciplinary arts festival that uses the city as its backdrop and inspiration. It aims to present arts events for audiences of all ages. Its programme provides opportunities for significant public participation and engagement, supports the development of emerging artists across all artforms, and provides a unique platform for work by local and national artists. It is considered the leading festival in socially engaged arts practice in Ireland.
The National Sculpture Factory is a workspace and producing organisation based in Cork City. It provides facilities and equipment for visual artists as well as commissioning new works, initiating collaborations, residencies and other artistic projects.
