Good news in Offaly as key arts organisation gets funding boost

An Offaly organisation has been awarded a share of funding announced this week by Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, Catherine Martin.

She announced capital grants of almost €540,000 for 25 arts and culture organisations to upgrade and develop their facilities. €10,788 of that will go to the Birr Stage Guild in Offaly. The biggest award in this round of funding will also go to the Midlands with Longford's Backstage Theatre receiving €45,145  

This funding is provided under Stream A of the Cultural Capital Scheme 2019-2022, which offers grants of up to €50,000. It is part of an overall €4.7m capital investment scheme in artistic and cultural institutions around the country.  

Offaly Minister Pippa Hackett welcomed the news as she said: "It’s so important to have thriving arts centres in our towns so I’m very pleased to see Dunamaise Arts Centre receiving €24,887 and Birr Stage Guild getting €10,788. This follows news this week that the Tullamore Arts Centre is due for completion in July so hopefully we will have vibrant arts programmes to look forward to. After the lockdowns, we need to return to theatres and support our artists across Laois and Offaly.”

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Minister Catherine Martin said: "I am delighted to be in a position to award this funding to these organisations for the necessary upgrading of their facilities. This capital scheme prioritises projects that reduce an organisation's carbon footprint. This is in line with the Government's action on climate change, and it is encouraging to know that the funding for some of these projects will make a real and positive impact on the environment.

"Projects that provide additional capacity for artists and artistic production, particularly in arts centres, were also favoured. This investment at a range of different facilities, including arts centres, theatres, galleries, museums, as well as artists’ studios and creative spaces, aims to improve the audience and creative experience. 

"This overall funding package will ensure past investment in these arts and cultural centres is protected and sustained. Today’s funding announcement is in addition to my earlier allocations of funding under this Scheme in December 2020, and August 2021, together with funding to visual artist workspaces and Stream D funding which is specifically for capital adaptations or equipment necessary to assist arts organisations in re-opening safely after COVID-19.

"While some of the allocations are modest, they will make a huge difference to some smaller organisations. Today’s announcement will bring the total awarded under this Scheme to date to almost €3.4m. I wish these arts and culture facilities continued success in the future.”