Congratulations to each new Creative Place, across six counties!
The seven new Creative Places for 2023 are Enniscorthy, County Wexford; Balbriggan, North County Dublin; MacUíllíam, Tallaght; and Uíbh Ráthaigh, Kerry all for three-year programmes, while Edgeworthstown, County Longford; Ballyconnell, County Cavan; and Ballaghaderreen, County Roscommon receive research awards to develop their Creative Places.
This brings to a total of 17 the number of Creative Places funded since 2020. This latest funding means that almost 100,000 people in rural Ireland have access to the arts in their own communities for the first time.
Maureen Kennelly, Director of the Arts Council, said: “We are committed to a vision of access to the arts no matter where you live in Ireland. Our Creative Places programme is critical for the Arts Council, as it gives people access to the arts in their own communities for the first time. This is an artist led programme but is collaborative in nature, and we could not do this without the commitment of local agencies, which include local authorities, community development organisations, arts organisations and local communities themselves.”
Existing places already benefitting from the Creative Places programme include Darndale and Loughlinstown/Ballybrack, County Dublin; Edenderry, County Offaly; Athy, County Kildare; Bagenalstown, County Carlow; the West Cork Islands; Tuam; Shannon, County Clare; Baltinglass, County Wicklow; and Tipperary Town.
