Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media | Supporting local festivals and events for the arts

To ask the Minister for Tourism; Culture; Arts; Gaeltacht; Sport and Media the extent to which she expects to be in a position to support the arts at local level by way of support for festivals and events which are of benefit to the arts; and if she will make a statement on the matter.

REPLY

My Department runs a Small Scale Local Festivals and Summer Schools Scheme annually and this scheme is opened to applications from all counties. The scheme is reserved for appropriate not-for-profit festivals, summer schools and other such similar events. Projects funded under the scheme enhance access to the arts, culture and film sectors recognising the social and economic role of these sectors in Ireland.  Funding available under this scheme is typically capped at €5,000.

The Scheme is designed to support local cultural festivals and summer schools which are not in receipt of other central Government monies and which may not be eligible under funding criteria for larger scale events supported by Fáilte Ireland, the Arts Council and similar bodies. Events which are funded by the Arts Council and Fáilte Ireland are not eligible.

The projects make a very important contribution to the development and promotion of Ireland’s cultural tourism offering, to the benefit of both the domestic and foreign tourist and represent an important component of the delivery of the cultural tourism commitments in the Programme for Government.

The 2022 scheme launched on 28th February and the closing date for applications was 23rd April 2022. It is currently envisaged that the scheme will run again in 2023 and will launch in the first quarter of the year.

The Arts Council also provides financial support to a number of single art form festivals (e.g. theatre, dance, film) and such festivals are supported within the policy context of those art forms. The Arts Council also supports many multidisciplinary arts festivals, meaning those festivals that programme across different art forms, including literature, music, street arts, theatre, visual arts and different areas of arts practice.  Their Festivals Investment Scheme, for example, is specifically designed to offer support to local/voluntary organisations to develop arts festivals.

Fáilte Ireland supports local authorities in the development of tourism in their area including funding for capital investment, festivals and events.