A new project which is set to rejuvenate the arts industry in the Midlands and Ireland kicks off with a mass meeting on February 7 at The Carlton Shearwater Hotel in Ballinasloe starting at 7pm.
The project, entitled A Time For Change, hopes to raise funding for a purpose-built national centre for the arts which will be situated in the Midlands. It is hoped to include a national radio station, demo recording studio, art gallery, and video studio as well as being a meeting point for like-minded people.
The brainchild of several musicians and artists, A Time For Change will be dedicated to showcasing and promoting unsigned Irish artists in a totally new and exciting way.
Speaking about the project, event organiser John McGrath noted that, “There are over 100,000 people involved in the various arts in Ireland, from musicians to poets, and with little or no outlet for their work the time has come to address this problem.”
John went on to say, “This project will be membership based; for just €2 per week members will have full access to all the facilities available at the cenre. Imagine one building, located in the middle of Ireland consisting of our own national radio station, an artist studio, a demo recording studio, an art gallery to showcase your talent, and a TV studio complete with a green screen to record your videos, a point of sale for your CDs, videos, books, art work, and poetry, plus a website dedicated to promoting your creative talent to an international audience of millions of people. For just €2 per week you can have unlimited access to all this, including workshops and advice to nurture and guide young talent, and much more.”
John hopes the February meeting will be the first step that sparks a flame of interest with people. “That’s why it’s vital that everyone who feels disillusioned and let down by the current systems for promoting the arts attend the meeting. This project will be a massive success, but only if the artists themselves play their part.”
“Every day I receive phone calls and emails from people all over Ireland saying the same thing, that they are truly hampered by the current system and feel they are powerless to do anything, because they have no voice. Well this project will give all artists a real voice, and for the first time give everyone an equal chance to follow their dreams,” he added.
“I’m speaking now to every unsigned artist in Ireland, including cover bands, solo artists, dancers, songwriters, novelists, sculptors, painters, poets, dancers, drama groups, and musicians of every genre; this project is in your interest. If you believe that your talent deserves to be recognised then you need to come to this event. This is a real chance to change the system, we need to do this ourselves because nobody else will. Come to this mass meeting on February 7 in Ballinasloe to see for yourselves what this project will mean for you.”
If you would like to be part of this exciting venture then call John on (087 ) 6884646 or email [email protected]. You can also visit www.atfc2012.com for more information about the project.
