Six County Galway festivals have received a total of €19,500 under the Arts Council’s Festivals and Events scheme, aimed at events which might find it difficult to take place without support.
The six organisations to receive funding are: Cooley Collins Traditional Music Festival (€3,000 ); Ceol na Mara (€3,000 ); Galway Jazz Festival (€5,000 ); Galway Theatre Festival (€5,000 ); Inishbofin Set Dancing (€1,500 ); and Portumna Arts Group (€2,000 ).
“I am delighted the Arts Council is able to support these very important festivals in County Galway,” said Orlaith McBride, director of the Arts Council. “The arts play a vital role in our economy, especially in local job creation, driving economic activity for local businesses and for local tourism.”
She said that despite funding for the arts being cut by 30 per cent since 2008, it is “vital to counties such as Galway that support for the arts is maintained within limited resources as far as is possible”.
