Exciting theatre, visual art, music and more are on the menu for people in Mayo this year, the Arts Council said this week.
The Arts Council, the Irish government agency for funding and developing the arts, said it would invest €314,000 in four Mayo-based organisations with a proven track record of delivering great arts experiences for people all over the county and beyond.
The funding comes through the Arts Council’s three main annual grants programmes. In addition, people in Mayo will enjoy the arts through Arts Council funding for touring, projects and bursaries for talented artists throughout the year.
The organisations to receive annual funding from the Arts Council for the period to the end of March 2014 are: Achill Heinrich Boll Centre €14,000; Ballina Arts Centre €40,000; Ballinglen Arts Foundation €70,000; and Linenhall Arts Centre €190,000.
The Linenhall Arts Centre promises an impressive series of events with the very best in visual art, music, theatre, dance, literature, film, children’s events and much more.
The chairman of the Arts Council Pat Moylan said: “We are delighted to be able to continue supporting and developing the arts in Mayo. For over 60 years the Arts Council has been at the forefront of developing and promoting the arts and, even with reduced funding, the Arts Council continues to build a central place for the arts in Irish life.
“Despite that funding to the arts has been cut by around 30 per cent since 2008, we recognise that work of the Arts Council produces an important social dividend that positively impacts on the quality of life of citizens across the country. Not only this, but the arts play a vital role in our economy, especially in job creation and tourism. Therefore we see it as vital to areas such as Mayo and other areas across the country that support for the arts is maintained.
“As the year progresses, we will be announcing further funding to individual artists and to groups undertaking projects, festivals and other events.”
