Arts Officer Brian Harten explains the roll out of Creative Ireland

AS CREATIVE IRELAND ROLLS OUT IN LOUTH, THE PUBLIC WILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SAY WHAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE HAPPEN IN THE CULTURAL-BASED PROGRAMME BORN OUT OF THE 1916 CENTENARY CELEBRATIONS

FOLLOWING the success of the 1916 centenary celebrations which captured the imagination of communities around the country, the Government has launched the Creative Ireland Programme which aims at promoting ‘individual, community and national well being’. The programme is being billed as ‘an invitation to entire country to get involved in something truly inspirational’ which has, at it’s heart ‘collaboration between central and local government, between culture and industry, between artists and policy makers to facilitate an ecosystem of creatively’.

Local authorities will be delivering the programme at county level and members of the public get the chance to have their say on how they would like the five year programme evolve at a meeting in Bellingham Castle Hotel, Castlebellingham on Thursday April 6 at 7pm.

Louth County Council’s arts officer Brian Harten, who has been appointed as the County Culture Co-ordinator, explains that the Creative Ireland Programme is ‘a legacy of the 2016 commemorations’.

‘ The Government felt that the response from the general public was exception and they really liked how committees had come together to celebrate national events on a local and county level.’

There are, he says, five pillars to the programme, which aim at enabling the creative potential of every child; enabling creativity in every community; investing in our creative and cultural infrastructure; fostering Ireland as a centre of excellence in media production and unifying our global reputation,

Local authorities have been tasked with leading the pillar to enable creativity in every community.

A ten strong Culture Team, reporting to Director of Service Frank Pentony, has already been set up comprising Arts Officer Brian Harten, County Archivist Lorraine Buchanan, the Curator of the County Museum, Brian Walshe, County Heritage Officer Brendan McSherry, Acting County Librarian Amanda Brannigan, as well as Aoife Ruane, director at Highlanes Gallery, Paul Hayes, director at An Tain Arts Centre, Sarah Daly, director, Creative Spark and Collette, director

at Droichead Arts Centre. They are already working on drawing up the first County Cultural Plan which will outline how a unified approach to cultural development in the county can be devised for the first time. It’s hoped that this will be completed by the end of April.

Creative Ireland workshop taking place in Castlebellingham on Thursday at 7pm will give those interested in the arts and culture an opportunity to have their say in what they would like to see happening in Louth over the next five years. ‘Anyone and everyone who is interested in the arts is invited to come along,’ he says. Representatives from the Creative Ireland unit at the Department of Arts, Heritage Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs will be on hand to explain what it’s hoped to achieve under the programme.

Speaking in advance of the public meeting, Joan Martin, Chief Executive, Louth County Council said:

“The Creative Ireland Programme chimes with the positive work which has been undertaken in County Louth over the past number of years, and Louth County Council fully recognises and supports the aim of putting culture and creativity at the heart of our work. The benefits of a thriving cultural sector to a county, in terms of tourism and other economic benefits, are now well recognised. But the most important benefits happen on an individual basis, with people’s mental and emotional well-being, and their sense of identity, buttressed and safeguarded by meaningful engagement with arts and culture. Here in Louth, we are heading into an exciting two years when we will be hosting Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann, which will allow us to showcase the musicians, writers and artists in the county, as well as making full use of our cultural infrastructure. I would invite all community groups, not just arts and culture-centred groups to get involved in the Creative Ireland Programme, because it is when we are working together that

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