Almost €50k in funding for Arts and Cultural projects
THE Sligo arts scene has been given a major boost by a new round of Government funding.
The Yeats County has just been allocated €27,500 from the Arts and Culture Capital Scheme 2016-2018 while Leitrim was awarded €20,000.
The move which was announced last Friday has been welcomed locally. The Local organisations and projects set to benefit include: Anaglyph Ltd (Leitrim Sculpture Centre), The Michael Coelman Heritage Centre, and The Teach Morrision Outreach Centre.
Fine Gael TD for Sligo – Leitrim Tony McLoughlin said: “This funding is part of €750,000 allocated to more than 60 local arts organisations around the country by the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Heather Humphreys.”
“The funding is being made available under Stream 3 of the Arts and Culture Capital Scheme. Earlier this year, Minister Humphreys announced funding of over €9 million under Stream 1 and 2 of the Scheme. While the first two rounds of funding were aimed at larger organisations, these grants are for smaller community based groups, many of whom are doing great work here in Sligo and Leitrim in the arts and culture sphere,” he added.
“While the maximum grant allowed under this scheme is €20,000, the grants will still make a significant difference to those smaller organisations looking to develop, for example, IT projects, new lighting and sound systems in theatres and arts centres, seating, staging and storage and the improvement of digital facilities.
“The funding will be a real boost to tourism here in Sligo and Leitrim helping to develop our offering to visitors, but it will also be of real benefit to local communities here,” he said.