€68,000 FOR THE HIGHLANES

THE Arts Council will invest just under €1 million in Louth Arts this year, it has been revealed.

The council said people in Louth will experience the arts in new and exciting ways in 2018 and said the focus of this year’s investment would be on creating opportunities for the public to experience large-scale work, as well as work of real artistic ambition, by supporting organisations through its two new funding programmes.

The funding allocated includes €68,000 for Highlanes Gallery, €80,000 for Louth Contemporary Music Society and €20,000 for An Táin Arts Centre.

The Highlanes Gallery is a gallery in a converted Franciscan church in Drogheda that was donated to the local authority by the order.

The gallery programmes contemporary and historical exhibitions and is home to the municipal collection of Drogheda.

It also runs an active education programme. It provides the public with an opportunity to see high-quality, contemporary visual art. It often programmes solo and touring shows by international and Irish artists.

Louth Contemporary Music Society specialises in cutting edge contemporary music programmes. It offers a unique programme of concerts and events to audiences in the Louth area and draws audiences from further afield for its eclectic programming, excellent performances and imaginative and committed curation. It presents a unique programme, including new commissions, with specialist performers, to Irish audiences, particularly those in the North-East.

The programme demonstrates strong connections to the international contemporary music scene.