Arts funding postponed
THE Council has decided to postpone for a month their offers of arts funding to festivals and organisations around Sligo.
It’s after it emerged that the Council’s Assessment Panel for Grants recommended giving Sligo Live music festival just ¤8,000 this year.
Councillor Tom MacSharry proposed postponing the grant offers to the arts groups this month, claiming the offer made to Sligo Live “wouldn’t meet their needs and could jeopardise the festival.”
Councillor Hubert Keaney agreed with him, arguing for more money for the Model Niland gallery in order for them to be able draw down significant Arts Council funding this year.
“It’s going to substantially decrease the amount of funding from the Arts Council, by ¤30,000 or ¤40,000 and they employ 14 people up there,” he said.
It’s proposed to give the Model ¤90,000 this year, which is the largest grant being proposed by the Council to give to any arts body.
They’re proposing to give the Hawk’s Well ¤45,000 and Blue Raincoat Theatre ¤30,000 this year.
They were supported by Cllrs Marie Casserly, Michael Clarke and Rosaleen O’Grady.
However Cathaoirleach Cllr Seamus Kilgannon was in favour of approving the grants and letting the Model and Sligo Live use the appeals process.
He was supported by Councillors Declan Bree, Joe Queenan, Margaret Gormley
Chief Executive Ciarán Hayes said “the issue of Sligo Live is absolutely critical for Sligo and in all our interests.”
He also said it would “not serve us well if we were to reduce” funding further for the Model.
After much heated debate and discussion, it eventually went to a vote on Cllr Gormley’s proposal to accept the arts grants as proposed.
“It’s a shame that this would go to a vote. There’s not a person here who does not want to promote their county. It would be divisive,” warned Cllr Rosaleen O’Grady.
“I respectfully ask Cllr Gormley to leave it for a month,” she said. “I made a proposal and it’s up to the members here now,” said Cllr Gormley.
Councillors Bree, Gormley, Healy, Kilgannon, MacManus and O’Boyle voted to approve the grants but they were defeated by nine other councillors.
The issue will now go on the Council’s March agenda for approval.