Limerick festivals to receive huge €360k funding boost

THIRTEEN Limerick festivals are set to share funding of €364,890 as part of an investment from the Arts Council to support artistic expression.

The Fresh Film Festival has been allocated the largest sum of the festivals in Limerick - €125,000. Samhain, Limerick's Halloween Festival has been granted €25,000 and The Joyce Brothers Music Festival 2025 will receive €10,000.

The Arts Council will invest €14.7 million in support of 208 arts festivals taking place throughout Ireland this year. This marks a record amount of funding under the Festival Investment Scheme, reflecting the ongoing development of the festival sector.

Commenting on the announcement, Maureen Kennelly, director of the Arts Council, said:

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“We are proud to support the presentation of arts festivals in Ireland over many decades. Many of these festivals are voluntary led by people who are passionate about the arts and about their places, and they make a huge contribution to life in Ireland. Festival directors and their teams work tirelessly to present innovative programmes for their place and community year after year and it is an honour for us to support them.”

Around 80% of programming across the supported festivals is free to attend, making these events accessible to a wide audience. Collectively, these festivals are expected to reach nearly two million people in 2025, underscoring their role in Ireland’s year-round cultural offering.