Ministers announce €6.6million funding for community-led creative projects

Over six and a half million euro is being allocated to Creative Ireland projects across 31 local authorities in 2022. 

The Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, Catherine Martin, and Minister for Housing, Darragh O’Brien, announced the funding today (January 19). 

Speaking about the announcement, Minister Martin said, "I am delighted to continue to support the excellent work undertaken by local authorities on behalf of the Creative Ireland Programme. Since the inception of Creative Ireland our partners in local government have been key to the delivery of creative projects that promote an improved sense of wellbeing, social connections and economic development within their communities." 

A minimum of €175,161 will be allocated to each project, with four areas in Dublin - including Dún Laoghaire Rathdown, Fingal, South Dublin and Dublin City - set to receive €220,161 each. 

The Creativity in Older Age Fund and the Creative Communities Economic Action Fund will receive €500,000 each. 

The minister continued: "Through these projects local authorities have been able to create exciting and constructive opportunities for people and communities. I want to congratulate our local authority partners for their energy and creativity in delivering so many wonderful projects that sustain and enhance the lives of everyone in their communities." 

The 2022 funding will ensure people of all ages can access thousands of community-led creative projects, 1,500 of which were delivered last year. 

It includes planning for an enhanced Cruinniú na nÓg - Ireland's national day celebrating the creativity of young people - as well as projects encouraging creativity in older age. 

Creative Climate Action projects, in collaboration with the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications, will use art to connect people to changes occurring in the environment, society and economy arising from climate change. 

Minister Darragh O'Brien also commented on the announcement. 

He said, "Local authorities have extensive expertise across heritage, arts, libraries as well as vital local relationships. I firmly believe that culture plays a key role in local government’s work in creating great places to live and work. Creative Communities takes this a step further. Culture and creativity can be part of responses to social isolation, to creating a sense of place and to integrating new communities."