THE people of Bagenalstown will benefit from a €450,000 three-year investment programme from the Arts Council to develop and sustain new creative opportunities for all age groups.
The council’s ‘Creative Places’ is an opportunity for places which had not previously benefited from sustained arts investment to build local arts programmes, with Bagenalstown this week named among the latest recipients.
“On behalf of Carlow County Council, who are working closely with key community reps in Bagenalstown, we are delighted to have been awarded a Creative Places Arts Council Award,” said cathaoirleach of Carlow County Council cllr Fintan Phelan.
“The arts officer of Carlow County Council led the application to the Arts Council on behalf of and with the community. It outlined the demographic profile, social, cultural, economic strengths and potential of Bagenalstown, while also demonstrating a strong track record of inter-agency working and place-based arts practice in Carlow,” said cllr Phelan.
Each ‘Creative Place’ selected will have a co-ordinator or researcher, who will begin local conversations to discuss and plan a range of brilliant creative and participatory projects for local people to take part in and enjoy.
Each programme is led by different consortiums, made up of local authorities, community development organisations and arts organisations, aimed at creating employment for co-ordinators, artists and researchers interested in place-based arts development.
Over the summer, the programme will be getting established, a co-ordinator will be appointed and conversations with the community will get underway.
To keep in touch with how the project develops, check out sdowling@carlowcoco.ie The programme will be managed by Carlow County Council.