Laois gets slice of new €6 million creativity cake

More than €150,000 is on its way to Laois as part of a national €6.1 million investment creativity across Ireland.

Under the 2023 Creative Ireland Programme Creative Communities initiative, €161,161 is being allocated to Laois for new five-year Local Authority Creative Ireland Culture and Creativity Strategies.

The news was announced as the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media announced the completion of new strategies to be supported by the Creative Ireland Programme 2023-2027.

It says there will be a greater focus on health and well-being, creative industries, climate action, the development of the Irish language and social sustainability. The Department says creative opportunities for marginalised communities and those at risk of disadvantage will also be prioritised.

A statement said Culture and Creativity teams in Laois and other counties reviewed the original strategies that were devised in 2017 and made changes that reflected the evolving priorities of their communities. It said each team incorporated contributions from community stakeholders that will encourage people to engage, participate and enable their creative potential.

Laois is getting the same money as Offaly County Council. It was welcomed by Laois Offaly Minister of State Pippa Hackett.

“I welcome the amount of €161,161.00  to be allocated to both Laois and Offaly County Councils for 2023 Creative Ireland initiatives.  The true impact of culture and creativity is hard to quantify or define but I think we all see and feel its importance. At a time of immense challenges facing our society, the arts can help us make sense of them, develop responses and build community,” she said.

The Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media Catherine Martin TD and Minister of State with responsibility for Local Government and Planning Kieran O’Donnell  TD announced the rollout of the new Local Authority Creative Ireland  Culture and Creativity Strategies ( 2023-2027)  at an event at Farmleigh in the Phoenix Park on February 23.

“Your teams are the key strength of the Creative Communities initiative and the engine that drives our collective efforts.   The agility of the local authority teams has facilitated a collaborative and flexible approach to reshaping how creativity and culture is valued within and across local authorities. Through the Creative Ireland Programme, my Department will continue to work with collaborators across Government to activate the power of creativity in every community," she said.

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Between 2017-22 Creative Ireland allocated €29.8 million to support thousands of local authority initiatives focused on creativity.