Today the Arts Council announced an investment of €1.7m in seven new Creative Places around Ireland. This brings to a total of 17 the number of Creative Places funded since 2020. This latest funding means that almost 100,000 people in rural Ireland have access to the arts in their own communities for the first time. 

The seven new Creative Places for 2023 are Enniscorthy, County Wexford; Balbriggan, North County Dublin; MacUíllíam, Tallaght; and Uíbh Ráthaigh, Kerry all for three-year programmes. While Edgeworthstown, County Longford; Ballyconnell, County Cavan; and Ballaghaderreen, County Roscommon receive research awards to develop their Creative Places. 

This funding enables artists to work with local businesses, community groups and individuals. Being awarded Creative Places funding means that sustained and vibrant cultural activity can be created in the chosen area. The Arts Council’s funding to date amounts to €4m, building from the launch of the Creative Places pilot in Tuam in 2020. 

Maureen Kennelly, Director of the Arts Council, said: “We are committed to a vision of access to the arts no matter where you live in Ireland. Our Creative Places programme is critical for the Arts Council, as it gives people access to the arts in their own communities for the first time. This is an artist led programme but is collaborative in nature, and we could not do this without the commitment of local agencies, which include local authorities, community development organisations, arts organisations and local communities themselves.” 

Existing places already benefitting from the Creative Places programme include Darndale and Loughlinstown/Ballybrack, County Dublin; Edenderry, County Offaly; Athy, County Kildare; Bagenalstown, County Carlow; the West Cork Islands; Tuam, County Galway; Shannon, County Clare; Baltinglass, County Wicklow; and Tipperary Town.  

Creative Places is an opportunity for places to build local arts programmes which will benefit all people who live in these areas and communities. It builds on existing cultural strengths by enabling local artists to lead an inclusive, diverse programme that is rooted in socially engaged practice and community development principles.  

The Arts Council-led programme is underpinned by a commitment in its Making Great Art Work 2016–2025 strategy to increase engagement in the arts, whereby the Arts Council invests directly in a place and its people, working with key local partners to uncover each location’s key assets, resources and ambitions.