Holger Lonze 2 Poetry Day Church Island 2019 Image Credit Valerie O'Sullivan  

Following the launch of the Creative Places pilot in Tuam in 2020, the Arts Council is expanding the programme (June 2021 – June 2024). The new Creative Places include Athy (Kildare), Bagenalstown (Carlow), Darndale, (North Dublin), Edenderry (Offaly) and the West Cork Islands for three year programmes, while Shannon (Clare), Iveragh Peninsula (Kerry) and Mac Uilliam (Tallaght) receive research awards to develop their Creative Places.

Creative Places is an opportunity for places which had not benefitted from sustained arts investment in the past to build local arts programmes which will benefit the people who live in these places. Each programme will have a coordinator 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. The approach is inclusive and diverse and rooted in socially engaged practice and community development principles. It builds on existing cultural strengths and led by community participation and ideas and supported by artists.

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.

Creative Places Tuam

Photo courtesy of 3 Rings (Outdoor Spectacle at Ballyglunin)  

Creative Places Tuam is led by Create, the national development agency for collaborative arts. Following extensive research, the town of Tuam was offered the pilot Creative Places programme in 2019 as it satisfied criteria indicating that it would enjoy social and economic benefits from sustained investment in the arts. Existing arts investment and infrastructure, social and economic factors, as well as the cultural diversity of place were examined during the research process and informed the opportunity. You can follow its progress and activities here.

Creative Places Athy

St. Patrick’s Day 2022 in Athy, Image credit Aisling Hyland Photography

Athy is a market town, in south Kildare, rich in heritage, industry and culture. Following a series of engagements, one-to-one chats, group meetings, lunch and evening talks, the programme has now progressed with award announcements and mentoring programmes. The awards and capacity building will support creative practitioners, established and emerging artists, arts organisations and creative communities to begin the process of making work together in Athy. The programme has adopted cross-sector approaches and collaborations to implement place-based projects with communities, supporting the growth of arts and creativity in Athy and realising ambitions that would not have been possible without the Creative Places programme.  Creative Places Athy is coordinated by Eilish Langton and led by Kildare County Council.

Website link: Here Facebook link: Here

  Creative Places Baltinglass

Led by Wicklow County Council in partnership with the local community, Creative Places Baltinglass will begin in 2022.

“The community of Baltinglass is extremely excited to have received this investment through the Arts Council’s Creative Places programme.  The amount of investment is unprecedented and will be really well received. The community and voluntary sector will now work collaboratively with Wicklow County Council and the agencies to ensure the initiative will have maximum impact.” Cllr. Shay Cullen, Cathaoirleach of Wicklow County Council 

Creative Places Bagenalstown

Creative Places Bagenalstown is led by Carlow County Council. “Bagenalstown is a vibrant place with huge potential for the arts.” —Cllr Fintan Phelan, Cathaoirleach Carlow County Council. Carlow Arts Office is delighted to announce the appointment of Louise Osborne as Creative Places Bagenalstown Coordinator. A Carlow native, Louise has extensive experience working in cultural programme production and socially engaged arts practice. Louise is excited to be back on home turf to coordinate Creative Places Bagenalstown and is looking forward to meeting the people of Bagenalstown to co-create meaningful and inspiring arts opportunities. Watch this space!

Creative Places Darndale

Sunrise over Darndale, June 2021’ Image credit Julien Behal: Photography   

Creative Places Darndale was awarded to Sphere 17 for the area of Darndale in north Dublin in June 2021. The purpose of Creative Places Darndale is to weave the arts into everyday life in Darndale. Over the course of three years, this will be achieved by building on the variety of art forms and activities that are already present, introducing new creative and artistic experiences where they are not present, increasing participation and leaving a legacy of participation in the arts. Creative Places Darndale is coordinated by Muirne Bloomer. 

creativeplacesdarndale.ie

  Creative Places Edenderry 

Creative Places Edenderry in Offaly is led by Creative Lives, in partnership with Offaly County Council and a consortium of local partners. The project aims to put creativity at the heart of the local community, working at a grassroots level to identify and support the kind of cultural activities that are valued by the residents of Edenderry and surrounding areas. The three-year project includes plans to work with the community on developing sustainable support networks, delivering a programme of training, micro-grants and artist commissions. Recently workshops entitled 'Dancing Shoes', gave people of all ages the chance to reconnect following the lifting of restrictions and try different styles of dance. During the summer of 2022 they are working with the local community festival to develop creative writing, painting and music for teenagers.

www.creativeplacesedenderry.ie

Creative Places Loughlinstown / Ballybrack 

 Working on a research and development phase and led by Southside Partnership this is “an amazing opportunity for the community to discover how creative practice and public spaces will improve social inclusion, wellbeing and connections for everyone in the community. We believe this key investment in arts and culture will encourage and promote vibrant, collective community participation that will have far reaching ripples long into the future.” Sandra King

Creative Places Tipperary Town  

Youth Work Ireland Tipperary are lead partners on this new addition to the Creative Places programme. Donal Kelly CEO said “This represents a wonderful and much-needed opportunity for Tipperary Town that will connect people with artists, to explore, imagine and create different futures. Creative Places will bring opportunity and vibrancy to Tipperary Town and amazing arts experiences to the people.”

Creative Places West Cork Islands

 Image credit Anna Groniecka.

Creative Places West Cork Islands led by Cork County Council includes a consortium of local arts and development agencies such as Bere Island Projects Group, Sherkin Island Development Society, Comharchumann Chléire and Uillinn: West Cork Arts Centre.  It will strengthen existing local contemporary and traditional arts practice, create long term community-led engagement in the arts and make visible and strengthen the interconnectedness of the islands and the coastal communities on the mainland in West Cork.

 “Many individuals and groups have worked tirelessly to ensure that the rich, unique cultures on the West Cork Islands are sustained and continue to thrive. Creativity and culture are at the heart of what makes us human, and how we can connect to others; whether they are our neighbours, visitors to our shores or connecting digitally. This programme is bringing us together – starting on Whiddy Island – to create something new and exciting.” Cllr. Gillian Coughlan, Mayor of the County of Cork.

Creative Places Uíbh Ráthaigh

Féile na Gréine Rinnce. Image credit: Valerie O'Sullivan  

Creative Places Uíbh Ráthaigh is led by Comhchoiste Ghaeltacht Uíbh Ráthaigh. “We are delighted to have this opportunity to reinvigorate community creativity in Gaeltacht Uíbh Ráthaigh. The area has deep wells of culture and this research and development will help us to renew and refresh them for and with the whole community. We look forward to writing new stories together and to developing new ways of working together so that we can look to the future with confidence.” — Áine Uí Bheoláin, Manager

Creative Places Mac Uilliam

Mac Uilliam Estate Image credit: Jonathan Stokes  

Creative Places Mac Uilliam is led by Tallaght Community Arts. “The Creative Places funding for our project TogetherHERE is a fantastic opportunity for us to work in partnership with residents of the Mac Ulliam Estate to engage in creative collective actions, to build capacity, to change their social and built environment. It is a vital resource to increase participation among key residents in mapping, planning and delivering much-needed activities and programmes to all residents.” — Tony Fegan, Director of Tallaght Community Arts

Creative Places Shannon

Shannon Town Park Opening. Image courtesy of Clare County Council  

Creative Places Shannon is led by Clare County Council. “The pioneers who established Shannon are now the older generation, a generation that has shown resilience and fortitude. Shannon is a town of welcomes, it welcomed and developed new communities from near and far when it was established, and this warmth is evident today in its community spirit. This spirit now gets to be explored creatively through the Creative Places initiative and we look forward to seeing our creative and cultural ambitions realised.” — Siobhán Mulcahy, Arts Officer

For more information please contact the Local, Place and Public Art Team sinead.oreilly@artscouncil.ie and Eimear.Kelleher@artscouncil.ie