Almost €290k to be allocated to arts groups in Cork city

Cork City Council is to allocate almost €290,000 to 59 professional arts organisations, community and voluntary groups throughout the city.

A call for the 2021 Arts Grants was opened in September and closed on November 19, 2020.

A total of 62 applications were received.

Seven groups applied for funding for 2021 that had not applied for funding in 2020 and 13 groups that applied for funding in 2020 did not apply for funding for this year.

“The total value of grant aid requested was €485,795.

“The approved budget for Arts Grants is €259,800 for the old city area, with €30,000 available from the transition area budget, giving a total of €289,800,” Adrienne Rodgers, Director of Services, Cork City Council, stated in a report to councillors.

“The Arts Committee met on Tuesday 15th December 2020 to consider the grant aid applications.

“From the 62 applications, a total of 59 grants are being recommended by the Arts Committee,” the report continued.

Cork Arts Theatre, Cork City Ballet, Cork Youth Orchestra, The Everyman, the Firkin Crane and the National Sculpture Factory are just some of the applicants that have been approved for funding.

Speaking at last night’s full council meeting, Fianna Fáil councillor Mary Rose Desmond chair of the Arts Committee said she was pleased so many of the applications were approved for funding.

“I’m pleased out of the applications that were received… only three applicants didn’t receive anything and they were for reasons of not being eligible or otherwise,” she said.

Independent councillor Kieran McCarthy acknowledged the immense challenges faced by the Arts community due to the impact of Covid-19.

“It’s very positive that we managed to maintain funding in these very difficult times and there are many challenges for arts bodies in the city, but clearly Cork City Council will work with people going forward and we’ll get through this together,” he said.