Here are the list of small arts festivals awarded funds from the Festival Investment Scheme

The Arts Council has revealed its list of successful festivals from the first round of applications for the Council’s Festival Investment Scheme for 2021.

A total of €886,540 has been awarded to 62 festivals spread across 19 counties. 73 eligible applications were received and €1,135,503 was requested by those 73 applicants. 14 were first time applicants to the scheme and of these 7 received funding.

Arts Council Head of Festivals, Karl Wallace, said:

We are delighted to be able to increase our investment in small festivals for 2021. Festivals play a pivotal role in the dissemination of arts across the country ensuring critical opportunities for public engagement. In such challenging times, increasing our funding to the festivals sector will support them to deliver their programmes and provide opportunities to further build their capacity in 2021 and beyond.”

The stated purpose of the Investment Scheme (FIS) is to:

“…. provide festivals with the appropriate supports to deliver quality arts experiences for audiences, to contribute to the development of artform practices, to creatively and imaginatively engage audiences, and to increase opportunities for public engagement. Festivals are key producers and presenters of the arts, and are critical for engaging large and diverse audiences and broadening public access to the arts.

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Small festivals in 2020 faced a particularly challenging set of circumstances managing their festival planning and activities though changing public health measures this year; festivals responded creatively by recalibrating and repurposing their programmes to ensure that audiences could still engage in the arts in innovative and accessible ways. This was achieved through digital activities and touring and portable artworks.

Festivals have shown an imaginative commitment to both their artists and audiences during the pandemic and the increased investment for 2021 in small festivals is offered to ensure the work of festivals can continue and strengthen and further engage with the public.

Successful applicants under Festival Investment Scheme:

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