Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

My Department is liaising with Galway 2020 on the development and implementation of the proposed legacy framework arising from the designation of Galway as Ireland's 2020 European Capital of Culture. In that regard, Galway 2020 is due to submit its proposals on the proposed legacy programme shortly and I would expect that the €1 million available will be spent. As set out in the reply of 21 June from the Minister, Deputy Catherine Martin, the overall framework focuses on a number of key strategic areas that are the most important legacies for Galway as a European Capital of Culture including sustaining and strengthening existing partnerships, networks and opportunities in Europe and internationally, as well as forging new opportunities for Galway based artists and cultural organisations; drawing on the successful delivery of projects under the Galway 2020 programme to support new place-based cultural programming, including through the Irish language; and supporting the Galway cultural and creative sector to build capacity through training, advice and networking opportunities.

Until the legacy framework is agreed I am not in a position to advise on the breakdown, but the framework will be published and will contain a breakdown of how the funding will be applied. However, I can advise that the funding will primarily focus on providing direct supports to artists, arts organisations and community arts groups to participate in programmes under each of the strategic areas. For example, it will include co-funding for successful applications to EU and international funding programmes, such as Creative Europe. The funding will also build on the flagship placed-based programme under Galway 2020, Small Towns Big Ideas, with new calls for projects as well as initiatives aimed at sustaining and enhancing the capacity of artists and arts organisations to deliver projects of scale. In addition, the board to the company, which retains the chief executives of Galway city and county councils, has made a number of new appointments from senior representatives from local education, business, broadcast, regional and development authorities to drive the delivery of actions under this framework.

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