Seán Connick (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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Question 295: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism if he will confirm whether his Department has grants available which would assist community theatre facilities to carry out upgrade works on their backstage areas such as improving their dressing rooms and lighting systems; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18922/09]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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The Arts and Culture Capital Enhancement Support Scheme (ACCESS) is a key element in the Government's regional arts strategy and has greatly improved access to and participation in the arts for large numbers of people nationwide. The scheme has been widely acknowledged as a significant intervention in the provision of quality cultural spaces. In this regard, my Department has taken a direct role in relation to the provision of capital grant-aid for the arts and culture infrastructure throughout the country in recent years.

Facilities funded to date include integrated arts centres, theatres, galleries, studio, and creative and performance spaces. In this manner my Department provides the bulk of capital funding for building and refurbishing arts facilities around the country, mainly in the not for profit sector, while the Arts Council provides the ongoing revenue support for many of the facilities. Under the first round of ACCESS, announced in 2001, funding of €43m was provided to the promoters of 40 arts and culture projects. The majority of these projects were for the provision of new art centres and most are now open and operational.

The NDP 2007 – 2013 provided €81m to conclude ACCESS 1 and to facilitate further rounds. In April 2007 a second round of ACCESS funding was announced and a total of €32m was offered to the promoters of 67 projects nationwide. The primary focus of the second round of the scheme is the refurbishment and enhancement of existing arts and cultural facilities and it will run from 2007 to 2009. In May 2008 a further 13 projects were allocated €10.2m in funding under the ACCESS II scheme bringing the total allocations under ACCESS II to €42m. Given the current economic climate it is not possible to say when further funding schemes will be announced in respect of Arts Capital projects during 2009.