Colm Burke (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)
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45. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the way in which funding provided by her Department in the arts sector is helping revitalise rural Ireland; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [56911/22]

Catherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party)
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The Creative Ireland Programme is a culture-based initiative in my Department designed to promote individual, community and national wellbeing. Under its Creative Communitiesinitiative, in conjunction with the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, over €28 million has been allocated since 2018 to the 31 local authorities to empower and support community-led participation. Creative Communitiesdelivers investment directly into local creative economies through their local authorities with over €936,000 for example being invested through Cork County Council since 2018. This includes over €68,000 for the Munster Animation Forum this year. Also through Creative Ireland, my Department works closely with the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment to maximise the potential for the creative industries to support employment, including in rural areas, through the development of a roadmap to support the sector.

My role as Minister with responsibility for leading the co-ordination of the Decade of Centenaries Programme (2012-2023) is to help ensure that the challenging events of this important and formative period in our history and related themes, are meaningfully, proportionately and sensitively remembered. I allocated €5 million to support the 2022 commemorative programme to deliver rich and diverse national and local programmes marking the significant centenaries arising in 2022. Many of these investment programmes are delivered through the local authorities.

My Department also provides funding to support Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann which is the largest group involved in the preservation and promotion of Irish traditional music both at community and national level. Annual funding is provided to CCÉ for its work in the protection and promotion of Irish traditional music and culture.

My Department run a Small Scale Local Festivals and Summer Schools Scheme. The Scheme is designed to support local cultural festivals and summer schools which are not in receipt of other central Government monies, and which may not be eligible under funding criteria for larger scale events supported by Fáilte Ireland, the Arts Council and similar bodies.

I announced an additional €10m in 2023 to fund the Basic Income for the Arts pilot scheme, a three year, €105m scheme involving 2,000 artists and creative arts workers many of whom work from rural locations which will support each beneficiary in developing and sustaining a professional arts practice.

My Department is exploring options for up to €2m in capital supports for stakeholders in the Night Time Economy in the context of the implementation of the Night-Time Economy Taskforce Report. This is in addition to €4m in current spending for a range of initiatives and pilot projects to support a more vibrant and diverse Night-Time Economy including venues in rural Ireland.

Much of the nationwide infrastructure of venues and arts centres were initiated and funded by local authorities including those serving rural areas. My Department focuses on providing capital grant funding to assist and maintain these arts and cultural facilities. Funding is administered through applications received for specific Grant Schemes.Under Budget 2023, I announced €7m in additional capital funding for artists’ spaces and climate adaptation, including a new scheme, details of which will be announced shortly.

A full list of capital projects supported nationwide can be viewed on my department’s website at the following link www.gov.ie/en/publication/b1eab-creative-arts-grants-and-funding-previous-schemes/.

My Department also supports smaller capital schemes on an annual basis, including the Music Capital Scheme which is managed by Music Network. This provides funding for the purchase of musical instruments to both non-professional performing groups/ensembles and professional musicians. The Regional Museum Exhibitions Scheme provides funding support on an annual basis for local, regional and specialised museums, to promote and enhance the marketing of these institutions through the provision of funding for capital exhibition costs.

My Department continues to invest in the development of the arts and artists countrywide with the record €130m annual funding for the Arts Council now in place for the third year running.

In response to Covid-19, capital funding towards the pilot Outdoor Public Space Scheme 2021 by my Department funds local authorities to adapt, equip or otherwise improve public spaces for cultural and events activities, taking account of public health guidelines and of the needs of the local arts community. Outdoor public spaces can provide year-round use can improve well-being and contribute positively to the public realm. Two projects in Cork city (Elizabeth Fort on Barrack Street) and county (Youghal) are being progressed by the local authorities under this scheme.