Gary Gannon (Dublin Central, Social Democrats)
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95. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if she will outline the criteria for funding arts festivals. [8607/23]

Catherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party)
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My Department runs a Small Scale Local Festivals and Summer Schools Scheme annually. The scheme is reserved for appropriate not-for-profit festivals, summer schools and other such similar events. Projects funded under the scheme enhance access to the arts, culture and film sectors recognising the social and economic role of these sectors in Ireland. Funding available under this scheme is typically capped at €5,000.

Projects funded under this scheme make a very important contribution to the development and promotion of Ireland's cultural tourism offering, to the benefit of both the domestic and foreign tourist and represent an important component of the delivery of the cultural tourism commitments in the Programme for Government.

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. Events which are funded by the Arts Council and Fáilte Ireland are not eligible.

Only one application per body for one event or project will be considered. Applicants are not permitted to seek funding from any other scheme administered by the Cultural Schemes Unit for the same project. If the same project seeks funding for more than one scheme, one or both applications may be rejected. Organisations or events in receipt of core operational funding (i.e. direct funding from the Culture division) from my Department are not eligible for funding under this scheme.

Applications are marked on the following criteria -1) the extent to which the projects meet the objectives of the scheme 2) how realistic the proposal is in terms of scale, costs, assistance sought and timeframe for delivery, 3) the demonstrated capacity to deliver project and 4) the level of own or supporting contribution (non-state) towards the project.

The Arts Council also provides financial support to a number of single art form festivals (e.g. theatre, dance, film) and such festivals are supported within the policy context of those art forms. The Arts Council also supports many multidisciplinary arts festivals, meaning those festivals that programme across different art forms, including literature, music, street arts, theatre, visual arts and different areas of arts practice. Their Festivals Investment Scheme, for example, is specifically designed to offer support to local/voluntary organisations to develop arts festivals.

Fáilte Ireland supports local authorities in the development of tourism in their area including funding for capital investment, festivals and events.