.
Young art makers in Listowel with artist Olive Stack, a workshop for Cruinniu na nÓg, funded though Creative Ireland Kerry earlier this year. Photo J Kelliher.
AN ambitious 5-year Culture and Creativity Strategy has been developed by the Kerry Culture Team and local Creative Ireland Kerry Coordinator Kate Kennelly.
It was developed in consultation with local artists, creatives, cultural and heritage organisations, community groups, the creative industries, centres of education and schools. .
“Kerry County Council consulted widely with the public and this strategy is informed by that consultation. We aim to deliver as much as possible, to ensure Creative Ireland Kerry has an impact across the county,” stated Kate Kennelly.
Continued below…
.
The programme in Kerry has 23 key projects underway or planned and will have awarded more than €102,000 to programmes and projects by the end of 2018.
A Creative Communities Grant Scheme was established earlier this year which is supporting nineteen projects at community level which are taking place across the county.
Creative Ireland Kerry also delivered Architecture Kerry, a celebration of the built environment in Kerry which took place in September.
It has supported a Cultural Archive Award for communities in Kerry, delivered the Cruinniu na nÓg day of youthful creativity in June, also an enhanced Culture Night as well as Kerry Library events for the annual Children’s’ Book Festival taking place later this month.
Other projects include a Vacant Sites initiative in Castleisland, the Fighting Words Creative Writing programme with the Seanchaí Writers Museum, a STEAM project in Cahirciveen and youth choral initiatives throughout the county.
Continued below…
.
A Culture Team within Kerry County Council is mobilised in support of Creative Ireland Kerry and they act as collaborators on the programme. There are many more projects and collaborations planned and the programme is set to continue until 2022.
‘The Team are committed to ensuring Creative Ireland Kerry is valued and supported across all departments, we look forward to an even more creative programme in 2019,’ stated Michael Scannell, Director of Service with responsibility for Creative Ireland Kerry.
The strategy document in available online at http://www.kerrycoco.ie/home3/arts/creative-ireland.
Creative Ireland Kerry, coordinated by the Arts Office at Kerry County Council is an interdepartmental programme which supports citizen engagement and well-being via participation in Kerry’s creative sector.
It resources the central role of creativity to promote a greater cultural, social and economic impact in the county. It is underpinned by public consultation and research which took place in 2017.
