.
Cathaoirleach of Kerry County Council, Councillor John Sheahan is inviting the public to attend a consultation meeting about the Creative Ireland Kerry programme at The Rose Hotel on Tuesday, November 14 from 7.30-9.00pm.
“The 2017 Creative Ireland Kerry Action Plan was informed by public meetings and this approach is set to continue into the future for the programme”, Cathaoirleach Cllr. John Sheahan states.
The 2017 programme to date has prioritised creative engagement by young people as well as the development of opportunities for artists.
It has enhanced programmes in youth choral as part of Kerry Music Education Partnership, has intensified residencies for artists, allowed for showcase exhibitions in visual art and in dance, and helped augment partnership projects in film, festivals, literature and dance.
It has further supported the traditional arts, and given rise to heritage projects in schools as well as the development of the Cultural Archive Award which will progress this autumn.
Anyone can attend the public meeting and a call is underway to anyone interested in creativity, the arts, heritage groups, Irish language, community groups, artists, festivals, venues co-ordinators, schools, youth and senior citizen groups are all welcome to attend.
Everyone is welcome to come along on the night from 7.30pm to 9.00pm. For seating & table arrangements please rsvp attendance to creativekerry@kerrycoco.ie.
“Having shown a clear and long reaching impact already in the county, we are ready now to seek additional feedback on the next stage of the project’s development”, Kate Kennelly, Arts Officer and Creative Ireland Kerry Co-ordinator reiterates.
The meeting at The Rose Hotel in Tralee on Tuesday, November 14 is aiming to ensure widespread consultation on a strategy for the next phase of the programme.
“We want a strategy that is relevant and will have a clear impact on citizen engagement with creativity. One of the key aspects of the programme led by local authorities is to enable creativity in every community”, Kate goes on to say.
Focus groups meetings and questionnaires will also inform the planning process and will help shape Creative Ireland Kerry in the coming years. Fields of expertise that will be represented at the meeting include economic and community development, culture and the arts, heritage, archaeology, and libraries.
The Creative Ireland Programme gives the county an opportunity to build on Kerry’s reputation as a repository of culture and therefore having your say in the development of the programme is important.
The Creative Ireland programme budget was increased in the Government’s recent Budget 2018 announcements and it is hoped this will impact on the programme in Kerry.
