Local authorities across the State are set to receive funding to provide more workspaces for artists under a new pilot scheme announced by the Government.
Under the €6 million scheme, a local authority can apply for up to €150,000 or €300,000, depending on their location, with the authority then required to provide matching funding of 40 per cent.
The move comes after research by the Department of Arts and Culture found that demand for artist workspaces outweighs supply, with a widespread shortage of creative spaces, such as studios and performance spaces, across the Republic.
The department said local authorities own 43 per cent of all visual artists’ workspace buildings in the State.
Halloween in Ireland: the best free family events to go and see in every county
‘This will be the first year in 58 we’ve never managed to turn a profit’: Irish hospitality sector at breaking point
Changing career midlife: ‘At 45 I thought I was finished... But it didn’t even occur to me that I could do anything else’
Kathleen Lynn Hospital, Dolores O’Riordan Park and Catherine Corless Place: Readers on how we should honour Irish women
Announcing the scheme on Wednesday, Minister for Arts and Culture Catherine Martin said she has “been acutely aware” of the pressures faced by artists and creatives in finding suitable workspaces.
In 2023, Dublin City Council received €3 million in funding for the development of 60 artist workspaces in the city. Ms Martin said Wednesday’s launch “will now address the shortage of workspaces in the rest of the country”.
Applications for the scheme are now open.
- Sign up for push alerts and have the best news, analysis and comment delivered directly to your phone
- Join The Irish Times on WhatsApp and stay up to date
- Listen to our Inside Politics podcast for the best political chat and analysis
