Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sports and Media Catherine Martin TD and Minister of State with responsibility for Local Government and Planning Kieran O’Donnell  TD announced the roll out of 31 new Local Authority Creative Ireland  Culture and Creativity Strategies ( 2023-2027) at an event in Farmleigh in the Phoenix Park on 23rd February 2023.

Included in the launch was a new vision for creative activity in Meath County that was devised in consultation with the people of the county and will be delivered Meath County Culture and Creativity team led by Ciaran Mangan – County Librarian, Creative Ireland Coordinator

The Meath County Culture and Creativity team also includes Jackie Maguire - Chief Executive, Meath County Council, Barry Lynch - Director of Services, Gerardette Bailey - County Arts Officer, Loreto Guinan - Heritage Officer,  Frances Tallon - Senior Executive Librarian, Tom French - Local Studies Librarian, Robert Miles - Conservation Officer, Belinda Quirke - Director, Solstice Arts Centre, Barry Lynch - Director of Services, Patricia Fallon - County Archivist and Nóirín Murphy - Irish Language Officer.

Last year the Meath County Culture and Creativity team reviewed the original strategies that were devised in 2017 and made changes that reflected the evolving priorities of the community. The team incorporated contributions from community stakeholders that will encourage people to engage, participate and enable their creative potential.

The new Meath County Culture and Creativity Strategy reflects the creative ambitions of the county that will be supported by the Creative Ireland Programme 2023-2027.  Emphasis will be placed on protecting and enhancing our literary legacy; mainstreaming culture within the local authority with an ambition to deliver integrated cultural services as envisaged by the Creative Ireland model; nurturing & supporting  creatives, artists, and creators; enhancing Meath’s local cultural and creative infrastructure, creatively engaging with communities to record and communicate our natural, built, and cultural heritage; and increasing access to, awareness of and participation in culture and creativity.

Commenting on the work undertaken by the 31 local authority Culture and Creativity teams Minister Catherine Martin said. Your teams are the key strength of the Creative Communities initiative and the engine that drives our collective efforts.  The agility of the local authority teams has facilitated a collaborative and flexible approach to reshaping how creativity and culture is valued within and across local authorities. Through the Creative Ireland Programme, my Department will continue to work with collaborators across Government to activate the power of creativity in every community.

Since then Creative Ireland have allocated over €915,953.59 for the implementation of Creative Ireland initiatives in Meath County.  Highlights include:
 

Joly Screen Flower Photographs by Alan Phelan and Dunboyne Flower & Garden Club 

Artist Alan Phelan and Dunboyne Flower & Garden Club worked on a photography project exploring a collaboration between art and flowers while investigating lost painting techniques. https://solsticeartscentre.ie/news/joly-screen-flower-photographs-2019-2020/

Tea, Chats & Tunes
Tea, Chats and Tunes - connected some of the most vulnerable members of our communities who were isolating in Nursing Homes with their families at home or abroad. www.musicandhealthireland.ie

Kells Printing Works

Conservation of historic printing presses and the establishment of Kells Printing Works as a centre for typography and training celebrating lettering as an art form. 

 
Between 2017-22 Creative Ireland allocated €29.8 million to support thousands of local authority initiatives that have unlocked a national ecosystem of creativity. The 31 local authority Culture and Creative Strategies have been key to the successful delivery of creative opportunities directly into communities. This year Ministers Martin and O’Donnell announced funding of €6.1 million for the 2023 Creative Ireland Programme Creative Communities initiative. 

Reiterating Minister Martin’s praise, Minister of State Kieran O’Donnell TD said, “I would like to sincerely thank all of the Culture and Creativity teams in our Local Authorities who have been working hard in recent months to drive the key ambitions in the Creative Ireland programme. Travelling around the country and to each of our Local Authorities I get to see the ambitious plans they have to promote creativity. The power of culture cannot be overestimated; arts and culture can open our minds, enliven our communities and enrich everyone’s lives,” he concluded.

For more information about Creative Ireland’s programme of Creative Communities initiatives please go to www.creativeireland.gov.ie

Image Caption:

Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sports and Media Catherine Martin TD and Minister of State with responsibility for Local Government and Planning Kieran O’Donnell  TD with senior representatives of the 31 Local Authorities at  the launch of 31 new Local Authority Creative Ireland Culture and Creativity Strategies ( 2023-2027)  at an event at Farmleigh in the Phoenix Park on 23rd February 2023. IMAGE CREDIT Barry Cronin