Following the May meeting of Meath County Council, the Arts Office is pleased to announce that 61 awardees across 5 streams of funding throughout the county were supported.

The arts have experienced significant setbacks due to the Covid -19 pandemic and this funding cycle specifically focussed on helping to sustain arts practices through this difficult time.  61 grant payments were awarded to arts groups and professional arts practitioners across literature, theatre, visual art, music and dance in County Meath.  These awards help enable artists to continue to develop their work and assist arts communities, groups and organisations to adapt their activities to meet the demands of the changing cultural landscape.

As part of the Arts Office’s RE:Form initiative, a new online application process and two new funding streams were launched.  The RE:Form initiative seeks to respond to the current challenges faced by the local arts sector through digital conversion, supporting the sustainment of the arts through the implementation of digital technologies for its production, and the utilisation of virtual platforms for its presentation. 

The Digital Equipment Purchase Scheme supported 23 artists in the procurement of items such as microphones, monitors, cameras, lenses, software, laptops, and editing apps to aid the digitalisation of their work, while the Arts Sector CPD Fund aimed to support those whose employment may have been effected by the pandemic by helping to finance continued professional development activities.  These new funding streams complimented the previously run: Annual Arts Grant, Festivals Grant Scheme and Professional Artists Development Fund to form a suite of financial supports for the local arts sector.

The Meath County Council Arts Office 2021 grants are bolstered by Creative Ireland funding and funding received through the Arts Council of Ireland.  The Summer Funding Cycle is currently open and includes a further four funding opportunities: the Arts Sector CPD Fund Round II, the Community Arts Award, the Drama League of Ireland Bursary and the Schools Musical Instrument Purchase Scheme.  

Closing date is 2nd June 2021 at 1.00pm.  For further information see here.