Creative Connections

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North Tipperary County Council

Strategic Arts Plan 2012-2014

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We aim to improve the artistic and cultural life of our communities by the provision of a quality and responsive arts service

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The Arts Office, North Tipperary County Council, Civic Offices, Nenagh, Co. Tipperary Tel: 067-44860/44852 E-Mail: artsoffice@northtippcoco.ie Web: www.tipperarynorth.ie/arts Arts Officer: Melanie Scott Clerical Officer: Rosemary Gleeson

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North Tipperary County Council acknowledges the support of all those who participated in the development of this strategy. In particular we wish to thank the artistic community in North Tipperary who gave generously of their time and expertise in contributing to it’s development.

Special thanks to: Elected Members of North Tipperary County Council The Planning & Development/Community & Enterprise Strategic Policy Committee Monica Corcoran, Head of Local Arts, The Arts Council Sarah Searson, Independent Advisor

Dromineer Literary Festival Photographer: Gerardine Wisdom North Tipperary County Council Strategic Arts Plan | 5

Author: Melanie Scott, Arts Officer Copyright Š North Tipperary County Council 2012

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Foreword We welcome the publication of Creative Connections 2012-2014 on behalf of the members and staff of North Tipperary County Council. This strategy recognises the important role of the arts within the community, the county and the local authority. It builds on significant progress in the arts in North Tipperary for over a decade, while also looking forward, creating space for ideas, for progress and for further creative approaches to arts development.

Cllr. Michael O’Meara

In line with our Corporate Plan, this strategy encourages a culture of partnership towards improving the quality of the economic, social and cultural life of our communities.

Creative Connections gives direction to our work within this timeframe and leads us confidently towards a new chapter in the development of the arts in our county.

Joe MacGrath

Mayor County Manager

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We commit ourselves, in partnership with all our stakeholders, to improve the quality of the economic, social and cultural life of our communities.

- Mission Statement Corporate Plan 2010-2014

Core Values The arts play an important role in society, contributing to the quality of life of communities, local economies, the expression of local identity and the vibrant cultural life of the county. This plan strives to broaden and deepen access to the arts and to further develop strategies for sustainable engagement. It aims to integrate the arts into overall development policy of the County Council.

This arts strategy plans to build on the Local Authorities significant achievements in arts development to date. It aims to maintain and consolidate North Tipperary County Council’s commitment to creating an environment where the arts will continue to thrive.

Through this strategy we aim to provide service to the community in the broad sense, regarding community to be of all ages, all nationalities, all abilities, including artists, audiences for the arts and visitors to the county. These communities are entitled to access the arts both ideologically and physically.

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Objectives for Arts Development in North Tipperary 2012-2014 To foster an environment where the arts and artists can thrive.

To encourage public engagement and participation in the arts.

To consolidate existing partnerships and develop new partnerships which support the provision of strategic arts initiatives for the county.

To support sustainable development of the arts infrastructure in the county.

To develop audiences for the arts and to promote increased access to quality artistic activity by a broad community.

To provide access to information about the arts in the county.

We aim to improve the artistic and cultural life of our communities by the provision of a quality and responsive arts service, which works in partnership to develop provision for the arts in North Tipperary in line with the availability of resources and the overall objectives of the Local Authority.

- Mission Statement Arts Service

Context The North Tipperary Arts Service was established in 1999 with the appointment of the first Arts Officer to the county. Since that time the Council has embraced its role in supporting and developing the arts for all of the citizens of the county. North Tipperary County Council has invested significantly in the development of the arts and arts infrastructure for the county in partnership with The Arts Council and other agencies, local and national. The Council has incorporated arts and cultural provision into development policy for the county through the inclusion of a specific section on Arts & Culture in the County Development Plan 2010-2016 (section 8.4.8).

“Developing the Arts in Ireland 2011-2013” and the “Arts and Culture (Practitioners) National Interactive Strategy” published by The Department of Arts, Heritage and The Gaeltacht in 2011 in addition to Local Policy documents including the County Development Plan 2010-2016; the North Tipperary Strategic Plan for Music 2009-2013; the County Development Board Strategy 20022012; the North Tipperary Play and Recreation Strategy 2009.

This strategic plan also seeks to be responsive to the needs of the arts in the county and to remain open to the changing environment and structures within which it is framed. The Plan has been developed with reference to National Arts Policies specifically, The Arts Council’s

Creative Connections 2012-2014 seeks to build on the development of the last decade, to re-enforce and strengthen progress to date while creating space for new ideas, ambitions and creative thinking.

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Implementation: Creative Connections- North Tipperary’s Strategic Arts Plan 2012-2014 is the guiding policy document which will inform and direct the design and delivery of North Tipperary County Council’s Arts Service annual programmes for arts development in the next three years. It will be supported by annual, budgeted arts action plans based on available resources.

Implementation of the plan will be led by the North Tipperary Arts Office in partnership with a range of agencies, relevant stakeholders and communities. Implementation reports will be in the form of budget action plans submitted at functional team level, quarterly reports to North Tipperary County Council and annual reporting to The Arts Council. North Tipperary County Council’s arts service has a strong partnership with The Arts Council and we will continue to work closely in partnership with The Arts Council

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and others towards the implementation of this new strategic plan for the arts in the County.

This Plan has been framed in the face of a contraction in the National Economy and the knock on effects for the Local Government Sector. This therefore presents a challenge to us to continue to maintain, where possible, existing levels of service and to achieve a balance between increasing and competing demands for existing services and the allocation of resources for new initiatives. The delivery of this strategic arts plan is contingent on the availability of resources.

In setting the timeframe for this plan we have also recognized the planned merger of North and South Tipperary County Councils in 2014.

During the course of this strategy we will work with the relevant partners and agencies to review and develop policy on an all County basis.

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Head, Shoulders, Knees & Toes by Thomas Wollen; North Tipperary County Council Collection.

Photographer: Vincent Savage

North Tipperary County Council’s Arts Service works towards the continuing development of the arts in the county by providing:

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Overview of Arts Service:

It is our aim to continue to build connections, programmes and policies to ensure that the arts in North Tipperary are a central element of civic life in the County.

Advice and Information Arts Policy Development Grants and Schemes for the Arts A Developmental Arts Programme

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} } We have worked consistently since our inception to develop programmes and practices which place quality arts experiences in a range of contexts.

Fracture Youth Theatre, Thurles Photographer: Eddie Maher 12 | North Tipperary County Council Strategic Arts Plan

There are

four

Strategic Themes

Strategy 1: Points of Access Strategy 2: Infrastructure & Partnership Strategy 3: Support to Artists

& Creative Practitioners Strategy 4: Community, Voluntary

& Amateur Supports

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Points of Access

Switch Photographer: Harald Turek

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The Arts Office has worked consistently since its inception to develop programmes and practices which place quality arts experiences in a range of contexts. North Tipperary County Council’s Arts service directly manages a developmental annual arts programme. This programme is designed to address gaps and identified needs in arts provision and is focused on meeting our objectives for Arts Development as articulated on page 6.

Strategy 1, Points of Access is concerned with how the public access quality arts practice,

Core developmental areas under the Points of Access Strategy:

across artforms, across the county and across the community. It seeks to support the development and provision of opportunities for deepening the range and richness of encounters with the arts for all citizens of North Tipperary.

This strategy aims to be ambitious and open to new developments and initiatives, however we must work within available resources. It aims to maximize resources, to ensure value for money, quality of service and quality of arts experience across the programme.

The Arts & Education Festival Development Youth & Community Art form Development

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The Arts & Education About

The Arts Service has recognised the importance of quality arts experiences throughout the educational life of young people in developing the language of creativity, of broadening the experience of and access to the arts at a young age and in fostering audiences of the future.

Artist in Primary School Scheme Exhibition Photographer: Vincent Savage

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Early Years Theatre Residency Photographer: Joanna Williams

North Tipperary Arts Office plans To continue to build and develop on the Artist in Primary School Scheme which has placed 81 projects in primary schools throughout the county since 1999.

The scheme was reviewed in 2009 in the context of developing a new arts plan.

Recommendations from the review will be implemented which include ensuring better dissemination of the high quality work produced by hosting an annual public showcase of the work created across art forms under this scheme and by extending the scheme in a range of ways to promote collaboration across artforms and new take up of the scheme.

To investigate mentoring and networking opportunities for practitioners with local, regional and national organizations with a view to further developing expertise and skills in this area of practice.

To continue to work with the County Childcare Committee and other partners in the wider education environment to develop programmes which contribute to the development of arts practice for young audiences in educational contexts.

Work has begun on the development of a new Early Arts Theatre Residency. This is a collaborative project which will place a locally based Children’s Theatre Company in a Childcare Centre to work with staff, parents and children to create a series of projects and creative experiences with the aim of informing the development of a new piece of theatre for an early year’s audience.

This pilot project will inform our approach to developing arts practice for this age group in the coming years.

To consult with second level educational providers locally to establish creative ways of working to support the further development of the arts at second level.

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Festival Development

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The North Tipperary Festival Programme is multidisciplinary and brings a diverse range of local, national and international events and experiences to a broad range of people annually. The festival programme actively promotes access to and participation in all art forms in various locations throughout the county.

The Arts Office initiated The Terryglass Arts Festival in 1999, The Dromineer Literary Festival in 2004 and was involved in the establishment of Spleodar, Nenagh’s Community Arts Festival in 2000. We now work with the independent local voluntary committees to support the continuing development of these festivals.

North Tipperary County Council also provides grant support to The Cloughjordan Arts Festival, Feile Brian Boru (Ballina/Killaloe), The County Tipperary Drama Festival in Holycross, Feile Eile in Ballina/ Killaloe and The Thurles Halloween Festival.

North Tipperary Arts Office plans Terryglass Arts Festival Photographer: Gerardine Wisdom

The festival programme actively promotes access to and participation in all art forms in various locations throughout the county.

About

To continue to provide support and advice to festivals through the part-time festival co-ordinator.

To facilitate and support networking and sharing between festivals within the county and nationally and where feasible internationally.

To lead a new initiative in volunteering for the arts and festivals sector in the county.

To support a dynamic and creative arts festival sector in North Tipperary within the constraints of available resources.

To encourage and support new independent initiatives which may arise during the course of this plan, which enhance the diversity and quality of the festival offering in the county and which contribute to arts development objectives as articulated.

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Youth & Community

About

North Tipperary Arts Office plans

This programme has been developed in response to gaps in provision identified by the arts office since the establishment of the arts service and is constantly reviewed in line with continuing needs, changing environments and the development of practice in these areas. These programmes aim to provide for inclusive access to arts activity, opportunities for engagement and participation and contribute to the range, depth and richness of opportunity for encounters with the arts.

To continue to work with our local and national partners to deliver an exciting, varied and challenging programme of events for Bealtaine annually. Celebrating creativity as we age, the Tipperary Bealtaine Festival is developed in partnership with South Tipperary County Council and Tipperary Libraries in association with Age & Opportunity.

Fracture Youth Theatre Photographer: Eddie Maher

To continue to grow and develop our strong partnerships with Tipperary Libraries through a range of initiatives and programmes. This partnership approach is most evident in the development which is The Source in Thurles and also through programming initiatives such as Children’s Book Festival, Spleodar Community Arts Festival and support for initiatives to develop creative writing in the county.

To continue to support, work in partnership with and advise organisations and potential partners in the delivery of programmes and projects which meet arts development objectives and which contribute to inclusive and quality engagements in this area.

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The Drawing Room Opera Company at the Tipperary Bealtaine Festival Photographer: Brid Ryan

To continue to support and develop North Tipperary Youth Theatre.

Based in Thurles (Fracture YT) was set up in 1999 to provide training and opportunities for the 13-17 age group to engage with drama. Led by two locally based youth theatre facilitators, this programme continues to be a central element of the annual arts programme.

The Nenagh group (Play YT) was established in 2007 and continues to develop. With a focus on training, rehearsal and theatre-related activities

for teenagers, both groups perform annually in their local arts centres and contribute to local arts initiatives creating a focus for youth engagement with theatre and the arts infrastructure.

It is an ambition of the arts office during the course of this plan to investige the potential of a suitable partnership and funding structure within which to extend the North Tipperary Youth Theatre initiative to another centre in the county.

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Art form Development

Switch Photographer: Harald Turek

About This element of the programme seeks to identify gaps in provision to find suitable and sustainable methods of supporting the development of quality practice across art forms.

To find ways of disseminating models of good practice and methods of engaging communities in dialogue and exploration through the art forms as relevant at any point in time.

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In identifying art form models for development we are not excluding the possibility for the development of other art forms or for the transfer of approaches or ideas that may grow from interdisciplinary practices.

North Tipperary Arts Office plans To continue to support switch an artist-led initiative which aims to promote & show contemporary international visual art in a public context. Working with film, lens based work and the moving image switch occupies unused spaces throughout Nenagh town centre to project works of moving image and provides an accessible alternative viewing platform for visual art.

To encourage a culture of ideas and creative possibilities for artists willing to engage in new ways of working/engaging with communities and audiences.

To formalize ways of working which has led to the emergence of exciting artist led visual arts and music initiatives such as switch, Changing Faces and Crossbones.

To work with partners to develop the switch initiative to include master classes and educational programmes.

To utilize resources such as Neddy’s Cottage in Dromineer to support the development of artists practice across artforms and in engaging with communities and audiences.

To continue to work with partners such as Nenagh Arts Centre and the Cloughjordan Cineclub to develop engagement with film in the Nenagh area, building on earlier initiatives such as Nenagh Film Week and the establishment of a film society in Nenagh Arts Centre.

To work in partnership with the County Library Service and national agencies to develop new opportunities for engagement with Literature in the county, building on the successes of writers in residence in the county.

The North Tipperary Music Strategy 2009-2013 was developed in 2008 through a research and consultative process and was adopted by the SPC with responsibility for Community & Enterprise in March 2009 and by the full Council in April 2009. Since the development of the strategy, the arts office has implemented a number of new measures to deliver on the objectives identified in the plan in line with available resources. We plan to continue to work towards the implementation of the music strategy in tandem with this new arts plan as resources allow.

To continue to provide professional development opportunities across artforms such as the Continuing Professional Development Programme in partnership with Music Network as appropriate to individual art forms.

To continue to contribute to the development of artform practice nationally arising from models of good practice developed through programmes, research and practices developed in North Tipperary. e.g. Music in Childcare initiatives etc.

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Infrastructure & Partnership

The Source Arts Centre & Library Photographer: Gerardine Wisdom

Core developmental areas under the Infrastructure & Partnership Strategy:

Capital Development Public Art Information & Communication Partnership

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Capital Development for the Arts About

North Tipperary Arts Office plans

The Source Arts Centre, Thurles, was North Tipperary’s first purpose built public regional arts and cultural facility which opened in August 2006 and was a Local Authority led initiative. Capital funding was received from the Department of Arts, Sport & Tourism under the ACCESS scheme and from North Tipperary County Council and Thurles Town Council.

To continue to work with the Board of The Source Arts Centre and its Director to support and enhance the important work being done to provide a space for creativity, a challenging and vibrant artistic programme and to ensure the sustainability of the centre into the future.

North Tipperary County Council supports the arts centre through the provision of annual grant aid and operationally through its Board of Directors and Executive Sub-Committee.

Nenagh Arts Centre opened in 2010 having been renovated and re-developed with support from the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht under the ACCESS II programme. This initiative was led by Nenagh Community Arts Centre and is a community-led arts centre. Capital funding was also allocated

by North Tipperary County Council and Nenagh Town Council.

A number of new independent private centres for art making and presentation have also emerged in recent years providing a vibrant network of opportunity for engagement with the arts.

To continue to work with the Board of Nenagh Arts Centre and its Director to contribute to the development of this new arts centre as a focal point for creative activity and audience development and to support its sustainable development.

To advise and promote independent venues in the county as an important part of the overall arts infrastructure for the county.

To advise on and provide information where appropriate and where possible to new proposals for the development of the arts infrastructure over the course of this strategic plan for the arts.

To ensure information on venues in the county is available through our online presences.

To encourage and support the development of appropriate public directional signage for arts and cultural facilities in the county.

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Public Art About

Public Art presents opportunities for a range of approaches to the commissioning of new and exciting artwork within a county and offers possibilities for the design of creative spaces and counties.

North Tipperary County Council has commissioned a number of artworks under the Per Cent for Art Scheme, has developed a County Collection and has commissioned new work across a range of artforms and contexts.

Herakles & the Stymphalian Birds by John Kindness Photographer: John Kindness

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North Tipperary Arts Office plans To develop education and information resources around existing public artworks in the county over time.

Develop a policy-led approach to future commissioning in line with revised national public art guidelines which are due to be published during 2012.

Utilise the per cent for art scheme to commission exciting, diverse and connected artworks through a range of commissioning processes providing opportunities for artists to engage fully with ideas, concepts and places.

To develop and build on the existing County Art Collection where resources allow.

To continue to advise on and support implementation of the per cent for art scheme in the county both externally through public building programmes and internally within the Local Authority.

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Information & Communication About

The way in which we communicate both internally within the Local Authority and externally with the public, audiences, partners and individuals has radically changed since the inception of the arts service. New technology continues to develop and to offer new methods and opportunities for communication and the dissemination of information relevant to the arts.

The Dandelion by Michael Disley Photographer: Gerardine Wisdom

North Tipperary Arts Office plans To utilize new technologies & strategies including social media to promote increased access to information on the arts in the county To act in a co-ordinating role to encourage collaboration and partnership between arts organisations and groups in the county particularly in the promotion of the arts in the county.

To investigate the potential for the coordination of a clash diary for organisations programming arts events in the county to maximize access to audiences in the county and to avoid duplication and competition for scarce resources.

To further develop the on-line artists database www.northtipperaryarts.org to maximize its potential as a resource to promote artists living and working in the county, and to promote the range of arts activity available in North Tipperary. The aim of this initiative is to showcase the arts offering in the county and to enable the arts office to provide information in a user friendly and timely fashion. The database is also a resource for commissioners, galleries, schools and the arts community locally, nationally and internationally.

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The Way Home Exhibition, The Source Arts Centre, Thurles Photographer: Debbie Hickey

About The arts office has promoted a partnership approach to developing the arts as a way of working since the establishment of the service in 1999 in the belief that a broad range of skill, commitment, knowledge and energy is required to develop sustainable programmes and policies for local arts development.

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Partnership

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Embrace opportunities for potential new partnership approaches which may arise over the course of this strategic plan

North Tipperary Arts Office plans To continue working in Partnership with North Tipperary VEC and the North Tipperary Music Education Partnership to develop a plan for music tuition in the county for submission to Music Generation and/or any other opportunities that may arise in the course of this plan. In the early part of 2011 the arts office supported North Tipperary VEC in the establishment of the North Tipperary Music Education Partnership which includes representation from across the music and educational sectors in the county.

To continue to develop its flagship approach to music education development by finalizing and piloting a unique fully researched and documented initiative around music in pre-school and Childcare settings which was developed by the arts office in partnership with the North Tipperary County Childcare Committee and music educationalist Frances Shanahan. We plan to further develop this initiative to devise an accredited course as part of mainstream childcare training in partnership with North Tipperary VEC and hope to finalise the accreditation process during the course of this plan.

To continue to work in partnership with local development agencies, organizations and communities to further access to the arts in the county.

To embrace opportunities for potential new partnership approaches which may arise over the course of this strategic plan.

To encourage a partnership approach amongst existing artists, creative practitioners and community and professional groups in the furtherance of their aims for arts development to maximize resources and opportunities for collaboration.

We aspire over the course of this plan to research and develop information in partnership with relevant agencies into the most appropriate engagement with emerging creative economies and technologies in the areas of arts and creative development.

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Support to Artists & Creative Practitioners

Sinead by Thomas Wollen Photographer: Thomas Wollen

About North Tipperary County Council views the professional creative practitioner as critical to the long term development of the arts and culture in the County and has consistently articulated its understanding of the value of supporting creative individuals at all stages of their career, through its grants, programmes and schemes which place the professional creative artist as central to the development of excellence in the arts in the County.

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Wood Book by Suzannah O’Reilly Photographer: Suzannah O’Reilly

North Tipperary Arts Office plans To maintain its support to individual creative practitioners in the county through the Professional North Tipperary Artists Scheme with a focus on the areas of professional development, creation of new work and in reaching audiences.

To investigate in partnership with other arts providers in the county ways of investing, through the provision of access to rehearsal facilities, space and time, the development of an individual practice for a period of time.

To support professional development training, networking, mentoring and collaboration opportunities as identified by artists.

To build on our approach of supporting artist led initiatives such as switch, Changing Faces and Crossbones as resources allow in creating a more formal “Space for Ideas” initiative.

To continue to support artists bursaries such as the Tyrone Guthrie Regional Bursary and others as appropriate to support the creation of new work and ideas across art practices.

To continue to offer Grants & Schemes such as the Solo Exhibition Award to support the creative development of quality arts practice.

To create an environment which makes North Tipperary an attractive place for artists to live and visit.

Early Years Theatre Residency Photographer: Joanna Williams

Where creative artists wish to set up studios or tele-cottages in rural areas, the Planning Authority will support such proposals provided that the nature of the work requires a rural location and complies with the rural housing policies set out in the County Development plan(ref. County Development Plan 2010-16).

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Community, Voluntary & Amateur Supports

Play YT at the Spleodar Festival Photographer: Tom Doherty 32 | North Tipperary County Council Strategic Arts Plan

North Tipperary Arts Office plans To continue to offer the annual Arts Act Grant Scheme which is the main grant scheme through which the Council “assist organisations in stimulating public interest in the arts, promoting the knowledge, appreciation and practice of the arts or in improving standards in the arts in the county�.

To advise on and support voluntary arts organisations in the continued development of appropriate policies and practices through the provision of relevant information and training by appropriately qualified persons.

Early Years Theatre Residency Photographer: Joanna Williams

About The community, voluntary and amateur sector are vibrant drivers of the arts in North Tipperary and contribute to a vibrant cultural offering right across the county. North Tipperary County Council has consistently recognized the contribution of this sector through a range of supports both financially and in supporting initiative through advice, information and promotion of the work of communities and organizations across the county.

To continue to provide bursaries to support professional development e.g. Blas, Irish Youth Choir, Drama League of Ireland, Music Network CPD as resources allow.

To initiate new ways of supporting independent audience development initiatives such as a guarantee against loss scheme to support the establishment and sustainability of creative communities.

To investigate ways of promoting the range and variety of community and voluntary arts events taking place across the county harnessing new technologies.

To investigate the potential for the co-ordination of a clash diary for organisations programming arts events in the county to maximize access to audiences in the county and to avoid duplication and competition for scarce resources.

To continue to support the voluntary festival sector through the festival co-ordinator located within the arts office.

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It is our aim to continue to build connections, programmes and policies to ensure that the arts in North Tipperary are a central element of civic life in the County.

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