Two community arts and music festivals in Galway awarded funding

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The Bandwagons at the M.A.D Festival 2021 in Athenry. Photo Credit: Athenry Heritage Centre via Twitter.

Grants have been provided to support two arts and music festivals in Galway this year, under a scheme supporting smaller local events.

Minister Catherine Martin has awarded €5,000 each for two events in Galway under the Small Scale Local Festivals and Summer Schools scheme.

The Athenry Heritage Centre has been awarded €5,000 to help it put on the M.A.D. Festival, a community event that aims to provide an inclusive and accessible arts programme.

The festival includes bilingual events in Irish and English along with actors and arts practitioners from the Ukrainian community in Athenry.

In addition, another €5,000 has been awarded to Féile Cheoil Larry Reynolds, a music festival in Ballinasloe celebrating its tenth anniversary in 2023.

Minister Catherine Martin said, “Culture and arts add hugely to our lives and to our community and supporting the Festivals and Summer Schools around Ireland and locally is a crucial part of the work of my Department.”

“These projects make a very significant contribution to the development and promotion of Ireland’s cultural tourism offering, to the benefit of both the domestic and foreign tourist.”

“I wish the organisers every success; and I hope that the public will enjoy the wonderful programmes of events around the country over the coming months.”

In total €131,036 in funding was announced for 30 events to support Small Scale Local Festivals and Summer Schools taking place around Ireland in 2023.

The scheme is designed to assist local cultural events which may not be eligible under funding criteria for larger scale events such as those supported by Fáilte Ireland, the Arts Council and similar bodies.