Round 2 of the Small Towns Big Ideas initiative of Galway 2020 has seen another 27 community driven projects receive funding following an open call in April.
Small Town Big Ideas is a core part of the cultural programme of Galway 2020 that aims to go beyond the big events planned for the European Capital of Culture with dozens of small, community driven events in the run up to 2020 and right through the year.
The project kicked off initially in 2016 during the bid phase, with three impactful pilot projects headed by groups in Athenry, Ballygar and Headford.
The first full round of applications and funding saw 51 projects funded in 2018, over 30 of which have taken place, attracting thousands of visitors.
This second round will bring the total to almost 80 community creative projects being delivered throughout the city and county over the course of two years to the end of 2020.
The selected projects will take place all throughout Galway City and County including Portumna, Oughterard, Athenry, Headford, Loughrea, Connemara, Kilcolgan, Ballinasloe, Tuam, Ballinfoyle and Claregalway.
Events that have taken place so far have been spread all aspects of culture, music, theatre, street spectacle and more, with the vast majority of these having been free, family-friendly events.
Responding to one or more of the programme themes of Language, Landscape and Migration, each project celebrates Galway’s people, environment and culture from its own unique perspective.
Galway 2020 developed the programme with the intention of bringing local groups together under one umbrella, spurring cultural movements which would far outlast the 2020 European Capital of Culture title.
The programme is based on the ancient Irish tradition of Meitheal, the coming together for a common purpose, achieving ambitious goals that might otherwise be deemed impossible.
Social factors such as integration, inclusion, cross-cultural education, urban planning, climate change, cultural heritage and artistic innovation have been central to the programme.
