Cultural Education in local areas with particular reference to County Laois Presented by Muireann Ni Chonaill, Arts Officer, Laois County Council Gdansk November 5th 2009

Counties Map of Ireland

Population Density

The Key Players

Chronology

Laois Arts Strategy Laois County Arts Plan 2006 – 11 1.The Arts Service 2.Artists 3.Public Art & the Percent for Art Scheme 4.Education: Young People & Children 5.Active Participation: Community & Amateur Arts 6.Venues & Other Spaces 7.Plan Free Zone

The Arts Service Grants Ceremony Electric Picnic Rock Fest Publication Book Launch

Artists

Public Art

Education Laois School of Music Artists in Schools

Active Participation Laois Youth Theatre Socially Engaged Arts Projects Training in Arts Forms Creative Writing

Venues & Other Spaces Abbeyleix Library Dunamaise Arts Centre Civic Plaza

Plan Free Zone

Some Key National & Local Associates Arts Council Music Network National Association for Youth Drama CREATE Visual Arts Ireland Rural Arts Network Partnership Groups

Arts Council Funding Advice & Support Aosdána (Artist Support) Lobbying

Music Network Established by the Arts Council in 1986 Makes live classical, jazz and traditional Irish music of the highest quality available and accessible Business training for young musicians Lobby for National System for Music Education in local areas U2 - Major Philanthropic Gift for Music

Music Network

National Association for Youth Drama  The development organisation for youth theatre and youth drama Supports youth drama in practice and policy & sustained development Advocates the value between young people and theatre as an artform Raise the artistic standards of youth theatre across the country National Youth Theatre, festivals of youth theatres, new writing, publications, resources & training Membership of over 50 youth theatres countrywide in partnership with local authorities, youth services, theatres and arts centres Involved in developing Drama in Education in Ireland

National Youth Theatre

CREATE National development agency for collaborative arts. Mission: to provide advice and support services to artists and arts organisations working collaboratively with communities of place and/or interest. Supports artists across all artforms who work collaboratively with communities, be they communities of place or communities brought together by interest. Seeks to promote collaborative arts as a dynamic and contemporary form of arts practice. Manages the Artist in the Community Scheme on behalf of the Arts Council of Ireland. Since 2001 the Artist in the Community Scheme has funded more than 100 artists across different artforms to work with many communities in urban and rural areas to produce contemporary art.

A Cosmopolitan Cosmology 2009

Midland Collaboration Established 2006 Laois, Offaly, Longford and Westmeath Midlands Arts Magazine- 3 per year Midland Master Classes Midlands Orchestra

Midlands Arts & Culture Magazine

Challenges Going Forward National Economic Policy Access to Funding Local Expectations Tourism Share Low Loss of People to Dublin and Increasing Participation in the Commuter Workforce Social Inclusion – Access & Affordable Staffing Embargo

Positive Opportunities Investment in Infra-structure – Levies Arts Networking Artists Choosing Laois as Home Arts in Education/ School of Music/Youth Theatre & Artists in Schools Programme Confidence to try new things E U Funding – Leader, INTER-REG etc Credibility Locally & Nationally

Polish Artists in Laois Edyta Szymanska and Krzysztof Piekarz