1. 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

2. Counties Map of Ireland

3. Population Density - 2006

4. The Key Players

5. Chronology

6. 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

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

8. Artists

9. Public Art

10. Education Laois School of Music Artists in Schools

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

12. Venues & Other Spaces Abbeyleix Library Dunamaise Arts Centre Civic Plaza

13. Plan Free Zone

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

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

16. 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

17. Music Network

18. 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

19. National Youth Theatre

20. 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.

21. A Cosmopolitan Cosmology 2009

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

23. Midlands Arts & Culture Magazine

24. 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

25. 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

26. Polish Artists in Laois Edyta Szymanska and Krzysztof Piekarz