“...NEW SHAPES NEW BEGINNINGS” Eileen Casey OFFALY COUNTY COUNCIL ARTS PLAN 1 PLEAN EALAÍONA CHONTAE UÍBH FHAILÍ 2007–2011 PAGE Left: Shannonbridge Midsummer Music Festival 2006. Photography Philip Casey. Exiting in a bubble of air she saw how the sky exploded into fireworks and she saw shapes, NEW SHAPES NEW BEGINNINGS. She saw red clouds red smoke coming from red cradles of shells, a tide of red rising. Extract from The Mermaid Eileen Casey 2007 EILEEN CASEY IS A POET, WRITER AND JOURNALIST FROM OFFALY. 2 PAGE 2 Cover: Lough Boora Sculpture in the Parklands, Winter Morning. Photography Kevin O’Dwyer. Inside Cover: The Scriptorium Project, Book, Jorn Ronnau, Aras an Chontae, 2006. Photography Andy Mason. Opposite: Sorcha O’Raghallaigh, Birr Vintage Week & Arts Festival, 2006. Photography Carolina Gustavsson. CONTENTS SECTION 1 Introduction . .4 Profile & Context . .6 The Purpose of the Arts Plan . .7 Our Intentions . .8 Our Guiding Values . .9 Monitoring & Evaluation . .9 Who is this Plan for? . .10 The Arts Service in Offaly County Council . .11 How this Plan will be Resourced . .12 In Partnership with the Arts Council . .12 SECTION 2 2.1 CAPACITY &AUDIENCE BUILDING . .14 2.1.1 Supporting the Individual Artist . .14 2.1.1.1 Support to Artists Scheme . .15 2.1.1.2 Bursaries . .15 2.1.1.3 Training/Mentoring . .15 2.1.1.4 Showcase . .15 2.1.2 Arts Activity . .17 2.1.2.1 Festivals & Events . .17 2.1.2.2 Arts in Education . .18 2.1.2.3 Community Amateur & Voluntary Arts . .21 2.1.3 Arts in Health . .22 2.1.3.1 Anam Beo . .23 2.1.3.2 Musicians in Residence . .23 2.2 TOWARDS A CULTRAL INFRASTRUCTURE . .24 2.2.1 New Developments . .25 2.2.1.1 An Arts Space in Tullamore . .25 2.2.1.2 A Civic Space in Edenderry . .25 2.2.2 Existing Developments . .26 2.2.2.1 Birr Theatre & Arts Centre . .26 2.2.2.2 Belmont Mills . .27 2.2.2.3 Lough Boora Sculpture in the Parklands . .28 2.2.2.4 Small Spaces . .29 2.3 MAKING THE ARTS VISIBLE . .30 3 2.3.1 Public Art . .30 PAGE PAGE 2.3.2 Developing Art Forms . .32 2.3.2.1 Drama . .32 2.3.2.2 Visual Art . .34 2.3.2.3 Literature . .35 2.3.2.4 Music . .36 2.3.2.5 Dance . .37 2.3.2.6 Film . .38 2.3.3 A Regional Outlook . .39 APPENDIX . .40 SECTION 1 INTRODUCTION On behalf of the members and staff of Offaly County Council we are delighted to introduce this arts plan for the county for the years 2007 to 2011. Offaly County Council’s provision for the arts has continued to grow and develop in recent years in the context of both the Councils Corporate Plan and County Development Board’s Strategic Plan. One of the primary objectives in both of these plans is the preparation of a comprehensive arts plan that would take stock of the developments to date and to strategically plan for future arts provision. There is no doubt that the Arts Service provides a positive way for the Council to creatively engage with the community and the impact of the arts in the wider context of the economic social and cultural development of the county is widely recognised. Through the support for the implementation of this plan, Offaly County Council aspires to improve the quality of life of the citizens of Offaly. We wish to promote an appreciation and understanding of the value of the arts in the community and to be inclusive in providing opportunities to access and participate in the arts. We warmly welcome this publication and assure the people of Offaly of the full support of Offaly County Council in striving towards the attainment of its actions and objectives. SECTION Cllr. Gerard Killally Pat Gallagher 1 Cathaoirleach County Manager 2 PAGE PAGE 4 Above: Cllr. Gerard Killally, Cathaoirleach Pat Gallagher, County Manager April 2007 Opposite: ‘Clop’ installation by Caelan Bristow & Nick Ward, Birr Vintage Week & Arts Festival, 2006. Photography Carolina Gustavsson. PAGE 5 SECTION 1 Lough Boora Sculpture in the Parklands. Photography Tom Egan. PROFILE & CONTEXT Offaly is one of four “Midland” counties and a county in transition. The northeastern part of the county is tracts of bogland dominate the county, the of the arts. This is the most significant first situated within the commuter belt of Dublin population is largely centred around towns. step towards the democratisation of the SECTION with the southern and western parts Offaly is linked regionally with Laois, arts nationally. In this plan Offaly County bordering the Slieve Bloom Mountains Westmeath and Longford, with many Council sets out how it will respond to this and the Shannon River. The towns of organisations working on a regional level increased mandate through its own policies 1 Edenderry, with its rapidly increasing in recognition of their unique location: the and actions and through its strategic PAGE PAGE population and Birr in the southern part of HSE, Midland Regional Authority, VEC relationship with local and national bodies 6 the county are largely isolated from each Midland Arts Education Office and such as: the Arts Council, the Department other. Tullamore the county town is a busy Midlands 103. of Arts, Sports and Tourism, The Department commercial centre; it forms an integral As a result of the Arts Act 2003 local of Environment, Heritage and Local part of the NSS Linked Gateway Initiative government has for the first time been Government, The National Roads Authority with the other Midland towns of Athlone given a legal mandate to plan for the arts. (Per Cent for Art schemes), The Health and Mullingar. The population of Offaly is Whilst funding of the arts remains a Services Executive, the VEC, the County circa 70,000 and growing with the last reserved rather than a statutory function, the Development Board, the County Enterprise census showing an increase in population 2003 Act recognises the unique leadership Board, Community Forum and Area of 10.5% in 4 years. Because expansive role of local authorities in the development Development Management Groups. THE PURPOSE OF THE ARTS PLAN “Offaly County Council aims to provide leadership in quality, inclusive and innovative experiences of the arts for all and to demonstrate through best practice and partnership the benefits of increased access to and involvement in the arts for all our citizens.” ““arts” means any creative or interpretative expression “That all people in Offaly will enjoy equal opportunity and a (whether traditional or contemporary) in whatever form, and good quality of life that they will look forward to the future includes in particular, visual arts, theatre, literature, with confidence while cherishing the past.” music, dance, opera, film, circus and architecture, and A strategy for Economic, Social and Cultural Development 2002–2012 includes any medium when used for those purposes.” Offaly County Development Board Arts Act 2003 “To improve the quality of life for people in Offaly.” “To facilitate the creativity, imagination, talent and traditions Offaly Local Authorities Mission Statement 2005–2009 of all people in Offaly, and the modes through which they “Offaly Local Authorities aim to be recognised for the care are expressed.” and the respect given to each and every user of our services by every member of our organisation.” Corporate Plan 2005–2009 THE PURPOSE OF THIS PLAN IS: To provide a structure for the Arts Office in Offaly County Council to deliver its service within the overall framework and policies of the local authority To articulate Offaly County Council’s priorities for the arts for 2007–2011. 1 SECTION 7 PAGE PAGE Reading Fire Writing Flame by Eileen Casey, Áras An Chontae, 2007. Photography Andy Mason. OUR INTENTION To encourage, promote and be a catalyst for the growth of the arts in the county. To foster and encourage increased access to and participation in the arts by all sectors of the community. To encourage the development of audiences for and awareness and appreciation of the arts. To utilise confirmed funding for the arts through the government per cent for arts scheme and create an imaginative, innovative and co-ordinated public art programme. To recognise the importance of the artist in the community and to make Offaly an imaginative and supportive environment for artists. To further develop the skills and capacity of the local arts sector and to support increased professional standards. To consolidate.