Tag Archives: Siobhan Mulcahy

THEATRES and concert halls closed, TV productions stalled, art galleries shut, it has been a hard time to work in the creative sector in Ireland. Siobhán Mulcahy is Arts Officer for Clare and she acknowledges that the last seven months have been very hard. “It has, I suppose on two fronts. “Number one with the closure of cultural venues, that would be the most obvious one, or to the public it would be the most obvious one anyway. “It has affected those artists that might have been working on programmes and projects, which have now been delayed or signficantly altered because the public elements of them have changed, which can be very challenging, if you’re working on something and things change. But they have changed for society generally so most people would be very understanding of the necessity that artists have to regroup and realign, in terms of what they are doing. “That would be one element and the second …

A new artists studio facility, initiated by the Arts Office of Clare County Council, will open in Ennis on Tuesday next. Orlaith McBride, director of The Arts Council of Ireland, will officially launch the EASI studios, based in the Tracklands Business Park. The development of the facility was one of the actions identified in the Clare Arts Development Plan and will support artists in the Ennis area by providing flexible and affordable studio facilities across a variety of artistic disciplines. “EASI, stands for Ennis Access to Spaces Initiative, an initiative aimed at developing creative spaces in the town,” explained Siobhán Mulcahy, Clare County Arts Officer. She continued, “This particular facility offers artists the opportunity to work in individual and shared workspaces. It is envisaged that the studios will appeal to a range of artistic disciplines including, but not limited to, visual arts and digital based activity.” She explained that the artists studio will also facilitate arts organisations and those working …

Clare’s cultural community will come together on Friday, September 22 to showcase the creativity that exists within the county. Culture Night Clare 2017 will see 40 free cultural events for all ages being held throughout Clare over a 10-hour period from 1pm to 11pm. This year’s programme, which is organised by the Clare Arts Office and funded by Clare County Council and the Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht is filled with free events. Arts and cultural bodies throughout Clare will throw open their doors offering members of the public a chance to enjoy unique performances and catch a glimpse inside some of the most beautiful buildings and cultural institutions in their area. A poetry trail, classical music, a ceramics and jewellery showcase and a family art workshop are just some of the ways that people around the county can enjoy this year’s Culture Night. Culture Night in Ennis will culminate with ‘Firestorm’ – a show of light and …

Clare Youth Theatre (CYT), an initiative of the Arts Office of Clare County Council, returns to glór this year for a series of weekly workshops. Open to all young people who are in secondary school, CYT meet every Saturday afternoon and delivers a programme that includes acting, devising, writing and technical skills for theatre. With over 25 members currently from all over Clare, CYT offers teenagers a chance to meet and create with like-minded young people. “Over the years we have seen firm friendships forged at the youth theatre,” according to Siobhán Mulcahy, Clare County Council Arts Officer. She continued, “The development of theatre skills is primarily what we do but the holistic benefits of team building, self confidence and addressing issues relevant to young people in a safe environment is what differentiates the youth theatre from other drama groups.” Led by Eleanor Feely and Clare Townsend, the group engages in community events, pop up performances and productions throughout the …

The very best cultural experience Clare has to offer will be showcased on Friday, September 16. Culture Night Clare 2016 will see 45 free cultural events for all ages being held throughout Clare over a five-hour period from 5pm to 10pm. This year’s programme, which is organised by the Clare Arts Office and funded by Clare County Council and the Department of Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, is filled with free events across the county from Ennis to Ennistymon, Kilshanny to Kilkee and Kilkishen to Corofin. Arts and cultural spaces throughout Clare will throw open their doors offering members of the public a chance to enjoy unique performances and catch a glimpse inside some of the most beautiful buildings and cultural institutions in their area. “Over the past ten years this initiative has captured both the public’s imagination and the enthusiasm of artists and cultural organisations in Clare. This year is no different with 45 events planned around …

A NEW County Arts Development Plan, which aims to build on the progress made by the local arts sector in recent years, is being prepared. Submissions from interested parties are being invited by the Clare County Arts Office to the proposed plan, the development of which coincides with the development of a National Cultural Policy by the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht. It also follows the recent launch of The ArtsCouncil’s new 10-year strategy. The Clare County Arts Office says it will be reflecting on the work done over the last number of years in the county and looking forward to help further sustain and develop such work. Siobhán Mulcahy, county arts officer, said, “The aims in the previous plan have stood us in good stead over the last number of years, but we welcome this opportunity to review them and to create tangible objectives, plans and policies that will continue to place County Clare as a leader in …

by Carol Byrne THE future of nine arts projects in Clare, worth €343,500, are in limbo after Irish Water indicated it is going to discontinue the Per Cent for Art Scheme. Clare County Council applied for grants following the construction of nine water schemes in the county. Three applications for arts funding of €51,000 were sought in relation to the construction of the Newmarket-on-Fergus Water, Ennis Water Treatment Plant and West Clare Contract Six Water Schemes. A further three applications for €38,000 in arts funding were made following the development of the Ennis Augmentation Water Scheme, Corofin Sewerage Scheme and Lisdoonvarna Water Supply Scheme extension to Ballyvaughan. Two applications for funding of €25,500 were sought under the Per Cent for Art Scheme following the construction of the Tulla Serviced Land Initiative (SLI) and the Clonlara SLI Sewerage Scheme, while one application for funding of €25,000 was made in respect of works at the Clarecastle SLI. The information emerged in a …