Tuam has been selected for a €450,000 three-year pilot programme for investment in the arts.
Galway East TD and Minister for Rural Affairs Seán Canney described the funding as a “fantastic opportunity for the town.”
Minister Canney said: “The funding from the Arts Council is part of its Creative Places Ireland programme.
“The programme is specifically aimed at communities around the country that have not benefited from sustained public investment in the arts.
“It is great that Tuam has been selected as the pilot for this national initiative. The Arts Council chose Tuam because it recognised its people had an established interest and commitment to the arts and culture, exemplified by the late playwright Tom Murphy, the Saw Doctors and singer Brendan Murray.
“It was also chosen because it was felt that Tuam would benefit socially and economically from the investment.”
This is the first time that the Arts Council will be investing in a specific place with an intention to work with local partners to build on their artistic assets, resources and ambitions.
Launching the initiative in Tuam today (Monday), Arts Council Director Orlaith McBride said: “We look forward to working with the community of Tuam to understand what matters to them and explore lots of new opportunities for people to get involved in the development of the arts by amplifying the instinctive creative impulses of the local community.”
A public meeting on the project will be held in Tuam Library at 5pm on July 18 for anyone wishing to find out more about the initiative.
A tender for project management for the pilot programme will be published on July 19. It is expected the project will formally launch in October 2019.

For more information, contact Minister Canney on 086-2513639
July 8 2019