Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Mr. Jimmy Deenihan, T.D., will officially launch the country's first subsidised living space scheme for artists in Limerick City this coming Thursday.
Limerick Arts Office recently made an open call to recognised cultural practitioners, including contemporary visual artists, performers, musicians and writers, to apply for the use of 6 newly-refurbished residential apartments.
Speaking ahead of the official opening of the Artists' Apartments at 1-2 John's Square, Arts Officer Sheila Deegan explained that the scheme forms part of Limerick City Council’s strategy to “further enhance and develop the steady growth in cultural infrastructure that the City has been involved in over many years. The occupied apartments will create a vibrant presence in John’s Square, complementing the existing cultural interests there, including Dance Limerick, the Butcher, George Russell, St. John’s 3rd/14th Scout Troop as well as commercial businesses such as Hickey’s Chemist and Dr. Scanlon’s and Dr. Griffin’s Surgery’s and The Square Bar all combining to support the local economy”.
Ms. Deegan continued: “Artists have already, through Creative Limerick, (a scheme that sets out to enhance vibrancy and active frontages in Limerick City Centre and to provide active uses for vacant properties while promoting the work of the Creative Industries) helped animate Limerick through their work.
The apartments, which are licensed for a 1-3 year period, provide subsidised living spaces in recognition that artists and many individuals working in the arts are on modest income levels. The apartments will also help provide a further infrastructural support for Limerick as the first National City of Culture 2014.
“Dance Limerick, a new resource in the former Daghdha premises, for the promotion of dance in Limerick and its surrounds, will be launched later in the year in the Square. These positive developments and investments build upon an already dynamic heritage of arts activity and stimulate further development opportunities for arts and culture in the City,” she added.
Minister Deenihan will officially launch the Artists' Apartments at 1-2 John's Square on Thursday 26th September at 4.30pm. Contact the Limerick City Arts Office at Phone: (061) 407363 or visit www.limerickcity.ie for further information.
Limerick Arts Office recently made an open call to recognised cultural practitioners, including contemporary visual artists, performers, musicians and writers, to apply for the use of 6 newly-refurbished residential apartments.
Speaking ahead of the official opening of the Artists' Apartments at 1-2 John's Square, Arts Officer Sheila Deegan explained that the scheme forms part of Limerick City Council’s strategy to “further enhance and develop the steady growth in cultural infrastructure that the City has been involved in over many years. The occupied apartments will create a vibrant presence in John’s Square, complementing the existing cultural interests there, including Dance Limerick, the Butcher, George Russell, St. John’s 3rd/14th Scout Troop as well as commercial businesses such as Hickey’s Chemist and Dr. Scanlon’s and Dr. Griffin’s Surgery’s and The Square Bar all combining to support the local economy”.
Ms. Deegan continued: “Artists have already, through Creative Limerick, (a scheme that sets out to enhance vibrancy and active frontages in Limerick City Centre and to provide active uses for vacant properties while promoting the work of the Creative Industries) helped animate Limerick through their work.
The apartments, which are licensed for a 1-3 year period, provide subsidised living spaces in recognition that artists and many individuals working in the arts are on modest income levels. The apartments will also help provide a further infrastructural support for Limerick as the first National City of Culture 2014.
“Dance Limerick, a new resource in the former Daghdha premises, for the promotion of dance in Limerick and its surrounds, will be launched later in the year in the Square. These positive developments and investments build upon an already dynamic heritage of arts activity and stimulate further development opportunities for arts and culture in the City,” she added.
Minister Deenihan will officially launch the Artists' Apartments at 1-2 John's Square on Thursday 26th September at 4.30pm. Contact the Limerick City Arts Office at Phone: (061) 407363 or visit www.limerickcity.ie for further information.
