Arts Council small grants roll-out

THOUSANDS of pounds were invested in Londonderry as part of a small grants programme launched by the Arts Council last year.

Theatre and musical companies, a cancer support group and other community groups are just some of those who have been presented with awards through the scheme.

In Londonderry, Waterside Women's Centre, Walled City Music Trust, Rainbow Community Project, Londonderry Theatre Trust and Gasyard Development Trust have all received funding through the programme.

Pink Ladies Breast Cancer Support Group received 1,450 for their Think Pink Project. Working with artist Caroline Devenney, the group aims to enhance well-being, boost self-esteem and empower those affected by breast cancer.

The funding received through the small grants programme helped towards the costs of an eight week silk painting course and an eight week poetry and creative writing course.

Karen Mullan Bogside and Brandywell Health Forum explained what the Small Grants Programme meant to them.

"The Pink Ladies Breast Cancer Support Group was set up in May 2005, it is a local support, activity and awareness raising group.

"The group recently received funding from the Arts Council to run arts programmes within the Gasyard Centre.

"One of those programmes is a silk making course which the group has now completed and the work from which will be displayed at a city wide International Women's Day exhibition.

"The benefits from this programme for the women have been immense and the pride that they will feel when their work is displayed to the public will instil a greater confidence in themselves," said Ms Mullan.

Sole Purpose Productions received an ACNI Small Grants Award for The Shadowmen by Debbie Caulfield and Rea Curran, a musical theatre piece on climate change, which was staged in the Waterside Theatre in Londonderry in October 2009.

Patricia Byrne from Sole Purpose Productions spoke about their application.

"The award was a great benefit to the production," she said. "The process of applying was straightforward and fairly quick. It is great that it is on a rolling schedule. It gave us leverage to get other funders on board and contributed to the overall success of the production."

Edel Murphy, Small Grant Programme Officer, commented: "We have been overwhelmed by the amount of interest we have had in the programme since it was launched 12 months ago.

"Through the Small Grants programme we have been able to support a huge variety of high quality, professionally run arts projects, proving that sometimes a small amount of money can have a big impact."

Applicants can apply for arts funding to the Small Grants Programme at any time throughout the year for awards between 500 and 10,000.

To find out more about the Small Grants Programme and how to apply visit www.artscouncil-ni.org.

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