Arts Act Grants 2021

Below is a list of grants available from Kildare Arts Service in 2021 and a record of successful grant applications.

The deadline for application to 2021 Arts Grants was 18^th March 2021.

• Arts Act Grant Scheme
• Arts in Education Residency Bursary Award
• Artistic Entrepreneur Bursary Award
• Denis O'Driscoll Literary Bursary Award
• Drama League of Ireland Summer School Bursary Award
• Emerging Visual Artist Exhibition Award
• Executive Coaching for Creative Professionals Bursary Award
• Local Publishing Award
• Research and Thinking Bursary Award
• Platform4 Recording Studio Bursary Award
• Short Grass Short Film Bursary Award (€1,500)
• Short Grass Short Film Commission Award (€12,500)
• Tyrone Guthrie Centre Residency Bursary Award
• Youth Arts Residency Bursary Award

In addition, Kildare Arts Service welcomed applications to the Kildare Creative Ireland Bursary Awards 2021;

the Creative Ireland Cruinniú na nÓg Bursary Award 2021; the Kildare Decade of Commemorations Artistic and

Creative Bursary Award 2021 and the Kildare Decade of Commemorations Short Grass Film Award. 

Information on the projects funded under these awards is published separately.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Arts Act Grant Scheme

Surname	First Name	Organisation	Municipal District (Kildare)	Artform	Project Description	Funding Awarded
Burke	Conor		Naas	Theatre / Drama	Perform 'Everything is Grand, and I'm Completely Okay' a one-person show.	€2,000
Butler	Frank	Celbridge Camera Club	Celbridge / Leixlip	Visual Art	Support an immersive 3-D virtual exhibition.	€480
Carroll	Tara		Naas	Visual Art	Research and develop a socially engaged art project in the mediums of performance art, video, sculptural objects and textile print.	€1,900
Conway	Natasha		Athy	Visual Art	Engage in studio practice supported by professional mentorship sessions.	€1,255
Cregan	Brian		Naas	VisualArt	Purchase a large format film camera for new portrait series based in Kildare.	€1,000
de Bath	Monica		Kildare / Newbridge	Visual Art	Research and document a visual art project; present a public event with contributions from lead artists and project participants.	€1,800
de Brí	Pamela		Clane / Maynooth	Visual Art	Develop a prototype for a large publishing and online interactive project, reviewing and combining documentation: notebooks, photographs, audio recordings, videos, etchings, paintings and drawings.	€1,250
Fitzmaurice	Edel	Nás na Ríogh Singers	Naas	Music	Record a video of 'A Little Jazz Mass' and perform a live concert.	€1,000
Geoghegan	John	Moat Writers	Naas	Literature	Publish an anthology of original work featuring poetry, fiction, memoir, reflective work and short stories from local writers.	€500
Gibson	Saidhbhín		Celbridge / Leixlip	Visual Art	Purchase a video editing programme and a battery.	€400
Griffin	Emma		Celbridge / Leixlip	Visual Art	Support individual practice in preparation for a group show.	€400
Hendrick	Pat	Teresa Brayton Players	Clane / Maynooth	Theatre / Drama	Support towards four productions in 2021.	€750
Hensey	Noel		Kildare / Newbridge	Visual Art	Support three international exhibitions, one solo and two group including research and production of a new body of work for a solo exhibition.	€1,250
Higgins	Claire		Kildare / Newbridge	Circus / Street Arts	Create a video to research street performance; engage a mentor in street performing, clowning and teaching.	€2,340
Hughes	Kathrina	Element 15	Naas	Visual Art	Create and present a site-specific contemporary textile art project and exhibition.	€1,750
Hynan	Niamh		Kildare / Newbridge	Visual Art	Complete a new series of mixed media paintings.	€400
Kelly	Denis		Celbridge / Leixlip	Visual Art	Develop a series of paintings, exploring colour, form, space, movement and presentation of new work in a solo exhibition.	€1,800
Leahy	Catríona		Clane / Maynooth	Visual Art	Site specific research on cutaway bogs and production of large format photographic prints.	€2,500
Malone	Sheena		Clane / Maynooth	Visual Art	Studio work on a new body of drawings; fine art scans and prints of these works.	€1,230
Malone	Valerie	Martin Malone	Athy	Literature	Draft a novel centred around the Curragh.	€1,000
Maloney	Mary Pat		Athy	Theatre / Drama	Develop a theatre performance inspired by the poetry of Pat Ingoldsby.	€1,110
McCarthy	Tamara	Explore Youth Theatre	Clebridge / Leixlip	Theatre / Drama	Produce a new radio play developed as part of Explore Youth Theatre's recent artist in residency project.	€1,300
Mulhall	Shirley	Millicent Singers	Clane / Maynooth	Music	Perform a summer concert, contribute towards choir costs and record a CD.	€1,000
Murphy	Claire	KARE	Clane / Maynooth	Visual Art	Support a portrait project involving people who live in Kildare who have an intellectual disability.	€1,060
Murphy	Kate		Kildare / Newbridge	Visual Art	Develop a new body of work for a joint exhibition and support research for a solo show.	€800
Murphy	Martina		Clane / Maynooth	Theatre / Drama	Work with a director/dramaturg to interrogate and develop a new play.	€400
Murphy	Sharon		Naas	Music	Produce an EP of 4 instrumentals.	€1,200
Nevin	Matthew		Naas	Visual Art	Curate and produce a visual arts project consisting of an exhibition, film and audience engagement.	€1,250
O'Brien	Geraldine		Celbridge / Leixlip	Theatre / Drama	Write a new play and direct it with a cast of local teenagers.	€1,750
Ralli	Matthew		Naas	Theatre / Drama	Develop new theatre project and workshop with actors.	€1,875
Ryan	Mary		Kildare / Newbridge	Theatre / Drama	Develop a play for a digital audience; create and edit a short promotional video.	€2,000

 

 

Arts in Education Residency Bursary Award

Surname	First Name	School	Municipal District (Kildare)	Artform	Project Description	Funding Awarded
Pluincéid	Eoin	S N Cill Cae	Athy	Visual Art	With artist Angelina Forster, explore print processes through the centuries, including eco-printing and the sustainable nature of this style of art.	€2,500
McConnon	Catherine	Coláiste Chíaráin	Celbridge / Leixlip	Visual Art	Work with artist and mural maker James Kirwan to develop and create a large scale street art mural using two shipping containers on the school grounds.	€2,500
Farrington	Marie	Confey Community College	Celbridge / Leixlip	Visual Art	Work with artist Brian Cregan to create photographic artworks that can be shared and displayed around the school.	€2,500

 

 

Artistic Entrepreneur Bursary Award, in association with Kildare LEO

Surname	First Name		Municipal District (Kildare)	Artform	Project Description	Funding Awarded
Fay	Michael		Clane / Maynooth	Music	Build online music courses and begin to create, perform and sell original musical arrangements online.	€1,500

 

 

Denis O'Driscoll Literary Bursary Award

Surname	First Name		Municipal District (Kildare)	Artform	Project Description	Funding Awarded
Emerging Writer
Cox	Jade		Celbridge / Leixlip	Literature	Develop a coming of age Young Adult novel set in the Irish midlands in the early 2000s, by engaging in professional mentorship.	€1,500
Professional Writer
Clooney	Pauline		Kildare / Newbridge	Literature	Research and write a draft of a historical novel re-imagining the relationship of poet William Butler Yeats and Georgie (George) Hyde Lees.	€2,000

 

 

Drama League of Ireland Summer School Award

Surname	First Name	Organisation	Municipal District (Kildare)	Artform	Project Description	Funding Awarded
Brady-Conor	Tom	An Nuadh Players	Clane / Maynooth	Theatre / Drama	Participate in the 'Dare to Dream -Dare to Direct' workshop with Geoff O'Keeffe.	€600
Higgins	Caitríona	An Nuadh Players	Clane / Maynooth	Theatre / Drama	Participate in the 'Dare to Dream -Dare to Direct' workshop with Geoff O'Keeffe.	€600

 

 

Emerging Visual Artist Exhibition Award with Riverbank Arts Centre

Surname	First Name		Municipal District (Kildare)	Artform	Project Description	Funding Awarded
Whyte	Katie		Naas	Visual Art	Exhibit recent work exploring the changing paradigms of the modernisation of the art world in Ireland and ideas of iconoclasm and Damnatio memoriae (the condemnation of memory) of the social archive in the past and how it applies to artwork today.	€2,500

 

 

Executive Coaching for Creative Professionals Busary Award

Surname	First Name		Municipal District (Kildare)	Artform	Project Description	Funding Awarded
McLaughlin	Mary		Kildare / Newbridge	Theatre / Drama	Identify goals and aims as a creative artist following recent work changes and challenges to practice.	€600
Gildea	Orla		Celbridge / Leixlip	Theatre / Drama	Reflect and identify ways to progress as a creative artist while balancing a career as a drama teacher and creative arts therapist.	€600
Hynan	Shane		Clane / Maynooth	Visual Art	Refine the focus of artistic practice; explore current lines of enquiry, skills and processes and set bespoke goals.	€600

 

 

Local Publishing Award

No funding awarded

 

 

Research and Thinking Bursary Award

Surname	First Name		Municipal District (Kildare)	Artform	Project Description	Funding Awarded
Blennerhassett	Claire		Kildare / Newbridge	Theatre / Drama	Reflect on practice and explore a shift in direction involving a large and dynamic body of new work.	€1,700
Kelly	Clodagh		Celbridge / Leixlip	Visual Art	Investigate the internal and external space we occupy, the seen and unseen, boundaries interpreted and misinterpreted.	€1,700
Freeman	Lisa		Athy	Visual Art	Work with a curator and researcher as mentor to expand current research in the social, cultural and economic power of linguistics.	€1,700

 

 

Platform 4 Recording Studio Bursary Award

Surname	First Name	Organisation	Municipal District (Kildare)	Artform	Project Description	Funding Awarded
Phelan	Emer		Celbridge / Leixlip	Music	Record an original song composed in the last year.	€900
Boyd	Pat	St Mary's Brass Band	Clance Maynooth	Music	Record a full brass band cd.	€900
Breheny	Vince		Clane Maynooth	Literature	Create an audio book of poems and complement them with associated stories.	€900

 

 

Short Grass Film Bursary Award

Surname	First Name	Organisation	Municipal District (Kildare)	Artform	Project Description	Funding Awarded
Gildea	Orla	Wishful Collaborative Productions	Celbridge / Leixlip	Film	Shoot a short film dealing with the search for romance in later life.	€1,500
O'Rourke-Glynn	Ryan		Athy	Film	Shoot a short film about one man's epic journey to discover himself and, learn how to ride a bicycle.	€1,500
Weldon	Colin	Veridian 3 Films Ltd	Naas	Film	Explore the landscape of HP Lovecraft's Irish themed 1921 horror short story 'The Moon-Bog', contrasting the fictional Kilderry with its real life inspiration of Kildare.	€1,500

 

 

Short Grass Film Commission Award

Surname	First Name			Artform	Project Description	Funding Awarded
McNeice	Katie			Film	When his baby is born intersex, a young rural dad must face his own father’s gendered bullying, and the scars it has already left him.	€12,500

 

 

Tyrone Guthrie Residency Bursary Award

Decision deferred due to Covid19 restrictions 

 

 

Youth Arts Bursary Award

Surname	First Name	Organisation	Municipal District (Kildare)	Artform	Project Description	Funding Awarded
Ennis	Lisa	Newbridge Family Resource Centre Youth Club	Kildare / Newbridge	Circus / Street Arts	Deliver circus skills workshops for young people aged 10 - 18; explore the basics of circus.	€2,500

 

    

The deadline for applications to all awards was 18th March 2021.

 

Kildare Creative Ireland Artistic and Creative Bursary Awards 2021

As part of Kildare's 2021 Creative Ireland programme bursaries are awarded to develop bodies of work with a public interface/engagement.

For the Kildare Creative Ireland Artistic and Creative Bursary Awards applications were invited from individuals and groups to creatively explore themes of:

• Well-being
• Sense of place
• Heritage (which may include historical exploration)
• Music
• STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics)
• Irish language
• Climate change

Organisation / Surname	First Name		Municipal District (Kildare)		Project Description	Funding Awarded
Run of the Mill Theatre / Byrne	Aisling		Celbridge / Leixlip		A community film project that will explore the history and legacy of the St. Raphaels campus in Celbridge, led by a group of its former residents.	€8,000
Conway	John		Naas		An immersive virtual reality (VR) and live-performed theatre work occurring in people's homes, informed by lived-experiences of older people in the area.	€6,000
Speak Up Sing Out			Clane / Maynooth		Choral and performance festival in Kilcock to include performances, workshops and activities for people within the community.	€6,000
Creative Sewing			Kildare / Newbridge		Community project involving transition year students and members of the local community, working, learning and connecting together to create textile wall hanging that depicts life around the RATH	€3,000
Foster	Angelina		Athy		Exploring burial grounds of County Kildare, through the process of gravestone rubbing, revealing stories from our past which connect with our sense of place, heritage and language.	€5,000
Creative Rathangan - Meitheal			Kildare / Newbridge		Explore the transformation of Rathangan's people and environs, its streetscapes, bog lands, and waterways through a programme of interdisciplinary and arts-based workshops.	€6,000
Gilligan	Shauna		Kildare / Newbridge		Explore the heritage symbolising Brigid through place and archival artefacts, creating new representations of her as an archetype of the sacred feminine in corporating public readings, workshops and a publication.	€4,000
Hardiman	Josephine		Naas		Develop 'The Book of Kildare', facilitate calligraphy workshops with schools, exhibition in Kildare.	€5,000
Kearney	Brenda		Clane / Maynooth		Develop a series of public workshops to develop a community seed-sharing project 'Tea by Post'.	€4,000
Kildare Art Collective			Kildare / Newbridge		Miniature outdoor exhibition installed within a specified radius in Newbridge, as part of an outdoor art trail for JuneFest.	€3,000
Lynch	Roseanne		Clane / Maynooth		An online Work-in-Progress performance of extracts of a new play about motherhood and climate change with post-show discussion and creative workshop.	€6,000
St John of God's			Celbridge / Leixlip		A sound art project that creatively explores themes of cultural rights and happiness using the human voice and accessible recording editing software applications.	€3,000
Down at Heel Productions			Maynooth		A War of Independence podcast soap opera set in Kildare, telling the story of a Maynooth family living through this turbulent period.	€1,500
Comhaltas Ceoltoiri Eireann			Celbridge / Leixlip		Four 30 minute programmes as part of Fleadhfest to showcase the rich cultural heritage of Kildare through music, song, dance and the language.	€2,000
John Sullivan Centre Irish Wheelchair Association (IWA) Clane			Clane / Maynooth		Biodiversity Citizen Scientist Workshops with  members & local schools on new habitats which have been created in a Biodiversity Garden.	€6,000
O'Brien	Martina		Naas		'Mapping the Significant' will look to activated phenological methodologies and practices throughout the county. This will be done through the creation of a novel network of phenological observers; the installation of digital wild-sensing cameras in seven sites; the creation of a limited-edition publication and production of a film to be screened at a pop-up event.	€8,000
Woods	Paul		Naas		A series of public artworks exploring local fauna, flora and biodiversity in Monasterevin.	€4,000

 

 

Creative Ireland CRUINNIÚ NA NÓG Bursary Award 2021

Cruinniú na nÓg, the national day of creativity for children and young people takes place on Saturday, 12th June 2021.  It aims to celebrate and encourage children and young people’s participation in culture and creativity by providing free, activity-based action in their own locality.

For the Creative Ireland Cruinniú na nÓg Bursary Award 2021, Kildare County Council’s Creative Ireland team accepted proposals from creative practitioners and organisations to host and facilitate creative engagements for and with children and young people across the county for Cruinniú na Óg 2021. More details on projects supported through this award can be found here.

Creative Ireland is a Government of Ireland Initiative.

 

 

 

Kildare Decade of Commemorations Bursary Award 2021

Image credit: Kildare Local Studies Collection

The Decade of Commemorations Bursary Award 2021 welcomed applications from individual artists, art groups, and community projects from county Kildare for artistic and creative community-led responses in all artforms based on some of the following themes:

It is envisaged that the interpretation of the historical events by Kildare based artists and creative practitioners will provide a platform to encourage reflection and the consideration of issues, both past and present, which may be challenging, difficult and sometimes deeply personal. 

Surname	First Name				Project Description	Funding Awarded
Greene	Sharon				Artist's reconstruction of the scene of the Graney Ambush (24 October 1922).	€3,300
Woods	Paul				Large scale mixed media artwork exploring personal, national and social-political aspects of the 1921-1923 timeline combining imagery, objects, photography, soundscapes, portraiture and textures.	€5,600
Walsh	Lorraine				Research into local & national archive collections and exploration of the Civil War through drawing.	€7,500
Coy	Stephen				100th anniversary of the handover of the Curragh Camp	€1,600

 

 

Decade of Commemorations Short Grass Film Award

Kildare County Council Decade of Commemorations/Short Grass Films further develops its support for film production in the county. This commission welcome applications for films with a Kildare focus which may focus on human/personal stories, real or imagined. Under this commission scheme, one award of €12,500 was made available towards the cost of the film production. Short film, feature film, documentary, animation, experimental and artist films were welcomed.

Supported by Kildare County Council’s Decade of Commemorations Committee and the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media under the Decade of Centenaries 2012-2023 Initiative.

No funding was awarded.