Culture minister Catherine Martin has detailed the 443 organisations that will share €4m in taxpayer funding to assist late-night entertainment.
The Night-Time Economy Support Scheme pays grants of up to €10,000 to pubs, nightclubs, cafés, theatres, arts centres, galleries, museums and retail outlets.
Martin’s department said over 2,000 events in every county have been approved for funding.
They include live music, ranging from traditional music to electronic music, DJ nights, theatre, comedy, dance, literature, art and photographic exhibitions.
The scheme included a strand of funding for unlicensed premises such as cafés, dry bars and other suitable venues to support diversification and inclusivity in the Night-Time Economy. These outlets have been awarded €434,000 in funding.
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Minister Martin commented: “There has been a great reaction from the night-time sector to this pilot scheme. I recently announced that I secured €6m as part of Budget 2023 to assist the night-time economy sector.
"I am currently considering the development of further initiatives, and we will continue to work with key stakeholders in the Night-Time Economy to examine other opportunities to open up existing venues to more Night-Time Economy activity.”
Sample events receiving a taxpayer subsidy are:
• The Factory nightclub in Waterford was allocated funding for a number of off-peak electronic music events throughout October.
• Tramline in Dublin hosted four high profile DJ and dancing nights every Wednesday in September.
• THE OL' 55 in Galway City, held a series of events in October focusing on grassroots female performers.
• Baggotonia – a number of pubs along Baggot street celebrated the literary history and famous literary figures associated with the venues on this street through theatrical performances this month.
• Birr Theatre and Arts Centre ran Women In Comedy, a series of comedy evenings on Thursdays in September.
Events in unlicensed premises include:
• Windmill Lane Recording Studios, with The 4 of Us, LGBTQ artist Tadhg, BellX1 frontman, Paul Noonan and Daithí Ó Drónaí's new joint musical endeavour, ‘House Plants’. Taking place weekly in November 2022. These events will be filmed and posted on social media and the Windmill Lane Recording You tube channel.
• The Circus Factory in Cork turned its regular training space into a late night venue during October.
• Kerry Writers’ Museum held ten week programme of performances by some of Kerry’s leading artists, called ‘The Rambling Sessions.
For the full list of funding recipients, click here.
Photo: A musical event at Lifford Courthouse received public funding from the scheme.
