Irish Arts Council grants up 16%

The Arts Council has been granted a 16 per cent increase in its funding for next year, but applications for funding will be almost double the 61 million euros available.
The council announced details of its funding allocation but it has yet to publish the full list of successful applicants.
Some 61 million euros in funding has been allocated to the body for 2005. The council said the 16 per cent increase will be passed on directly to artists and arts organisations. The largest increases were for the film and traditional arts sectors, which received increases of 22 per cent and 18 per cent respectively.
Some 297 organisations have been approved for funding - 39 more than last year. Of these, 18 are first-time applicants.
The successful applicants will be notified by the council later this week and the list will then be published on the Arts Council's website.
Funding programmes include artists' awards, bursaries and schemes, a minor capital scheme and a small festivals scheme.
Irish Art