A new funding scheme to nurture the arts in Gaeltacht areas has been initiated by the Arts Council and ┌darβs na Gaeltachta over a two-year period to 2003. Grants will be available for projects related to youth theatre, theatre in education, new works in Irish, creative writing, visual art exhibitions, storytelling and more. According to the Arts Council, the concept is based on a proposal put together by Fidelma Mullane back in the early 1990s when she was working as a heritage consultant for the ┌darβs.

A pilot scheme to encourage the arts has already been run by ┌darβs, but there is some question over whether it has enough facilitators employed to run this new phase. Further details are available from ┌darβs at tel: 091-503100, or e-mail: eolas@udaras.ie