Arts Plan 2012-2016 - Offaly County Council

Spaces and PlacesSpaces and places refers to infrastructure acrossthe county where artists and audiences accessand participate in the arts and includes venues,galleries and studios. Along with festivals theyrepresent a growth area for Cultural Tourism andprovide a focal point for the arts and a platformfrom which audiences can have access to adiverse range of quality national, internationaland local arts experiences.Offaly’s cultural infrastructure is unique, from oneof the older theatres in the country to a restoredmill and expansive sculpture park; the fullpotential of all these developments has yet to bereached, both individually and as a collective.Over the lifetime of this plan Offaly’s culturalinfrastructure will develop and evolve significantlywith the advancement of new arts centre forTullamore. This proposed development willinfluence all other infrastructural projects and it isour intention to ensure that this influence willpositively shape, inspire and be a catalyst for agreater participation and increase profile for thearts in Offaly.The recent trend of pop up shops being used forartistic, cultural and educational uses hasmaterialised in Offaly, albeit in a more ad hocway, however this could be further exploited.BIRR THEATRE AND ARTS CENTREBirr Theatre and Arts Centre has been the homeof the arts in Offaly, since 2000. It provides avenue for local, national and internationalproductions and concerts, but also initiates manyoutreach, community and youth projects. Thishas firmly established the centre as pivotal to thecultural life of Birr and also the whole county.At a time when many venues nationally areexperiencing difficulties with audience numbers,Birr Theatre and Arts Centre has managed toincrease its attendance between 2009 and 2011.Over the course of this plan, TullamoreCommunity Arts Centre is intended and this isinevitably a cause for concern for theManagement and Staff. Offaly County Council willbe mindful of this concern and further, beinstrumental in encouraging a mutuallysupportive relationship between both venues.Objectives1. Work with the board and staff to findinnovative and effective methods andsolutions to sustain both the managementand programming of the centre in afinancially unstable climate.2. Recognise and alleviate the concern that anew arts centre in Tullamore could be anegative influence by encouraging arelationship that is mutually beneficial and39arts plan 2012–2016