www.musicnetwork.ie

Music Network today announced the results of the Music Capital Scheme 2016. A total of €189,000 in funding from the Department of Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs has been awarded to 22 performing groups and 15 individual musicians.

The Music Capital Scheme, supported by the Department of Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs and managed by Music Network, comprises two distinct awards that provide funding for the purchase of musical instruments to both non-professional performing groups and to professional musicians.

Commenting on the initiative, Heather Humphreys TD, Department of Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, said:

“I am delighted to once again support the annual Music Capital Scheme, which provides very important support to professional and amateur musicians. Our rich music tradition is alive and well, as evidenced by the range of groups and individuals receiving support under the Scheme this year, from Pipe Bands to Samba Music. The Government’s Creative Ireland programme, which aims to put culture and creativity at the heart of communities nationwide, contains a specific commitment to ensure every child has access to tuition in music, drama, dance or coding, and we intend to work closely with Music Network to deliver this extremely worthwhile initiative.”

In 2016, there were two categories of support under the Music Capital Scheme aimed at professional performing artists and non-professional performing groups/ensembles. According to Music Network CEO Sharon Rollston,

“We greatly appreciate the continued support of the Department of Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs in funding the Music Capital Scheme. Access to musical instruments is intrinsically linked to the issue of access to live music in general, which Music Network has been working to develop equitably throughout Ireland for over 30 years, and we are pleased that 264 awards have been made under this scheme to date, enabling musicians across the country to develop and fulfil their creative potential.”

A series of five free information clinics were hosted in Limerick, Galway, Dublin, Sligo and Cork in January to offer practical advice to applicants and address specific queries relating to the scheme’s guidelines.

Funding was awarded across the not-for-profit and community music sector through Stream 1, providing a range of community and music groups with financial support. 22 of 49 eligible applicants were awarded a total of €125,000 for the purchase of musical instruments across a wide range of groups including Irish Traditional, Choral/Musical Theatre, Samba bands, Marching/Concert bands, Pop/Rock and Multi- genre.

Stream 1 awardees: Instrument banks for non-professional performing groups/ensembles

Applicant and Amount Awarded below

Artane School of Music

€5,079.68

Athenry Music School

€5,370.00

Blanchardstown Brass Band

€3,356.00

The Brass Duffers Ensemble

€1,586.00

Community Centre for Music and the Arts

€3,472.00

Coole Music & Arts Ltd

€6,078.00

Cork Concert Orchestra

€8,526.75

Cork ETB School of Music

€16,989.52

Dublin Concert Band

€7,853.00

Headway Ireland

€1,931.25

Limerick School of Music

€3,057.00

Major Minors Junior Orchestra

€1,693.60

Manorcunningham Pipe Band

€8,556.00

Maracatu Alcateia

€873.45

Masamba Samba School

€1,547.25

Mullahoran CCÉ

€1,195.50

Na Piobairí Uilleann

€8,637.00

Raphoe Pipe Band

€13,695.00

Rathfarnham Concert Band Society

€6,586.00

Royal Meath Accordion Orchestra

€2,497.00

Sing Out with Strings

€13,061.50

That’s Life / Brothers of Charity Services

€3,358.50

In Stream 2, funds of €64,000 were awarded to 15 highly skilled musicians performing at professional level to assist with the purchase of instruments across genres including Classical/Contemporary Classical, Traditional/Bluegrass, Jazz/Improvised, Electronic / Electro Acoustic and World music. The awardees were chosen from 57 eligible applicants.

Stream 2 awardees: Individual instruments for professional musicians

Applicant, Instrument and Amount awarded below

David Doocey

Violin bow

€1,950

Ciara Glasheen-Artem

Cor Anglais

€4,761.60

Patrick Groenland

Acoustic Guitar

€1634.50

Martin Johnson

Cello bow

€12,500

Laoise Kelly

Irish harp

€4,150

Eilís Lavelle

Irish harp

€2,745.50

Damien McGeehan

Tin Fiddle

€1,700

Matthew Noone

Electroacoustic Sarode

€1,450

Maitiú Ó Casaide

Uilleann pipes

€7,000

Liam O’Connor

Violin bow

€2,500

Neil O’Connor

Modular Synthesiser

€1,341

Redmond O’Toole

Theorbo and case

€1,350

Patrick Joseph Rafter

Violin bow

€12,500

Maria Ryan

Violin

€5,550

Enda Scahill

Tenor banjo

€2897.10

Music Network is funded by The Arts Council.

For further information on the Music Capital Scheme visit www.musicnetwork.ie or contact Sarah Cunningham, Programmes Administrator,