An Taoiseach Enda Kenny TD, was joined on Thursday 8 December by Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, Heather Humphreys TD, and Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Paschal Donohoe TD, for the launch of the Creative Ireland Programme / Clár Éire Ildánach. The announcement was made in the newly-restored Shaw Room of the National Gallery of Ireland.

Creative Ireland is the Government’s Legacy Programme for Ireland 2016. It is a five-year all-of-government initiative, from 2017 to 2022, which at its core is a wellbeing strategy which aims to improve access to cultural and creative activity in every county across the country.

Creative Ireland will prioritise children’s access to art, music, drama and coding; enhance the provision of culture and creativity in every community; further develop Ireland as a global hub for film and TV production; empower and support our artists; drive investment in our cultural institutions; and further enhance our global reputation abroad. From 2018, an annual County of Culture will also be held each year.

Creative Ireland is built around five pillars:

• Enabling the Creative Potential of Every Child
• Enabling Creativity in Every Community
• Investing in our Creative and Cultural Infrastructure
• Ireland as a Centre of Excellence in Media Production
• Unifying our Global Reputation

The Creative Ireland Programme states:

The best way to nurture the creative imagination is through active engagement with arts and culture. Promoting creativity provides us with a strategy for individual wellbeing, social cohesion and economic success.

Kevin Murphy, Chief Officer of Voluntary Arts Ireland, attended the launch event and said:

This is perhaps the most culturally significant announcement across the island of Ireland in recent times. Creative Ireland has articulated what the people of Ireland already believe is a core part of their identity and crucially has gathered support from across government to enable everyone to feel a part of it. There is much to do to make this an outward reality but we look forward to working with Creative Ireland and partners in these exciting times ahead.

For full details on the Programme and details of planned activities for 2017, visit the Creative Ireland website.