Press release
Minister Martin announces three new initiatives to support the Night-Time Economy
From Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media
Published on
Last updated on
From Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media
Published on
Last updated on
€800,000 in funding has been allocated to support art centres and cultural spaces to open later and diversify their offering. In partnership with the Arts Council, 12 pilots will be selected to support innovative approaches to night-time cultural activities.
€2 million in capital funding has been allocated to support venues that operate late at night to implement noise reduction measures at their venues. Funding will be available to improve soundproofing and other noise mitigation measures at late night venues, with a maximum grant of €70,000 available per application.
Programme of cultural events announced for “Summer Nights at Moore Street” during July and August. The second of these nights takes place on 20 July.
The Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, Catherine Martin, today announced a support package for the Night-time Economy which includes a new pilot scheme, in partnership with the Arts Council, to help existing arts and cultural spaces open their doors to new late night activity, a €2 million capital grant scheme to support venues implement soundproofing measures at their venues to reduce noise at night and an exciting new pilot initiative to turn Dublin’s newest oldest market into an early evening and night-time outdoor food and culture destination.
The Late Night Events Pilot Programme, which is being rolled out by the Arts Council and funded by the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media is aimed at art centres in towns and cities around the country, who are in receipt of Arts Council Art Centre Funding or Arts Grant Funding (arts centres). The selected pilot art centres will be required to host events late at night, events could range from traditional music to electronic music, DJ nights, theatre, comedy or dance. The pilots will also seek to identify and address any challenges which arts centres may associate with staying open late. Funding of up to €60,000 is available for the selected lead arts centre.
Announcing the Night-Time Economy initiatives today, Minister Martin said:
“The Late Night Events Pilot Programme which I am announcing today, will seek to use our publicly funded cultural spaces around the country to their fullest potential and make them appealing to new audiences. I would like to take the opportunity to thank the Arts Council for their support in the management and development of this Pilot Programme and for their continued support in finding creative solutions to opening up much needed space in the late night economy."
Speaking today, Arts Council Director Maureen Kennelly said:
“The Arts Council is delighted to partner with the department in creating the pilot programme for Late Night Events, which advances the recommendations of the Night-Time Economy Taskforce. Following the Night-Time Economy Forum organised by the Arts Council in the National Gallery in January, a pilot scheme for arts centres has been created whereby arts centres are invited to apply for funding to work with other stakeholders in exploring a wide range of late night opportunities to take place either in arts centres or elsewhere. This scheme will be supported by research to assess the outcomes of the scheme and it will provide direction for further initiatives in the future.”
The Noise Mitigation Grant Scheme announced today is targeted at late night venues, such as nightclubs and late night live music venues that are in need of funding support to help reduce noise emissions in and outside their venues. A maximum allowable grant of €70,000 will be made available per project, to fund works such as the installation/replacement of noise cancelling systems, the construction of acoustic absorbers and the installation of outdoor noise barriers.
The scheme is also being launched ahead of the proposed reform of the alcohol licensing laws and will help support any planned modification of opening hours for nightclubs and other late night venues operating in the Night-Time Economy. The application portal for the Scheme will open at 4pm today. Access further details in relation to this scheme.
Minister Martin added:
“I am also launching a new Noise Mitigation Grant Scheme today which will help support our late night sector to implement noise reduction measures at their venues and will help improve relationships with local residents and businesses. If we are going to develop our cities and towns as vibrant places to live, socialise and work, we need to manage the Night-Time Economy in a balanced way so we support those residents living in our busy towns and cities, whilst also supporting the growth and development of our Night-Time Economy Sector. I want to also acknowledge that it has been a difficult time for late night venues since the pandemic and I am aware that the cost of living crisis has put further pressure on our Night-Time Economy Sector. I will continue to work with the industry as we continue to navigate our way through this particularly challenging period.”
The department provided details on support for a cultural programme of events for “Summer Nights at Moore Street” which is supported by Dublin City Council through the Office of City Recovery. The events which began last week, will take place every Thursday night from now until the 6th of August and will feature eclectic food stalls from around the world plus a full programme of street art, live music, storytelling, magic, and circus performances. This initiative is part of a wider strategic partnership with Dublin City Council to provide a series of night-markets in Dublin City which will also be rolled out to towns around the country in future, to support efforts to provide inclusive and exciting diverse offerings that do not centre around the sale of alcohol.
Minister Martin continued:
“The Summer Nights at Moore Street which started last Thursday will celebrate Dublin’s rich market history by mixing cultural events, live music, live art, artisan craft and food. I am delighted to be partnering with Dublin City Council and The Temple Bar Company on this new initiative on Moore Street which is playing a vital cultural and commercial role for Dublin’s creative community. This pilot will support the learnings for further expansion of Night-Markets in Dublin City and around the country in the future.
"The initiatives which I have launched today marks yet another exciting step in furthering the ambitions of the Night-Time Economy Taskforce to diversify our cultural night-time offering.”
This Pilot is being rolled out by the Arts Council and funded by the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media. Applications will be accepted from arts centres in receipt of Arts Council Art Centre Funding or Arts Grant Funding (arts centres). The arts centres will be encouraged to create new late night programming through innovative new partnerships between local authorities, festivals, producers, other commercial and non-commercial venues and artists - particularly those operating later into the evening. Twelve pilot projects will be selected for participation in the programme. The selection process of the 12 pilot projects will be led by the Arts Council, and each application will undergo a rigorous assessment. The pilots will also be selected on geographic location to ensure that there is a spread of projects across the country.
The Late Night Culture Programme Pilot intends to further extend and diversify the offering for later night activity and provide opportunities for new and exciting work, encouraging new audiences into existing cultural facilities. It will also seek to identify and address any challenges which venues may associate with staying open late. Each pilot will be required to undertake research and evaluation to identify the challenges and opportunities in relation to staying open later.
The Late Night Culture Pilot Programme aims to:
Examples of possible models:
The lead partner must be an arts centre currently in receipt of Arts Council Art Centre Funding or Arts Grant Funding (arts centres). Partners might include local promoters, local authority night-time advisers, other arts centres, other commercial and non-commercial venues, festivals, producers and artists.
Up to €60,000 will be available for the lead arts centre for programming.
Further details on the Late Night Culture Pilot Programme supported by the Arts Council can be found here: Late-Night Events (Pilot Programme) - The Arts Council. The Scheme is now open and deadline for applications is 24 August 2023.
The Noise Mitigation Grant Scheme (NMGS) is in support of a recommendation in the Report of the Night-Time Economy Taskforce.
The funding will support venue owners to take pro-active steps to implement noise mitigation measures to better control and reduce sound emissions. The scheme is targeted at late night venues, such as nightclubs, late bars and late night venues that are in need of noise mitigation measures. This includes soundproofing to reduce noise levels coming from late night entertainment in the premises, including (but not limited to) music of all genres, dance, and live performance in venues that are open late. Nightclubs, late night bars, late night live performance venues and other suitable late night businesses may apply.
This scheme will operate with a limited fund of €2 million and will fund 70% of the cost of the capital works carried out. Applicants are required to fund the remaining 30% of the works. A maximum allowable grant of €70,000 will be funded. Any costs exceeding this maximum amount will have to be met by the Grantee.
The following works are eligible for funding, including but not limited to:
The Noise Mitigation Grant Scheme has been developed in consultation with representatives from the Night-Time Economy sector, members of the Taskforce Implementation Group, the Association of Acoustic Consultants of Ireland, the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications and the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage.
Access the guidelines. The Scheme will open for applications at 4pm on 18 July 2023. It will remain open until the fund is exhausted.
Summer Nights at Moore Street will take place every Thursday from 13 July to 6 August from 3-9pm!
The Moore Street market supported by DCC and operating every Thursday, will turn into an early evening and night-time outdoor food and culture gala this July and August. Summer Nights at Moore Street will feature a selection of eclectic food stalls from around the world plus a full programme of street art, live music, storytelling, magic, and circus performances.
The Moore Street weekly market will feature an exciting range of food stalls and there will be an outdoor street food dining area where people can be entertained as they sample the array of foods on offer.
There’ll be live music from PrYmary Colours, dance workshops from Allessandra Zevedo, street art with artists including Novice, Gareth Joyce, ESTR, enchanting story telling with Hog & Dice and Senem Donatan Mohan plus live tattooing, henna and fortune telling!
Moore Street Market supported by Dublin City Council through the Office of City Recovery. Summer nights @Moore street cultural Programme supporting the Night-Time Economy is funded by the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media.
Traders can join Dublin’s newest oldest market here. For more details go to the Moore Street Market website.