Hackett welcomes night time economy initiatives

Laois Offaly based Minister, Pippa Hackett, has today welcomed the night time economy initiatives announced by Minister Catherine Martin.

These initiatives include:

- Late Night Events Pilot Programme to extend and diversify late night time activity in Arts Centres,

- A new scheme to provide funding to Nightclubs and Late Night Venues to help reduce noise late at night, and

- Support for Programme of cultural events for “Summer Nights at Moore Street”

Minister Hackett said: “Pilot funding for late-night events in arts venues is welcome news for night owls.”

“My colleague Minister Catherine Martin is a champion of the night-time economy and the latest initiatives offer the potential to bring night life into our Midlands arts venues. Night-time economy supports are vital for enterprises and artists alike and have many knock-on benefits in a community."

"I encourage arts centres and cultural venues in Offaly, Laois and the wider Midlands to make submissions so that soon we can welcome one or more pilot project to the region. We have the talent, some beautiful venues, and I believe we have an audience with an appetite for late night events. I really look forward to seeing what innovative projects arise.”

Some €800k 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.

Additionally, €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.

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."