Council unveils scheme to fund live gigs in Galway City

Live performances at a variety of locations around the city will take place in the coming weeks after Galway City Council announced a new scheme to fund local artists for outdoor performances.

The Local Live Performance Programme Scheme will provide payment for musicians, performers and artists in the city to stage live entertainment at a yet-to-be-determined selection of locations.

A spokesperson for the City Council confirmed that while no locations had yet been specified, a decision on available space would be made once recipients of the funding were selected.

“Part of what is being considered is available space that will be there when this is up and running, and ready to go. Everything will be done on the basis of what’s provided for in the [Covid] guidelines, in relation to social distancing and so on,” he said.

“The call for applications is out now and open until next week, but specific designated areas have not been identified just yet.”

The aim of the scheme is to facilitate a programme of outdoor performances later in the year, with the Council to consider applications for funding provided by the Department of Culture and Arts.

Applications for the scheme are currently being accepted from those who can provide “small scale performances, happenings, interventions and unplugged presentations through to amplified performances”, with each performance to be around 30 to 45 minutes in length.

Payments of between €250 and €600 will be made to individual performers, while €500 to €1,200 will be available to groups successful in securing a spot. If a group has more than four performers, up to €2,000 is on offer.

The closing date for applications is Wednesday, August 25, at 5pm and can be made at cultureworks.ie.