Druid’s Marie Mullen Bursary to benefit female theatre artists

Druid Theatre has launched a new initiative, open to female theatre artists working in Ireland in the fields of design, directing and dramaturgy. The Marie Mullen Bursary has been named in honour of company co-founder and Druid Ensemble member, actress Marie Mullen.

It will provide a female theatre artist with the time, physical resources and mentoring necessary to support their work.

“It’s a great honour to launch a bursary for female theatre artists in the name of my great friend and colleague, Marie Mullen.’ said Artistic Director Garry Hynes. ‘It’s a busy year for Druid in terms of productions and touring but it’s important for us to continue creating opportunities for artists through initiatives such as the Marie Mullen Bursary, alongside our open submissions for playwrights, and our FUEL programme for theatre artists in the West of Ireland.”

This new award is intended to address the historic imbalance of female representation in theatre and to support the professional development of women in Irish theatre, according to Garry Hynes.

Marie Mullen, who added that it was “a privilege to have this bursary in her name”, said she was looking “forward to supporting and working with the women who benefit from it”. She stressed that she herself had “been nourished and inspired by the work of so many artists in my long career in Irish theatre”.

The Bursary is open to female dramaturgs, directors and designers who have a proven commitment to Irish theatre and who are currently living in Ireland.

For more, read this week’s Galway City Tribune.