TOP news from this week’s launch of Limerick’s national City of Culture 2014:
There will be 13 official sections ranging from architecture and performance art to children’s activities.
The appointment of Patricia Ryan as chief executive.
The expectation of doubling the €6million Government funding with private enterprise support.
Sport to play a big part with the hosting of European Mountain Bike Marathon Championships and International Football Tournament.
New festivals themed by food and digital media.
Former European Parliament president Pat Cox led the table of decision-makers at Daghdha Space for the roll out. He was joined by Finance Minister Michael Noonan; Arts Minister Jimmy Deenihan; Housing Minister Jan O’Sullivan and Limerick Local Authorities manager, Conn Murray.
The significance of the occasion was underlined by Mr Cox, chairing the honorary committee that worked over the previous 12 months to manoeuvre Limerick into unprecedented pole position.
“This is the first ever such designation as national City of Culture here in Ireland and we are very proud that Limerick has achieved such a designation. Our programme aims to unlock and reveal Limerick’s cultural potential to turn the city into a year-long national stage”.
Mitigating a report that local groups were disappointed by exclusion under Culture specific funding, it emerged that 109 groups have “substantial projects that have significant funding” under the scheme’s criteria.
Should additional resources become available through private collaboration as tipped by Pat Cox, previously unsuccessful applicants “are welcome to come back and dip again” into said pool of monies.
There were assurances that the usual Arts Council sponsorship will issue to Limerick city and county, and that the local authorities’ €250,000 spend on underwriting the annual round of regular and one-off events/ venues is undiminished by the €6m.
The glossy preview issued this week for the 12 months will be augmented by quarterly additions, the international, national and local acts and schemes that will unfold seasonally.
New Year’s Eve will be ramped up by “a spectacular light parade” from King John’s Castle’; the Ireland premier of a UK based large-scale circus; instant pop-up events under the ‘Happenings’ banner; a food festival in April; works facilitated by Limerick Film Commission; Special Olympics in June and October’s International Sports Literature Festival.
Perhaps Minister Noonan voiced the long term expectation best when he outlined City of Culture’s hoped-for legacy: “This is another step in the building of the city in accordance to how we would like it to be built, then to physically rebuild according to the Limerick Vision 2030 brought out by Conn Murray.”
