SOCIAL Democrats councillor Shane Hickey-O’Mara has called for the local authority to identify a central location for a youth arts space for groups in Limerick City.
And while the City North representative’s motion was deferred to the Community, Leisure and, Culture SPC (Strategic Policy Committee) at this month’s local authority meeting, Cllr Hickey-O’Mara has been assured that there is currently an audit of potential spaces for this very purpose being carried out.
“The news that council is identifying a new space for this purpose is welcome. In the run up to submitting this motion, I spoke to youth arts groups throughout Limerick, including Limerick Youth Theatre, Limerick Youth Dance Company, Emerging Limerick Filmmakers, and Sing out with Strings. Representatives from each group strongly supported the establishment of a new youth arts space for Limerick” Cllr Hickey-O’Mara stated.
The newly-elected Soc Dems councillor said that “each group spoke about difficulties they’ve experienced in finding suitable spaces to create”.
“While each group identified specific things they required to support their young people’s work, they aligned on the necessity that this new space be fully accessible, have sufficient storage, and have a rehearsal space large enough to allow them to expand the numbers of young people that they currently have in their groups.
“The number of Limerick teenagers who could benefit from youth arts is curtailed by the lack of an appropriate space.”
Cllr Hickey-O’Mara is no stranger to youth arts having worked in the sector since 2016. This month he finished up as artistic director of County Limerick Youth Theatre after four years.
“I’ve worked with hundreds of young artists in Limerick and know firsthand the struggle of trying to support young people to develop their artistic skills in unsuitable spaces,” he told the Limerick Post.
“Youth arts are invaluable as they build confidence, empathy, and connection, in addition to greatly contributing to our city’s cultural life. It would be an incredible message to the young people of Limerick who live and breathe the arts if their council invests in them, their ability, and their future.”
