Major promoters among recipients of funding for live performances

The Government is to give €25 million in funding to 237 venues, producers and promoters to help them organise live performances over the summer and autumn.

The organisations to benefit from the Live Performance Support Scheme including the 3Arena, the Bord Gáis Energy Theatre, MCD Productions and the Olympia Theatre.

Aiken Promotions has received the largest amount of funding with just over €581,000 granted for its proposed performances at Vicar Street over the summer.

Pod Festivals Ltd has been granted over €423,000 for its Meadows Festival, described as "a specially designed open-air social distant summer series of music, performance spoken word, comedy and more".

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The Gleneagle Hotel in Killarney will receive €380,000 for live music shows at its INEC Arena while Patrick Talbot Productions has been granted €333,000 for live or streamed productions of Brian Friel's 'Philadelphia, Here I Come!'

The Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltact, Sport and Media said there was a “high level of interest” in the scheme with over 400 “imaginative and diverse” applications submitted.

“The department acknowledges and appreciates the work and effort that went into preparing these applications, however given the volume of applications received, it was not possible to allocate funding to all eligible applicants,” it said in a statement.

“Recipients of this funding range from small to large venues, producers and promoters, supporting live events in every county, including festivals, concerts, theatre productions, comedy and outdoor events.”

The department added that it will support those in receipt of grants to ensure that “funding flows to the performers and crew as early as possible”.

Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media Catherine Martin said the funding will "encompass and support a wide range of performances" over the summer months.

“I know this funding will assist in the employment of performers, artists, technicians, creative and performance support staff across the sector, bringing much-needed employment to many who have not had work for many, many months,” Ms Martin said.

“I look forward to the high quality artistic output, as demonstrated in the pilot, which has been so important and enjoyed by so many.”

The Live Performance Support Scheme is part of a €50 million suite of measures to support the live entertainment sector. A full list of the successful applicants is available here.