More than £1.6 million has been awarded in bursaries to artists this year, the Arts Council announced yesterday.
The council made awards to more than 350 artists, with the largest, of over £25,000, going to photographer Martin Healy. He won a fellowship which will fund him to study in New York for a year.
The youngest recipient was a 12-year-old dancer from Cork. Tracy Jones won almost £2,000 to study ballet.
Most awards ranged from £390 to £6,300. Other bursaries went to writers such as Anne Enright and Evelyn Conlon, composers Roger Doyle and Grainne Mulvey and filmmaker Chryssy Tinter. Irish Times journalist Mic Moroney won a film-maker's award worth about £10,000.
The largest visual artist's award went to Tom Vaughan Lawlor who received over £3,500 for actor training.
Ms Patricia Quinn, Arts Council director, highlighted a new council initiative designed to promote greater public knowledge and appreciation of the arts. "The Visiting Critics Programme will involve visits to Ireland by a series of prominent writers and thinkers who will engage with artists, critics and audiences in live events, in print and in radio broadcasts," she said.
