Lots of goodwill for Skibb arts festival

Running an arts festival in these tough economic times is challenging, says Declan McCarthy, one of the organisers of the Skibbereen Arts Festival (July 25-August 2).

McCarthy, who runs the Baltimore Fiddle Fair and whose family ran the former McCarthy’s Bar in Baltimore, works within a tight budget.

Now in its sixth year, the Skibbereen Arts Festival receives €7,000 from the Arts Council and about €5,000 from Cork County Council. “We do a collection from the businesses around town which brings in a couple of grand. We have a friends’ scheme where people donate money and we have one benefactor in particular who gives us money every year. We’d be talking about a budget of €20,000 including the box office. If we break even, we’re delighted. ”