Festivals get cash injection after Cork 2005 success

THE ‘city of festivals’ has just received a cash injection for two high-profile events in Cork’s cultural calendar.

Under the Festivals And Cultural Events Initiative from Arts Minister John O’Donoghue, the Cork Midsummer Festival (CMF), a huge success last year with both critics and punters, is to receive €45,000.

The other beneficiary is the long-running Cork International Choral Festival (CICF) which is to receive €15,000 in what will be its 52nd year.

A Government spokesman said yesterday: “Both festivals are excellent cultural pageants that showcase music, dance and the arts for Cork city’s discerning audience and are attractions for thousands of international tourists while at the same time providing entertainment for local people and spurring local economic growth.”

Last year, the CMF, under director Ali Robertson, unveiled a hugely expanded programme - including bringing the hugely popular Spiegeltent to Cork - and the festival was deemed one of the successes of the Capital of Culture year.

Both festivals felt the benefits of their successful contributions to the year when the city recently granted them a permanent home in the former Pope’s Quay offices of Cork 2005.

Mr Robertson said yesterday: “Over recent years the CMF’s profile has grown enormously and the festival is recognised as one of the major events in Ireland’s artistic calendar. We’re delighted that Minister O’Donoghue has recognised this.”

Mr Robertson also confirmed yesterday that former Corcadorca administrator Diane Hanrahan is to take over as the new Midsummer Festival manager, and he said he was thrilled to have attracted someone of her calibre to the position.

Responding to the news of the cash injection for CICF, festival director John Fitzpatrick yesterday said: “I was extremely pleased - this will prove of major benefit to the festival’s marketing and promotional strategies and assist in attracting increased choir participation and audiences to Cork.”

Further news of Arts Council funding is due at midday today, but already there has been mixed news for some of the city centre’s arts venues.

The Triskel Arts Centre was said to be “delighted” with an increase of 16.3% in their annual arts funding, bringing it to a total of €360,000.

However, Cork Opera House director Gerry Barnes said he was “disappointed but not surprised” that the venue was merely getting a repeat grant with no further increase in funding of €215,000.