Night markets, open-air exhibits planned to encourage country's reopening 

Government grants of up to €250,000 will be made available for local authorities to develop and stage arts and cultural events to help the country open up

Catherine Martin said local authorities have been a crucial resource in the delivery of arts and culture interventions over many decades and the scheme will add to this. Picture: Leon Farrell / Photocall Ireland

Local authorities are to receive grants of up €250,000 to create outdoor night markets, live performance spaces, and open-air art exhibitions to encourage the country open up again.

Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media Catherine Martin is providing funding to help local authorities create public spaces and facilities dedicated to the arts, culture, and festivals.

It comes after Tánaiste Leo Vardakar warned that many restrictions will remain in place until at least June and the guidance against non-essential travel is likely to remain in place “for the rest of the year and into next year”.

It is hoped that the new scheme would allow the return of cultural events in a safe manner as the arts and entertainment sector has been one of the industries hardest hit by the pandemic.

The Outdoor Public Space Scheme 2021 will allow councils adapt, equip, and improve public spaces for cultural events and activities to take place year-round which will also support the night-time economy.

“More than ever, we now appreciate the value of communal spaces, particularly for our artists, the culture among our communities and for people to gather in a safe environment," Ms Martin said.

Crucially, the fund and scheme will help create new spaces up and down the country, in villages, towns and cities, to be transformed into wonderful resources for festivals, entertainment, and cultural events.

Local authorities have now been invited to propose capital projects for outdoor spaces which are flexible, innovative, and facilitate year-round and night-time use to respond to the impact Covid-19 has had on the cultural and entertainment sectors.

Each local authority can apply for up to €250,000 under the scheme.

Ms Martin said local authorities have been a crucial resource in the delivery of arts and culture interventions over many decades and the scheme will add to this.

“The pandemic has been a significant driver of innovation especially in the arts and entertainment sectors and I look forward to the creative and imaginative solutions that I know will be generated by local authorities in response to this scheme," she said.

The funding comes after a recent recommendation from the Arts and Culture Recovery Taskforce which specifically highlighted the need for outdoor public spaces in both the built and natural environment.

The scheme will add to the work being carried out by the Night-time Economy Taskforce set up by Ms Martin last July.

The taskforce, which was established following campaigning by the Give Us the Night group, is expected to report back to the minister next month.

Among the plans being considered is the introduction of 24-hour bus services in major cities and towns.