Arts Council awarded over £1.6m to artists

More than £1.6 million has been awarded in bursaries to artists this year, the Arts Council announced yesterday.

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.

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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.

Alison Healy

Alison Healy

Alison Healy is a contributor to The Irish Times