The Arts Council Ireland will this year distribute an extra €185,000 across sixteen organisations working in the area of young people, children and the arts. “These grants represent the first step in creating a new development fund to support young people and children as makers, viewers and listeners of the arts,” said Council Director, Mary Cloake. “This is a crucially important area of arts activity and is a high priority for the Arts Council, as expressed in our strategy Partnership for the Arts 2006-2010. We are looking carefully at a number of initiatives which will address strategically important initiatives for young people and children over the next four years.” “In addition to creating a new development fund in 2008, we will also examine ways in which children and young people can be recognised and supported as critical consumers of the arts”. For more information, CLICK HERE