Wicklow County Council has announced an extension of the Creative Places Baltinglass Programme, along with the introduction of a new Community Creative Activation Fund for Baltinglass.
The Arts Office of Wicklow County Council, in collaboration with the Arts Council / An Chomhairle Ealaíon, is pleased to announce the extension of the Creative Places Baltinglass Programme for a further two years. The initial three-year programme began in 2022 and concluded in June 2025, during which the Arts Council invested a total of €375,000. In the second two-year phase, the Arts Council has awarded Wicklow County Council's Arts Office €170,000 of a maximum €180,000, which was available in this new extension of the application process.
Established in 2019, the Creative Places Scheme was developed by the Arts Council to provide sustained arts development in historically underfunded areas. The scheme aims to empower local residents in participating towns to create and run vibrant, accessible and engaging arts programmes within their communities. This inclusive and participatory approach is grounded in socially engaged art practices and community development principles.
The primary goal of Creative Places Baltinglass is to energise the town as a hub of social creativity by collaborating with community groups, families, and children to facilitate imaginative engagement opportunities and enhance local arts practice and capacity for a sustainable future. The CPB Programme has included artist development and training, community capacity building and a series of creative events for Baltinglass, such as Cruinniu na nÓg, Culture Night and the Sitting Room Sessions. It has also incorporated residencies, including those in Rathcoran Housing Estate supported by Respond, and "Giant Dreams," a newly composed and performed work by children and young people led by Andy Spearpoint, alongside various local and nationally recognised artists.
The CPB Programme will continue to be coordinated by the Arts Office, with support from a steering group and input from the West Wicklow Interagency Group, the local community, schools and voluntary organisations. Key actions and projects were developed through ongoing consultations, involving participants from toddlers to individuals in their mid-nineties. A new community choir called 'Baltinglass Sings' has formed, boasting 65 local members who meet weekly and have performed publicly. Additionally, a new women’s group, 'The Biddies of Baltinglass,' is gathering momentum and is about to embark on their first project with artists Carmel Stephen (theatre) and Leisa Gray (textile artist/museum curator). The Tearmann Community Garden has also become a hive for creative activities, with many artists engaging in projects and hosting Cruinniú na nÓg there.
In the initial three years, the programme included a 'Seed Funding Scheme' for smaller, locally based creative and social projects. For this round of investment in phase II, a new Community Creative Activation Fund is now open for applications. The total value of the fund for 2025-2026 is €20,000. Artists and creative practitioners from Baltinglass and beyond can lead applications, or applications can be led by local groups, schools, or organisations collaborating with artists. Only projects occurring within the Creative Places area of Baltinglass are eligible.
The Fund is designed to facilitate continued engagement between communities and artists and projects must involve paid creative personnel. Applications could include proposals for residencies, event series, creative public realm projects and a variety of other initiatives. Grants will range from €3,000 to €5,000 for any single application.
For more details and to review the terms and conditions, please visit www.creativeplacesbaltinglass.ie or www.wicklowcountycouncil.ie
Applications must be submitted through the online application process only.
A training session on how to apply for this new fund will be held on 1st October at Baltinglass Library at 3pm and repeated again at 7pm. Both community applicants and artists are welcome to attend and no booking is required.
Cathaoirleach of Wicklow County Council, Cllr Melanie Corrigan, referred to the Creative Places Baltinglass Programme as an “inspirational model of community activation through creativity, a programme that the Council can proudly showcase evidence-based evaluative data on the significant local impact it has had for the community and its artists”.
Cathaoirleach of Baltinlgass, MD, Cllr. Avril Cronin said “she has attended many of the creative events during the three years in her role as an elected member, from performances to commission launches and residencies. It is clear from these that there is a base of high-quality local artists and creative practitioners who have animated the projects with committed local attendees, volunteers and supporters contributing to the success of the Programme”.
Chief Executive of Wicklow County Council, Emer O’Gorman, stated “that she is pleased that the Creative Places Baltinglass Programme has been successfully shortlisted for the Chambers Ireland Local Government Awards 2025 in the Sustaining the Arts category”. The awards ceremony will take place in late November 2025.