Final push for arts centre ahead of election

A local action group is making one final big push to realise an arts centre for Tullamore ahead of May 24 election.

Monday, May 20 will be the day councillors meet before going to the polls and a call for financing of the arts centre will be made.

Representatives from the arts centre board and Council Chief executive, Ms Anne Marie Delaney will present to the meeting a range of proposals and local representatives will be asked to support the financing of the centre.

Some €2 million has already been ringfenced for this project by the Dept of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht.

Members of the Action Group for Tullamore Arts Centre will once again gather outside Council chambers and are asking as many as possible to come out and show their support ahead of the meeting.

"We believe this is a real opportunity for the councillors to make a very public commitment to the realisation of the arts centre and finally invest in the infrastructure," says Fionnuala Corrigan on behalf of the Action Group for Tullamore Community Arts Centre. "The immense benefits of the arts for communities is becoming widely recognised, it is as vital as the church, post office, pub and local shop in some areas. It is a hub both for public engagement and for artists," she says.

Ms Corrigan points out this is an opportunity for Tullamore to compete with the other county towns, attracting much needed investment opportunities.

"With the downsizing of Bord na Mona, projects such as this, give hope to the community and especially our young people. Cultural infrastructure projects such as this arts centre, are high on the priority list of organizations such as the IDA when they consider locations for future Foreign Direct Investment."