The North West Carnival Initiative has received major new equipment resources thanks to £82,300 of funding from Ilex through the Department for Social Development’s UK City of Culture Capital Infrastructure Fund.
Nelson McCausland.
The funding has provided a new van and equipment to support the North West Carnival Initiative, ensuring that arts productions across the city have the necessary equipment available to them, providing a central shared resource for the skilling, education and participation of communities in local carnival events.
Social Development Minister Nelson McCausland said the funding would facilitate the development of artistic ability and provide opportunities for artists to demonstrate their skills.
He added: “It will provide facilities for the community to become involved in the arts as well as civic and localised carnival events.”
Ilex’s Cultural Broker Caoimhín Corrigan said as a result of the investment, the North West Carnival Initiative was “better placed” to offer new opportunities in the production of carnival arts across the city.
He added: “It will help to support communities, offering the necessary education and resources to promote local carnivals, while supporting the sustainability and future development of the more established annual festivals throughout 2013 and beyond.”
Derry City Council’s Arts Development Officer, Sharon Meenan said the investment was reconisation of how the Carnival Initiative has been instrumental in developing skills and supporting local artists towards enhancing both local and large scale cultural celebration throughout the city over the last ten years. Derry City Council is very pleased to work with the NWCI which, as a consortium of local artists and arts organisations, is extremely well placed to deliver on local and national cultural strategies focusing on artistic quality, innovation partnerships and participation”.
Niall Mc Caughan, North West Carnival Initiative Board Member, commented: “The NWCI welcomes this funding which will strengthen artistic capacity and the carnival arts product, supporting local artists and communities towards inclusive celebration. The new van and equipment will assist in capacity building in the North West, and in this year of City Of Culture will create a lasting legacy for the city. The North West Carnival Initiative has played and continues to play a pivotal role in the artistic life of the city, and through this support will continue to reach out to communities as well as enhance major cultural festivals in the city”.
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