The Connect scheme, set up in 2014 was designed to focus on professional artists who were at the ‘mid point’ of their career and the aim was to support them to be ambitious, to develop their creative careers and to connect with arts organisations and arts professionals.
Among the artists who gathered at the lively and informative 10th anniversary event at the Project Arts Centre, were people who have directly benefitted from the scheme including Alan James Burns, visual artist Ciara Chapman, and writer Philip Kenny.
Philip Kenny, a writer, spoken word poet and an autistic advocate said that he had been successfully granted funding for the ‘mentoring’ scheme and had worked closely with the author Arnold Thomas Fanning, who wrote the acclaimed memoir ‘Mind on Fire’.
Philip said that the experience of having access to Mr Fanning to discuss his writing in detail with him over a period of sessions was so practical and helpful.
He added, laughing: "I used to think that everything I wrote was a masterpiece, but as any writer will attest to, when you look back at your journals….you will be appalled by what you see, but I think I can now objectively say that I have moved on now. He gave me a lot of polish."
The funding ranges from grants including up to €15,000 for developing new work and up to €3,000 in grants for mentoring opportunities.
Artists working in areas including Film, Literature, Architecture, Music, Opera, Theatre and Visual arts are welcome to apply.
The grants are available in two funding rounds every year and the organisers hope the scheme will grow and expand in to the future.
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