Flanagan announces funding for community organisations who wish to organise 1916 commemorative events

 

The Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Charlie Flanagan T.D., today announced the opening of a fund to support community groups in Britain who wish to organise 1916 commemorative events. He is visiting Britain for a three day programme that includes the British Irish Association annual conference in Cambridge and a series of engagements in London.

Minister Flanagan and Minister Deenihan launched the Global and Diaspora programme in Dublin on 29 June. Minister Flanagan stated:

"The international dimension of Ireland 2016 will involve an exciting programme of creative, community and commemorative events around the world. Of course, the major projects in Britain will be among the flagship events in our ambitious international programme and I know the community groups here will bring imagination and passion to the important grassroots aspect of our celebrations."

Community organisations are invited to submit proposals for projects to form part of the international programme to commemorate the 1916 Easter Rising.

Events should fall within the framework of the overall Ireland 2016 programme and be aligned with one or more of the five themes: Remember; Reconcile; Present; Imagine and Celebrate. Taking the 1916 Rising as a starting point, projects with a community, commemorative, cultural, academic or educational focus will all be eligible for funding.

The Irish community and Ireland’s international friends are encouraged to get involved in events taking place here in Britain and around the world to mark the centenary of the Easter Rising, including its international dimensions. The international programme is being organised by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Culture Ireland, and will be an opportunity to share the best of Irish arts and culture with the world.

A comprehensive range of commemorative, community, cultural, public diplomacy and academic events will take place across Britain, including the recently announced Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann 1916 Centenary Concert of traditional music which will be held in London's Barbican theatre in March next year.

Announcing the fund, Minister Flanagan said:

“I am delighted that the Ireland 2016 commemorative programme recognises the central importance of our Diaspora through the Global & Diaspora Programme. Projects such as these will allow us the opportunity to extend the commemoration of the 1916 Easter Rising beyond Ireland’s shores.

“I would like to take this opportunity to invite our citizens, Diaspora and Ireland’s many international friends to join with us in marking key moments in our history and achievements of Ireland over the last hundred years.”

The Global and Diaspora Programme is one of the seven strands of the overall Ireland 2016 programme, which was launched by the Taoiseach on 31 March 2015.

As part of Ireland 2016, Ireland’s Embassies and Consulates, together with Culture Ireland, will be engaging with the Irish Diaspora and local communities across the world to ensure global participation in commemorations and celebrations to mark the commemorations.

Information on the Programme

Call for proposals for the Ireland 2016: Global Programme

'Ireland 2016' is the title for the Government's programme of community, national and international events that will mark the centenary of the 1916 Rising. All the events will highlight one or more of the five themes of Ireland 2016: Remember; Reconcile; Present (Ireland to the world); Imagine and Celebrate.

The Embassy of Ireland in London will manage a small fund accessible to community organisations in Britain who wish to submit proposals. Funding awarded will be in the region of £500 - £2,000 per project. Organisations must complete a separate application form for each project proposal.

Community organisations are invited to submit proposals for events in Britain to form part of the international programme to commemorate the 1916 Easter Rising. The deadline for submission of proposals to the following email address 2016irishembassy(at)dfa(dot)ie using the application form is 1 October 2015.

Events should fall within the framework of the overall Ireland 2016 programme and be aligned with one or more of the five themes: Remember; Reconcile; Present; Imagine and Celebrate. Taking the 1916 Rising as a starting point, projects with a community, commemorative, cultural, academic or educational focus will all be eligible for funding.

Applicant organisations will be responsible for the management of these grants, in line with the guidelines set out below. Regular reporting on grants and planned events will be required and applicants will be required to acknowledge, in all relevant publications and public announcements, the support received from the Embassy.

List of allowable and excluded expenditure for community organisation funding under the Ireland 2016 Global and Diaspora Fund.

Allowable expenditure

Flight and accommodation costs for speakers/artists/performers – flights must be economy class irrespective of flight time/distance and accommodation costs should be moderate

Transport and insurance costs for instruments/stage equipment/props/art works

Venue hire

Hire of necessary audio-visual or other technical equipment

Fees for performance rights

Event publicity - all publicity must acknowledge the support of the Embassy/Department and include the DFAT/Embassy logo

Honorarium/per diem payments to artists/performers - honorarium/per diem payments should be set at a reasonable level and should not exceed the maximum Irish civil service rates set by D/PER. Please contact the Embassy for guidance on this point.

Local publication / printing costs for exhibition materials

Excluded expenditure

Catering/receptions – in general, organisations should not use funding to host receptions/dinners etc. In exceptional circumstances, specific sanction may be sought from the Embassy.

Commercial fees – the Ireland 2016 Fund is not intended to subsidise commercially profitable performances abroad by Irish artists. Nor should any fees be paid to artists’ agents or other intermediaries.

Funding to Culture Ireland-supported events – exceptions may be made where Culture Ireland has funded an Irish cultural event in a particular city and organisations think there is value in supporting the staging of the same event in a separate city in their area of accreditation.

Funding to events which are already supported by DFAT – events which have already received funding from another DFAT funding stream, including the Emigrant Support Programme, are excluded from the Ireland 2016 Fund. Exceptions may be made for an add-on event or element if a case is made by the applicant organisation.

Travel costs for staff to attend cultural events

Purchase of tickets to attend commercial performances by Irish artists

Gifts

Accounting and Reporting requirements

It is important that funding recipients ensure that payments are receipted. Organisations should ensure that events acknowledge, in their publications and public announcements, the support received from the DFAT. The Department of Finance also requires that as a condition of funding, grantees report certain key elements in their financial statements. Funding recipients must complete the project report once the event is completed. If a project does not go ahead, the allocated funds revert to DFAT.

ENDS