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Cork County Council is inviting applications for its Creative Ireland County Cork Open Call Grants Scheme 2021. The scheme supports not-for-profit groups and organisations in creating community-centred, developmental, artistic and cultural projects, events and initiatives which positively impact their community.

Cork County Council has launched the County Cork Commemorations Grant Scheme for 2021, with support from the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media. This year’s scheme recognises the importance of the War of Independence and Civil War and will support the enthusiasm that exists within the county to commemorate the centenary of this defining period of Irish history.

81 Artists and Arts Organisations are set to receive funding totalling €136,000 from Cork County Council Arts Grants Scheme 2021. Following a very difficult year for the Arts Sector, the Council hopes that the funding provided in this year’s Arts Grants Scheme will help to revitalise arts in the county and pave the way for a return to cultural spaces and events later this year, in line with public health guidelines Welcoming the announcement, the Mayor of the County of Cork, Cllr.

Uillinn West Cork Arts Centre is delighted to present “Isolation20”, a new composition by Clonakilty based composer Justin Grounds at Uillinn Galleries, funded as part of Cork County Council’s Creative Ireland Programme.

Cruinniú na nÓg, is Ireland’s national day of free creative activity for children and young people up to 18 years of age.The event provides opportunities for Ireland’s 1.2 million children and young people to be inquisitive and curious, to be inventive and innovative, and to learn a new skill, fulfil a creative ambition or showcase an inner creative talent.

Visual Artist Tomasz Madajczak has been awarded Cork County Council’s PLATFORM 31 bursary. He is one 31 artists across Ireland awarded the €8,000 bursary to invest in their practice, participate in an advisory, developmental framework and be part of a peer network.

Cork County Council have invited local community artists, Claire Coughlan and Helen O’ Keeffe, to develop a public art initiative to bring a new lease of life to the ‘Stoney Steps’ in the centre of Kinsale town.

Cruinniú na nÓg, Ireland’s national day of creativity for children and young people, takes place on Saturday 12th June 2021, providing opportunities for young people to be inquisitive and curious, to be inventive and innovative, and to learn a new skill, to fulfil a creative ambition or showcase an inner creative talent.

Cork City Council, Cork County Council and the Port of Cork are delighted to announce that Cork Harbour Festival’s flagship Ocean to City race will be going ahead this June with an altered format.  Collaborating with national rowing associations in Scotland and Wales, this year’s Ocean to City will be part of a unique, international time trial series called the Five Miles From Home Series 2021.   The Ocean to City – Five Miles From Home is the second leg in the Series, and will take place 4-6 June 2021. The challenge can be joined from anywhere in the world; rather than asking participants to travel, Ocean to City invites people to participate in this international challenge from their home waters.   Taking part is simple! Just form a crew, plot a 5 mile (8047meters / 4.345nm) course, cover the distance as fast or as stylishly as possible during the designated time windows, submit your times and join the online celebration afterwards.  The Five Miles From Home Series has a ‘Main’ and an ‘Alternative’ Challenge. The Main Challenge is open to fixed-seat rowing boats such as currachs, skiffs, gigs and yawls. The Alternative Challenge is open to kayaks, SUPs, canoes, dragon boats, offshore sliding-seat boats and outriggers. Incorporating a dedicated Under-19s youth category, the organisers are also keen to involve and celebrate young people on the water.  The full Five Miles From Home Series includes the Scottish Castle to Crane leg on 7-9 May and the Welsh Sea Rowing leg on 9-11 July. Participants can take part in the whole series, allowing them to compare and improve on their results as they progress, or just in one single leg. Each leg in the series has a 48-hour window during which the challenge has to be completed.  With covid-19 constraints making large events off limits, it is hoped that by the summer restrictions will be relaxed sufficiently to allow clubs from across Cork Harbour, Cork County and beyond to organise their own Ocean to City - Five Miles From Home micro-events.  Adrienne Rodgers, Director of Services at Cork City Council said:

Festivals and event organisers throughout Cork County are set to benefit from Cork County Council’s dedicated ‘Virtual Festival’ training programme.

Cork County Older People’s Council has published an anthology of festive stories, Memories of a Real Cork Christmas, collating Christmas memories from older citizens across the county.

Cork County Council has announced details of its 2021 funding for the Arts. Within its general call for proposals, there are four strands available including the Arts Grant Scheme, the Artists in Schools Scheme and Irish Language Arts, as well as Artists’ Funding Schemes, which are open to solely to practicing artists and include the Artists’ Creative Bursary, International Touring and Exhibition, the Tyrone Guthrie Centre Bursary and the Ballinglen Arts Foundation Bursary.