Venues such as pubs and cafes will be offered grants of at least €10,000 to stage night-time events from the spring under new plans being worked on by the Minister for Culture and Arts Catherine Martin.
Ms Martin has also said applications for the artist’s basic income pilot could open as early as February with the weekly payment set to be in region of €325.
In an interview with The Irish Times, Ms Martin outlined her plans for 2022 including a new night-time economy which could see staggered closing times and increased late night transport, the recruitment of the first online safety commissioner, the first basic income scheme for artists and new proposals for the media landscape.
Ms Martin said she is progressing a scheme to support venues such as pubs, clubs and cafés to trial new events and activities at night which would also create new employment opportunities for artists. A particular focus would be put on new and emerging arts, she said.
“It is a multi-million euro scheme that we are working on. It is being developed in consultation with IBEC, representatives of cafes, the LVA and the Vintners too,” she said.
Night-time advisors
“Obviously this is post the Covid-19 restrictions, but the goal here is twofold: it’s to support jobs and businesses in the night-time economy and but also to support the new and emerging acts. We could be looking at music, we could be looking at poetry slam nights, local theatre groups, traditional music, classical music, and of course, our electronic music.”
The Minister said the scheme will likely open in the Spring.
“We are looking at minimum grants of about €10,000 to support hundreds and hundreds of events with new acts.”
Night-time advisors will also be appointed around the country to oversee the development of the night economy.
“If we look at how far behind we are, look at Berlin where culture thrives at all hours, why does the city’s heartbeat have to end at midnight or one in the morning.”
In relation to extending public transport later into the night, she said she will be working with her Green party colleague, Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan, to ensure routes are available.
