The Creative Heartlands project was established across Leitrim, Sligo and Roscommon in 2019 to strengthen economic growth and sustain existing enterprises in the creative sector. Today the project is announcing the roll out of a number of supports and launching a video to demonstrate the supports available and raise awareness of the project regionally.
The regional project received €450,000 in funding last year from Enterprise Ireland and three local authorities, and over the last number of months has been putting in place a programme of supports to assist the sector. This project aims to build on the existing structures and infrastructure in the region to sustain and grow the sector across the three counties.
Speaking about the project, Chair of Leitrim Design House and Head of Enterprise, Local Enterprise Office Leitrim Joe Lowe said that ‘This project puts the region at the forefront in developing the creative sector and sustaining employment in our existing enterprises. We have appointed two project managers to work with the creative community across the film and design sectors. Our project managers will work closely with the industry across the three counties to identify their needs and roll out a CPD and training programme over the next two years’.
The local authorities in Leitrim, Sligo and Roscommon are providing additional funding and resources to the project through the Arts and Local Enterprise Offices. Rhona McGrath, Roscommon Arts Officer commented that ‘the project is unique in its regional make-up and in its collaborative approach between the arts and enterprise sectors. The Creative sector is a significant employer in our region and in order to ensure sustainability we must put in place the infrastructure and supports to enable its growth. That is why we are in investing in a range of film and design equipment which will be available in various venues across the region to our creative enterprises’.
The project will see investment in editing suites and shooting equipment for the film sector and 3D printers, laser cutters, and Virtual Reality headsets for design and digital fabrication
Stephen Walshe, Business Adviser, Local Enterprise Office Sligo, highlighted that ‘the project will give the skills and supports to enterprises to transition to use digital fabrication technologies and design thinking methodologies that allow them to increase their level of innovation and technical skills, develop new ideas and increase the skill set of employees.’
A number of local filmmakers have already been able to avail of the equipment and supports in place for the film sector with one short film and one feature length film using the equipment managed under the Creative Heartlands project.
Anyone seeking more information on the project can view the information video online at www.tinyurl.com/creativeheartlands.
