Funding for traditional artists received a significant boost yesterday with the launch of a new €3 million annual Arts Council fund specifically aimed at supporting their work.
The new Deis (or "opportunity") fund was launched at an arts showcase attended by Minister for Arts John O'Donoghue in An Daingean, Co Kerry, last night.
The fund is open to individuals, groups, bands and organisations whose projects do not fit within the Arts Council's existing funding programmes.
Under the scheme they are allowed to seek specific funding for their project ideas from the Arts Council.
According to Arts Council rules, the traditional arts comprise traditional music, song and dance, and oral art forms such as storytelling.
Traditional artists seeking funds for their projects will also be helped to set up their proposals by a network of Deis advisers.
Commenting on the scheme, Mr O'Donoghue said Irish traditional arts were "a precious and fundamental part of our national cultural life and should be celebrated".
"The Deis scheme . . . will provide a platform for the traditional arts community to develop projects for the further enhancement of traditional arts on the ground.
"I welcome the steps taken by the Arts Council to put in place a network of Deis advisers around the country to assist people in developing their proposals."
Deis is the first scheme to be announced as part of the council's traditional arts initiative for the next three years.
This aims to prioritise the sector for a fixed period, with a view to fully mainstreaming the traditional arts within the Arts Council's activities.
A budget of €3 million has been allocated to the traditional arts initiative for its first full year in 2006 - a separate €500,000 was provided at the end of June to allow work to start this year.
Initially piloted for two weeks over the summer, the Deis scheme resulted in the allocation of €44,000 in funds for 17 individuals and organisations.
Projects ranged from DVD archive recording to a traditional music project for children.
Other schemes planned in this particular sector include seed funding for support networks between key players in the traditional arts.