A new policy direction in public art began last night in Milltown, Co Kerry with funding from a social housing project going into a new song, performance event and a CD by students, rather than putting money into roadside or park sculpture.
The emphasis in publicly funded art in the county is to be on performance and participation events - singing and dancing at the crossroads, rather than monuments.
The performance and writing by Leaving Cert and Junior Cert students at Presentation Secondary School in Milltown is in collaboration with rock musician Ian Archer, formerly of the group Snow Patrol. A new song Midnight at Milltown was performed and a CD will be released.
The projects are funded out of the so-called Per Cent for Arts Scheme, in which a percentage of the cost of a capital project may be set aside for art work. Usually the amount is 1 per cent, but there is a cap of around €64,000.
Ruairí Ó Cuív, arts consultant, said the community rock concert and other performance art was a valid alternative to monuments and sculptures. Mr Ó Cuív is the younger brother of Minister for Community Affairs Eamon Ó Cuív.
A play is being commissioned in Listowel to mark a housing scheme there. In Ballyferriter new poetry is being composed and in Castleisland the possibility of making a film is to be explored. A history of photography project is in the pipeline for Killarney alongside a children's project.