- ESB Brighter Future Arts Fund to provide €250,000 over the next three years to support an open call for arts projects and new art commissions to imagine a more sustainable world
- Selected open call projects will positively engage communities around sustainability and the energy transition
Tuesday, 13th July 2021: ESB today announced a new ‘Brighter Future Arts Fund’, in partnership with Business to Arts. The €250,000 fund will support artists working with organisations on creative ideas that will engage the public in a positive way around the energy transition. The projects can be in any art form, and the fund is open for applications until 8th September 2021.
Speaking at the launch of the Brighter Future Arts Fund, Pat O'Doherty, Chief Executive of ESB said: “Artists have a unique perspective that can inspire people and communities to see the world in new ways, helping to start conversations, spark imagination and ignite new ideas. Through this fund, we hope to attract artists from a range of art forms who share our vision for a brighter, more sustainable future, and demonstrate the benefits that businesses and the arts can achieve by working collaboratively on issues of common interest.”
Through the Brighter Future Arts Fund, ESB will support projects that imagine a more sustainable world, look towards a brighter future, consider the steps necessary to get there, and the importance of this in tackling climate change. These artworks and arts projects can be in any art form that takes place on the island of Ireland including visual arts, spoken word, music, theatre and much more.
Artists are encouraged to work in collaboration with a partner organisation such as festival, venue or event organisers, arts, community, environmental, technological or heritage/architectural organisations or another funding agency to develop and realise their work and projects.
Andrew Hetherington, Chief Executive of Business to Arts said: “Among the many important roles art plays in society is its power to interpret, communicate and educate us about complicated issues in original and enlightening ways. With this new Fund, ESB is creating a mechanism to enhance their long-term support of the arts and are linking this to an area of global significance. At Business to Arts, we champion this type of thinking and are proud to partner with ESB for the Brighter Future Arts Fund.”
For more information on the fund, and details on how to apply visit: www.businesstoarts.ie/artsfund/esb/
ENDS
For media queries contact:
Graham King, Press Officer & Digital Content Creator, ESB: 085-1515886/graham.king@esb.ie
For further information contact:
Emily Carson, Head of Communications & Partnerships, Business to Arts: 01-6629238/089-6091990/emily@businesstoarts.ie
High-resolution photography is available FOC from Conor McCabe (085-7057255).
Image caption: Merrion Square, Dublin, Tuesday 13th July: Pat O’Doherty, Chief Executive of ESB
and Andrew Hetherington, Chief Executive, Business to Arts, painting a sustainable future with a 3D artwork by artist Mark Cronin at the announcement of ESB’s Brighter Future Arts Fund. The €250,000 fund will support artists working
collaboratively on creative ideas that will engage the public in a positive way around sustainability and the energy transition. For full details and how to apply visit: www.businesstoarts.ie/artsfund/esb/
Photo Option 1: Pat O’Doherty, Chief Executive of ESB with Andrew Hetherington, Chief Executive, Business to Arts and Sisters June (9) and Wren (6) Carty, Dublin
Photo Option 2: Pat
O’Doherty, Chief Executive of ESB with his two-year old granddaughter Eve O’Doherty and Andrew Hetherington, Chief Executive, Business to Arts
Photo Option 3: Sisters
June (9) and Wren (6) Carty, Dublin
Please use with credit to Conor McCabe.
About the ESB Brighter Future Arts Fund:
The ESB Brighter Future Arts Fund will distribute a total of €250,000 between 2022 and 2023 for a range of artworks and arts projects connected to the question of ‘what does a Brighter Future look like?’.
The Fund has two strands, the first being an open call to artists across the island of Ireland to create artworks or arts projects in collaboration with a partner organisation that sustainably enhance their communities.
The second strand is a limited call to environmental artists to create an artwork or project that will be exhibited or performed at ESB’s new headquarters at Project Fitzwilliam, Dublin 2.
Themes or interests for works could be:
- What does a Brighter Future look like?
- A low-carbon future
- Best-practice in environmental sustainability
- Addressing environmental issues and sustainable development goals
- Enhancing participation of communities and audiences
- Active partnership between artists and partner organisations
Full information can be found at: www.businesstoarts.ie/artsfund/esb/