€4.6 million in New Funding Opportunities

 

The Creative Ireland Programme is delighted to announce three new funding calls supporting creativity, connection and wellbeing across
the island of Ireland. 

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­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ Creative Health & Wellbeing in the Community, local authority partnerships with creative and community organisations grant call (with a Shared Island dimension) ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ Creative Communities on a Shared Island, local authority partnerships with creative and community organisations grant call ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ Creative Youth Nurture Fund grant call (with a Shared Island dimension) ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ These new funding opportunities advance Creative Ireland’s mission to support inclusive, meaningful participation in creativity, strengthen communities, and nurture everyone’s creative potential.   ­ ­ Closing Date: February 27, 2026 — 1pm Two in-person Grant information sessions will take place, and all are welcome to attend. Booking is required:   ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ January 14, 2026 | MAC Belfast, (Booking link) ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ January 22, 2026 | Raddison Blue Hotel, Golden Lane Dublin (Booking link)  ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ An online information session for the Creative Youth grant call will take place on December 15 (Register Here).   ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ For full eligibility details and application guidelines please visit Creative Grant Call 2025 — Creative Ireland Programme ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ Together, let’s continue to nurture creativity as a vital force for connection, expression and wellbeing across the island of Ireland.  ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­   ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­

Felt making Workshop in Macroom Library

 

As part of our Social Prescribing Creative Engagement initiative a six-week felt making workshop with Etaoin Melville will take place in Macroom Library. Beginning on January 23rd at 2pm, this free felt making class will help people discover the creative art of working with wool. This workshop is ideal for beginningers or felt enthusiasts. This is delivered by Cork County Council, the National Family Resource Centre Mental Health project which manages the social prescribing service in Cork and the HSE via the Health Promotion and Improvement art and culture portfolio. Contact Megan O’Brien on 085 8793 462.

Community Development Grants 2026

 

Hi Everyone,

 

The Community Development Grants 2026 are live today if you would like to share with your groups. This is for:-

 

1. Capital grants for recognised Community Associations
2. Small Scale Programme grants for all community groups

 

This is live until Monday 2^nd February 2026.

 

Link to the grant application can be found here and link to the website can be found here

 

Kind Regards,

 

Sarah O’Callaghan

Assistant Staff Officer | Community Team

Oifigeach Foirne Cúnta | Foireann Pobail

Corporate, Community & Cultural Affairs

An Stiúrthóireacht um Gnóthaí Corparáideacha, Pobail agus Cultúir

+353 21 492  4748 / 086 199 4580

  sarah_ocallaghan@corkcity.ie

 Cork City Council, City Hall, Anglesea Street, Cork City T12 T997

     Comhairle Cathrach Chorcaí, Halla na Cathrach, Corcaigh T12 T997

 

            

Sign up to the Community Newsletter here - monthly updates on Cork City events, grants, and local news!

 

Notes from the Earth | Ballincollig Winter Music Festival 2026

 

As part of the Ballincollig Winter Music Festival 2026, we’re presenting Notes from the Earth, a unique evening of discussion and reflection centred on the theme “Loving the Earth at a time of ecological crisis.” The event brings together a thoughtful and inspiring panel, including Mary Reynolds, alongside artists, writers and cultural voices working at the intersection of land, creativity and community.

Given your programme and interests, I felt this event may align well with the conversations you’re already fostering.

Mary Reynolds is a reformed, internationally acclaimed landscape designer who rose to global prominence after winning a Gold Medal at the Chelsea Flower Show in 2002. Her story was later told in the 2016 film Dare to be Wild. A bestselling author, inspirational speaker and founder of the global We Are The ARK movement, Mary advocates for re-wilding and restorative action — encouraging people to return land under their care back to nature through simple Acts of Restorative Kindness.

Please feel free to contact me at any time if you’d like any further information and share to anyone who may be interested in 

Tickets via https://whitehorse.ie/notesfromtheearth/​​

Warm regards,
Miriam

Notes from the Earth

Thursday 29 January 2026
Ballincollig Winter Music Festival 2026 (BWMF26)

The Ballincollig Winter Music Festival proudly presents Notes from the Earth, a special evening of reflection, conversation and music taking place on Thursday 29 January 2026, as part of the 16th Annual Ballincollig Winter Music Festival.

Set against the theme “Loving the Earth at a time of ecological crisis”, Notes from the Earth brings together an extraordinary panel of artists, thinkers and cultural voices whose work is deeply rooted in landscape, community, tradition and care for the natural world.

The event features internationally acclaimed nature activist and reformed landscape designer Mary Reynolds; multi-award-winning dancer and community activist Edwina Guckian; critically acclaimed comedian, broadcaster, author and self-described “climate worrier” Colm O’Regan; prolific writer and broadcaster Vincent Woods; award-winning composer and instrumentalist Alannah Thornburgh; and traditional musician and sean-nós singer Diarmuid Ó Meachair.

Together, these voices will explore how creativity, humour, music, movement and storytelling can help us reconnect with the land and with one another — offering space for both honest reflection and renewed hope.

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About the contributors

Mary Reynolds is a reformed, internationally acclaimed landscape designer who rose to global prominence after winning a Gold Medal at the Chelsea Flower Show in 2002. Her story was later told in the 2016 film Dare to be Wild. A bestselling author, inspirational speaker and founder of the global We Are The ARK movement, Mary advocates for re-wilding and restorative action, encouraging people to return land under their care back to nature through simple Acts of Restorative Kindness.

Edwina Guckian, from Co. Leitrim, is one of Ireland’s most influential dancers and cultural activists. Founder of Áirc Damhsa Culture Club — now in its 20th year with over 500 members across nine counties — she has dedicated her career to reconnecting music, movement and community. Artistic Director of the Leitrim Dance Project and recipient of the Gradam Comaoine TG4, Markievicz Award and Arts Council Next Generation Bursary, Edwina is also the author of Sparks from the Flagstones, a children’s book celebrating Irish folk traditions.

Colm O’Regan is an award-winning comedian, author and broadcaster, known for his sharp wit and humane approach to complex issues. A familiar face from The Late Late Show and Comedy Central, he presents the multi-award-winning RTÉ Radio 1 programme Colm O’Regan Wants A Word and is the creator of the @irishmammies phenomenon. His book Climate Worrier, an Irish Book Award nominee, has evolved into a sell-out touring show and keynote exploring climate anxiety with warmth and humour.

Vincent Woods is a writer and broadcaster whose work spans theatre, poetry, radio and documentary. A regular contributor to RTÉ Radio 1’s Sunday Miscellany and Director of the Iron Mountain Literature Festival, Vincent is a member of Aosdána and has long explored themes of landscape, memory and cultural identity. His collaborations include the film Bealach an Fhéir Ghortaigh / Hunger’s Way with Edwina Guckian.

Alannah Thornburgh is an award-winning harpist and composer from the west of Ireland whose music weaves Irish harping traditions with American folk and jazz influences. Her debut album Shapeshifter (2025) received widespread critical acclaim, earning her Best Folk Instrumentalist at the RTÉ Folk Awards. Currently Musician-in-Residence at Carnegie Library, Fingal, Alannah’s work is praised for its fluidity, depth and connection to myth, nature and place.

Diarmuid Ó Meachair, from Cúil Aodha, Co. Cork, is one of Ireland’s leading young traditional musicians. A TG4 Young Musician of the Year, he is a highly regarded accordion and melodeon player as well as a sean-nós singer. A lecturer at University College Cork and a member of De Dannan, Diarmuid has released four solo albums and received multiple RTÉ Folk Award nominations in recent years.

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Notes from the Earth is a unique gathering of voices and ideas within the 2026 Ballincollig Winter Music Festival — an invitation to listen, reflect and imagine new ways of loving and caring for the world we share.

Tickets are available here:
https://whitehorse.ie/tag/bwmf/

Ballincollig Winter Music Festival is supported by the Arts Council of Ireland. 

Miriam

Miriam Dillon

Marketing Manager

The White Horse

Ballincollig, Co. Cork.

W: www.whitehorse.ie

Social: www.facebook.com/TheWhiteHorseCork / www.twitter.com/whitehorsecork / www.instagram.com/TheWhiteHorseCork

Cork County Council Launches Municipal District Community Fund Scheme 2026

 

Cork County Council is inviting applications for the Municipal District Community Fund Scheme 2026, reaffirming its commitment to supporting local communities across County Cork. This scheme provides financial assistance to community and voluntary groups, as well as local organisations, through three distinct funding streams:

• Capital Fund Scheme - for community groups, sporting and local organisations in County Cork who wish to undertake infrastructural projects costing over €20,000 that will improve the range or quality of community-based facilities within their area e.g. community halls, sporting facilities, etc.
• Community Contract - for Tidy Towns groups who work with Cork County Council on local works and projects, agreed with the Municipal District Officer and local Area Engineer that enhance the area in which the group is active. For the Community Contract it is strongly recommended that you contact your Area Engineer and Municipal District Officer to discuss your proposals before you apply.
• Amenity Fund Scheme - for community groups, sporting and local organisations in County Cork who wish to undertake projects or purchase equipment that directly benefits communities and meets particular needs. Projects being applied for under this scheme must cost less than €20,000.

Applications open at 10:00am on Monday, January 12th, 2026, and close at 4:00pm on Friday, February 13th, 2026. Groups are encouraged to apply online via the Council’s website.

To support applicants, each Municipal District will host a public drop-in information session to provide guidance on completing applications for the Community Fund Scheme. These roadshows will also provide information on a range of other supports and grant schemes administered through the Community, Tourism and Rural Development (CTRD) Directorate, including CLÁR, Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme (ORIS), and Town and Village Renewal, which support local improvement projects across communities.

In addition, representatives from Cork County Council’s Local Enterprise Office, Planning Directorate, Climate Action section and others will be available to provide information on Heritage Grants, climate-related and business grant supports. The Local Community Development Companies will also attend to provide information on funding opportunities available through programs such as LEADER.

For full details, including application link and guidelines and information session dates please click the button below,

Municipal District Community Fund Scheme

Click for more information

Water Colour Painting Course in Killeagh

 

Watercolour Painting with Judy Shinnick

Watercolouring Painting with Artist Judy Shinnick  Dates & times:  Wednesdays: 4th March / 11th March / 18th March / 25th March 2026 10am - 12pm   Cost: €135 for 4 sessions   About: Join artist Judy Shinnick for a four-week watercolour programme at Greywood Arts in Killeagh. Each class offers clear guidance, steady encouragement and a calm space to explore your creativity. Beginners are warmly welcomed, and returning painters will also find thoughtful support to refine their skills. This small class group offers a relaxed atmosphere, friendly conversation and steady progress week by week.    Spaces are limited so book your place here: https://pci.jotform.com/form/253432800152345   Please contact us if you have any questions at hello@greywoodarts.org or on 085 2695731.   Greywood Arts Coach House Creative Hub Main Street, Killeagh P36 KN61.