“ONE OF THE most inspiring initiatives” in the world – the newly-launched project to give Irish creativity a place at the table of public policy has been given a warm welcome by one of the giants of the tech world.

Denzyl Feigelson, who was key to the setting up of iTunes and remains a key advisor to Apple, is one of several high-profile arts, tech and culture figures who are getting behind the Creative Ireland project which was launched last month.

Among the initiatives announced at that launch were the setting up of local culture teams that would take charge of planning and executing a plan for cultural events and projects in their area, a new annual cultural day for Easter Monday (taking the lead from last year’s successful Reflecting the Rising event), investment programmes for capital projects, support for artists from filmmakers to authors to musicians and an eye-catching pledge to support free tuition for all children in music, drama, art or coding.

The latter is proving particularly popular in getting the message across to an international audience that Ireland is now putting its artistic identity on an official footing.

The most recent launch of the project was at the Irish Embassy in London where – in the wake of Brexit – the need to underline Ireland’s unique contributions to the EU and the world struck a particularly timely note:

TheJournal.ie understands that local workshops and public meetings asking for community contributions to the future of arts and culture in their locality are currently getting underway. The results of these – and how they will be implemented – will be the first test of the Creative Ireland initiative.

All children to have access to music lessons under ambitious new Irish culture plan>