The role of the Arts Office is many things including:

• developing and co-ordinating artistic activity within the City and County
• ensuring balanced cultural arts provision through encouraging local arts and by promoting touring arts.
• motivating and inspiring enthusiasm for the arts by promoting it as a worthwhile and positive activity for all
• advising, assisting and supporting persons, groups and organisations
• helping to make the arts a realistic career choice for people
• broadening and enriching participation both in regards to audiences and those directly involved in events
• also working with others to help bring the arts closer to local communities
• keeping the arts high on peoples agenda

Visual Arts

There were a total of eight visual art exhibitions held in County Hall in 2002. The first exhibition consisted of three dimensional work by local artist, Maria Casey and ran from January – March. In April the local I.C.A. group exhibited a textile hanging. The third exhibition in May by artist Joan Fitzgerald was an exhibition of drawings and the Kilkenny School of Art & Design showcased their work in June. This was followed by an exhibition of Fine Art Prints by Sue Freeman in July. The sixth exhibition ran from August to October entitled ‘Five Years On’. This was a group exhibition highlighting the work of recent graduates based in or originating from Kilkenny. In October ‘Space for Kids’ was exhibited. This was a selection of creations made by the children who had attended the Summer Art Camps. A Photography exhibition ran from November to December.

Literature
In 2002 the Poetry Broadsheet was published for the fourth time giving writers a local platform for their work. A writers weekend was held in Clogh and there was also support for group publications.
Community / Youth Arts
There was an increase in Community Arts knowledge and involvement by way of workshops, lectures and visits including highlighting community awareness of the Per cent for Art Scheme. There was also an Advice and Skills Course for second level students intending to go into third level Art Courses.

Music
The Duiske Concert Season was held, bringing high calibre Classical and Traditional musicians to the 13th century Duiske Abbey, including, Anya Alexeyev, the Vienna Boys Choir, Hugh Tinney, Catherine Leonard, Paddy Glacken, Micheal O’Domhnaill, his sisters Maighread and Triona and Robbie Hannan.

Theatre
In 2002 rural schools had the opportunity to avail of a grant and a subsidy towards Kilkenny based theatre projects in order to enable them to attend professional productions in the city. There was also support for youth drama development and training workshops.

Arts Bursaries
There were a total of three Arts Bursaries for artists working within visual, performance, music and literature to assist career development through further education or development of projects.

Contributions to other bodies, i.e. Watergate Theatre, Rothe House Museum, Barnstorm Youth Theatre, FAS Training Scheme, Arts Act Grants.

New Arts Officer

Ms. Mary Butler, a native of Kilkenny City, was appointed Arts Officer during 2002.