Welcome to Kilkenny County Council Arts Office

Kilkenny City and County has an extensive, illustrious and spirited tradition within the arts, we have a rich and varied cultural and craft heritage combined with an abundance of festivals. The Arts continue to be a significant ingredient in Kilkenny largely contributing to the progression of the social, cultural, creative, economic, and political future of Kilkenny. The Arts are an integral part of the cultural, tourism and economic development of the city and county.

The Arts Office programme reflects this in its support for the arts across all disciplines and for all aspects of the community both practitioners and audiences, also in its provision of professional development services for practitioners.

The Arts Office is part of the Cultural Services Section of Kilkenny County Council; Creating and Sustaining Great Communities and Places - Mary Butler, Arts Officer

The Arts Office is located at St. Patrick's Court, Patrick Street, Kilkenny, R95 N28F 

Should you need to contact a member of staff please phone or email your query. Full details below.

Mary Butler County Arts Officer Tel: 0567794547 mary.butler@kilkennycoco.ie

Kathy Conlan, Assistant Arts Officer, Tel: 0567794288 kathy.conlan@kilkennycoco.ie 

Deirdre Southey, Arts Administrator 0567794547 deirdre.southey@kilkennycoco.ie

Diane Seale, Clerical Officer, 0567794938 diane.seale@kilkennycoco.ie

Majella Keating, Creative Communities Officer, 0567794338 majella.keating@kilkennycoco.ie

We are also on Facebook, Twitter, Flickr and have an online poetry publication the Rhyme Rag

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Arts Office Information

Arts Office: Services provided for public

• developing and coordinating artistic activities and events across the county (e.g. Literature workshops and Broadsheet, Open Circle, Siamsa, Culture Night)
• encouraging and inspiring enthusiasm for the arts and promoting it as a valuable, positive and worthwhile activity for all (e.g. Facebook, Twitter,)
• through partnerships and linkages working to bring the arts to a wider community (e.g. co-funding of programmes such as Poetry for Teens with Ossory Youth, providing School Subsidies to Kilkenny primary schools to visit high quality professional theatre, poetry workshops in Kilkenny Secondary Schools)
• broadening participation through increased audience and practitioner involvement
• administration of an annual bursaries and Arts Act Grant
• facilitating partnering synergy and skills exchange between groups, individuals and agencies involved in the arts advocacy (e.g. Art Links mentoring programme and Open Circle Arts )

The Arts Office continually develops and delivers an inclusive Arts programme working to dispel notions of elitism in the sector. Through partnership with other groups, we deliver a programme of activities where the arts are open to all, enjoyable, gratifying and a tool for lifelong learning.

See News and Programmes for further details

For more information and updates on how to access the services we offer check the News section of our website or follow us on Facebook and Twitter. Sign up to our email database by emailing deirdre.southey@kilkennycoco.ie

There is a fee charged to participate in some of our programmes such as Literature workshops, Siamsa and Open Circle. Many of our services such as the Kilkenny poetry Broadsheet, the Rhyme Rag, and Culture Night are offered free of charge.

Research and pilot projects are devised by the Arts Officer often in partnership with artists and relevant organisations.

Data Protection

Data Privacy Statement for the Arts Office.pdf (size 195.2 KB)