This article is from page 20 of the 2012-05-15 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 20 JPG
BUSINESS-owners in Ennis have been urged to make premises available for a new arts initiative aimed at breathing new life into the town centre.
Latest developments under the recently launched the Ennis Access to Spaces Initiative (EASI) were discussed at last week’s meeting of Ennis Town Council.
Coordinated by Ennis Town Coun- cil, Clare County Council and Ennis Chamber of Commerce, the scheme aims to revitalise Ennis town centre by facilitating the use of unoccupied spaces for commercial, creative and community use.
A license agreement has been drawn up that provides for a mechanism for a formal agreement to be put in place between the council and participating parties.
Siobhán Mulcahy, Arts Officer, explained;
“A number of initiatives are hap- pening in the town and negotiations are underway with other landlords to facilitate the use of underused spaces in the town.”
She told the meeting that the agreement provides for a waiver of rates on non-commercial activities in participating properties.
Town Clerk Leonard Cleary said that the agreement would protect the interests of all parties involved.
Cllr Brian Meaney (GP) said the initiative would “enhance the streetscape of Ennis” and should prove successful.
Mayor of Ennis, Cllr Michael Guilfoyle (Ind) said the iniative could be used to attract even more tourists to Ennis:
“It is a worthwhile initiative and hopefully it will turn Ennis into a town that people want to visit.”
Empty and underutilised space, such as the premises beneath Sunkiss in Market Street, has already been transformed into a pop-up space highlighting work by some of Clare’s very best craftworkers and artists, including textile artist Steph Gahan, ceramicist Helen Griffin and contemporary furniture-maker John Hogan.
Mr Cleary urged business people in the town to support the initiative.
He said, “A number of crafts people have approached the arts officer and we need that reciprocated from the property-owners.”
Mr Cleary added, “This is an appeal, a special request, to create an arts cluster in the town to breathe new life into Ennis.”