A major new partnership between National Irish Bank and the Irish Museum of Modern Art to promote greater community involvement in the visual arts was announced today (Wednesday 18 December 2002). ‘Branching Out’ is designed to be an inclusive and participative programme, engaging communities across the country in the visual arts.
Six projects from IMMA’s 2003 National Programme –in Clonmel, Mullingar, Ennis, Tallaght, Limerick and Cork – have been selected to take part. In every location the Museum, in conjunction with the venue and the local National Irish branch, is putting in place an education programme to support each exhibition. Each programme will be different, and may include a public lecture, workshops for local groups or talks for local schoolchildren. Geographical spread was important in the choice of locations, to ensure as many people as possible would be able to enjoy the high quality arts programmes with which IMMA is associated.
Employees of selected branches will be involved at different levels – taking part in workshops with their families and customers, hosting opening events and inviting local groups to be involved.
Speaking at the announcement John Trethowan, Chief Operating Officer of National Irish Bank said: “ The National Irish Bank Community Investment Programme already includes a number of successful arts partnerships. We are very proud of the achievements of our arts partners in ensuring that people of all ages are able to engage in their communities through the provision of high quality creative activities. In working with the Irish Museum of Modern Art, we will be supporting the development of an interactive outreach programme at six locations across the country. We look forward to encouraging our employees, their families and our customers to get involved in enjoyable and enriching local initiatives.”
Expressing the Museum’s thanks to National Irish for their very valuable support, IMMA’s Chairperson Eoin McGonigal, SC, said that the sponsorship fitted in perfectly with the Museum’s plans for the National Programme and its strategy of creating a greater education and community dimension for the programme.
He said: “The National Programme is one of our proudest achievements bringing the resources of IMMA to up to 24 locations and 35,000 people outside the Dublin area each year. This new injection of funding will enable it to move on to even greater things.”
For further information and colour and black and white images please contact Monica Cullinane at Tel : +353 1 612 9900, Fax : +353 1 612 9999, Email : [email protected]
18 December 2002