Kerry Local Creative Youth Partnership (LCYP) at Kerry ETB has announced a fund to support the development of youth theatres across the county.

Applications from not-for-profit organisations are welcome by close of business on January 11. Funding youth theatre development is a priority for the offices of the Local Creative Youth Partnership at Kerry ETB and the Arts Office at Kerry County Council in 2023.

The fund has come about as a result of a partnership between the LCYP and the Arts Office at Kerry County Council. This partnership is aimed at increasing the number of youth theatres active in the county by underpinning their development with funding and know-how.

“This year LCYP and the Arts Office at Kerry County Council supported the development of three youth theatres in Kerry, one in South Kerry, one in West Kerry and one in North Kerry to the value of €22,000 in total,” Deirdre Enright, the Creative Youth Co-Ordinator at Kerry ETB, said.

“The fund supports the administration, management and the creative facilitation costs for each youth theatre, and encourages youth theatres to be ambitious and exciting to teenagers. Supported youth theatres must ensure diversity and that there is a strong sense of inclusion for their members.”

Youth Theatre is a proven youth work discipline and an exciting creative space for young people to join. The mission in Kerry is to ensure an accessible youth theatre is available to any young person who wants to join one, and that the nearest youth theatre is no more than a 45 minute drive from anyone’s home, no matter where in Kerry a person lives.

“We are delighted that over 30 young people from all sorts of backgrounds have found a great sense of belonging in local youth theatres this year. It is a highly creative space, and not just for those who love acting…writing, sound, production, costume, all of these are aspects but even more important is the time and friendships that young people get to enjoy outside of the formal school environment," Kate Kennelly, Arts Office and Creative Ireland Kerry Co-Ordinator at Kerry County Council, said.

Kerry’s strategy is unique in Ireland and supporting its delivery is Youth Theatre Ireland, the national support agency for youth theatre in the country.

“Youth Theatre Ireland has worked closely with LCYP and Kerry County Council over several years to support the training and development of local youth theatre facilitators. Having skilled, local facilitators in place is the lifeblood of sustainable youth theatre practice and to have this level of financial support in place is crucial for their long-term success. When a young person joins a youth theatre they have access to quality arts experiences within their own community. This can be life changing. We look forward to our continued collaboration to support a sustainable youth theatre culture in Co. Kerry,” Alan King, Deputy Director at Youth Theatre Ireland, added.

Youth Theatres who wish to apply must be not-for-profit and rooted in a local community setting. For more information and an application form see www.kerryetb.ie/creativity-grants.