South Dublin County Council recently launched the Tourism Events and Festivals Grant Scheme for 2019. This funding programme is aimed at organisations and organisers who plan to hold a public festival or event within South Dublin County Council’s administrative area. The aim is to fund innovative events/festivals that are supported by local businesses and communities which will add value to the county’s tourism product. The maximum grant available is €7,500.00 and is paid in relation to the number of spectators visiting South Dublin from outside of county and overseas. Key priority areas such as cultural, food, sports and activity based tourism aimed at growing the visitor economy are included in the grant offering.
Having been launched as a pilot scheme in 2018, the Tourism Events and Festivals Grant proved to be a great success providing funding in the sum of €24,910 to a variety of organisations who ran events in South Dublin County. These events included Dublin’s Masters International Basketball Tournament, The 59th Liffey Descent, Clondalkin Handcraft and Horticultural Show, Red Line Book Festival, and South Dublin on Ice.
John Walsh of Dublin’s Masters Basketball Association expressed his delight on receiving the funding in 2018. ”On behalf of the Dublin Masters Basketball Association, I’d like to thank South Dublin County Council for their support through the Tourism Events and Festivals Grant. This grant for our 2018 Tournament enabled us to run our biggest and most successful event to date with 40 teams participating from all over the world, such as USA, UK, Russia, Australia, Belgium, Spain, Italy, Holland, Estonia, Croatia, Lithuania and Germany. Our Dublin Masters Basketball Tournament started in 2013 and has grown each year with the help of many hard working volunteers, sponsoring companies, fundraising and fantastic ongoing support from SDCC.”
Up to €30,000 has been allocated for The Tourism Events and Festivals Scheme in 2019. To apply for the scheme, event organisers can complete an application form online by visiting www.sdcc.ie or send hard copies to The County Promotion Unit, South Dublin County Council, County Hall, Tallaght, Dublin 24 or via email econdev@sdublincoco.ie
Closing date for applications is 3pm on 26 April, 2019.
