FROM THE GROWING popularity of electric cars to powering homes with renewable sources, Ireland’s energy sector is going through a massive transformation – and this has significant benefits for the environment, society and individuals.
This process of change is often referred to as the ‘energy transition’ – the shift from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources. The transformation is trickling down to individuals and communities too, with more and more conversations starting around what we can do, by ourselves and together, to create a brighter, more sustainable future.
To help bring people’s creative ideas around the energy transition to life, ESB has launched a Brighter Future Arts Fund in partnership with Business to Arts.
“The purpose of the fund is to support artists and art organisations that are working on projects that are related to environmental sustainability and the energy transition,” says Bevin Cody, Corporate Reputation Manager at ESB.
“The fund is open to projects anywhere on the island of Ireland. It can be visual arts, it can be dance, it can be theatre, literature… it’s open to all art forms,” she says.
The only criteria for the fund, explains Cody, is that “the artists are partners with or collaborate with another organisation. Whether that’s a festival, community organisation, a venue, or a local authority.
It’s very much about promoting a level of collaboration in a way that benefits and engages our wider community.
The idea for the fund was born in response to the monumental effect the pandemic is having on the arts sector.
“We recognise that the arts community is being hugely impacted by the pandemic and we wanted to find a way to support that community, but we also want to do that in a way that is aligned with our core purpose, which is very much focused on addressing climate change through clean electricity.
This initiative really pulls together what we’re trying to do as an organisation and our commitment to communities. Artists have a unique way of connecting with people, which is really valuable to society as a whole.
ESB is a long time supporter of Business to Arts, with this particular initiative making €250,000 available for a number of inspiring projects. “We’re expecting that the projects that will apply for funding will be fairly sizeable, probably €20,000 to €40,000 in funding per project,” says Cody, with “at least 40% of the budget needing to go towards paying the artist.”
“Climate change and the energy transition are complex subjects at the forefront of many of our minds,” says Emily Carson, Head of Communications and Partnerships at Business to Arts.
“At Business to Arts, we consistently see the valuable perspective artists bring to the table when they address difficult topics. At a time when the arts sector is experiencing such unprecedented precarity, we’re proud to partner with ESB to deliver this substantial fund and we’re also looking forward to seeing the ideas and projects that come through the application process.”
Themes that projects might address include a low-carbon future, best practice in environmental sustainability, enhancing participation of communities and audiences, and imagining what a Brighter Future might look like.
The deadline to apply for funding is September 8, and the projects have to be delivered between March 2022 and December 2023.
“It’s about, hopefully, projects that make people stop and think a little bit differently and inspire conversations that get people talking – even up to the point of getting people to start thinking about solutions and innovation,” says Cody. “Creativity in the arts is a great driver of innovation.”
Find out more and apply for the ESB Brighter Future Arts Fund, in partnership with Business to Arts, here.
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