The Earagail Arts Festival has issued a huge vote of thanks to local businesses and the local media for their support in this their 21st year. The festival opened at the weekend and runs until 19th July involving a total of 100 events at 26 venues across the county.
Artistic director Paul Brown said the festival could not have survived without the core funding it gets from the Arts Council, Fáilte Ireland and Donegal County Council but that the support of local businesses, festival friends and the partner arts organisations was also vital in helping it grow into the highly successful event it is today.
“This festival attracts around 35,000 people, and contributes over €4m to the local economy and would like to gratefully acknowledge the support of key local sponsors such as the Ramada Encore, The Grill, Watson Hire, Letterkenny Kia and Securelan Systems – who all contribute to the festival.”
“Without the support of local businesses and the local media the festival just wouldn’t be able to deliver the sheer variety and geographic spread of events across the county. Given the current economic climate, the level of local business involvement indicates the value that our commercial sponsors place on the festival in bringing something very special to the community, as well as creating economic return to the county through its cultural tourism remit.”
“Festivals the world over rely on the support of local businesses to deliver their programme and the Earagail Arts Festival is no exception, with local support creating greater opportunity for more people to enjoy arts events.”
Brown says that independent economic research carried out in 2004 recognised the important role played by the Earagail Arts Festival plays in generating economic spend by artists, audiences and tourists in the local community.
“Back in 2004, with a programme half the size of what it is today, the research concluded that over €1.5 million euro came back to local businesses through the festival programme. Our business sponsors and friends recognise the fact that the festival can be good for business and have invested accordingly through sponsorship”.
