6th August 2003

Coolkeeragh ESB power plant - a work of art!

The arts community in the North West received a welcome boost today with the announcement that Coolkeeragh ESB together with The Playhouse Arts Centre in launched a new community arts initiative.

Coolkeeragh ESB is contracting The Playhouse to commission a visual artist to produce a number of pieces of public art that will record the different phases of the development of the new plant. The art will chronicle the ongoing development of Coolkeeragh and the opening of the new station in 2005. The final pieces will be displayed at the Coolkeeragh plant as well as through community exhibitions.

In conjunction with this commission, Coolkeeragh ESB and The Playhouse are commissioning artists to develop art within four local post primary schools. The artists will develop a long-term project that will complement existing visual art provisions in the schools, and will explore techniques, mediums, and approaches that are new for pupils. This project will allow pupils to explore a specialist area of the visual arts that they may not otherwise be exposed to. The project will produce a number of pieces of art for display within the power plant at Coolkeeragh ESB.

The creative partnerships being launched have received support from Arts & Business New Partners, funded by the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure.

The Western Education and Library Board will help choose the schools for the project, which will be reflective of society as a whole.

Commenting on the initiative, Michael Aherne, Project Director, Coolkeeragh ESB said, "This art initiative provides us with the opportunity to celebrate the development of the Coolkeeragh ESB power plant and to develop students' involvement with the visual arts within the local community.

"At Coolkeeragh ESB we are committed to developing community initiatives and we see this initiative as promoting art within the City and helping to develop some budding artists of the future."

Max Beer, Fundraising & Marketing Officer, The Playhouse, said, "'The Playhouse and Coolkeeragh Power Station have worked together over the years on a number of innovative arts projects, most notably the Fair Play Arts Festival for adults and children with Special Needs. At this time of expansion and redevelopment for Coolkeeragh we are absolutely delighted to be a partner in the commissioning of the artwork for the opening of the new Coolkeeragh ESB Power Station and in the development of art within our schools."

For further information contact

Claire Aiken or Shane Finnegan

At Aiken PR Tel: 028 90 663000

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