The Arts Council has announced its decisions on Commissions awards for work to be presented in 2005.

The Commissions Award fosters the creation of new work by encouraging new relationships between artists and commissioners and provides up to 75% of fees (only).

Awards totalling 192,686 were made in this, the final round for the current year, of which music received almost 41% (78,596).

The next largest recipient was visual arts, receiving 39,950 (21%), followed by film (29,975 or 15.5%), drama (27,180 / 14%), dance (12,075 / 6%) and what is described as ‘soundscape’ (4,910 / 2.5%).

On this occasion the Arts Council reverted to previous practice by having awards decided by separate artform panels, rather than a single panel for all the awards.

The music panel was Emer O’Kelly (Chair and Arts Council member), with composers Michael Alcorn, Seóirse Bodley and Eibhlis Farrell and the Arts Council music specialist, Fergus Sheil.

Successful applicants in music were

Further information from The Arts Council / An Chomhairle Ealaíon.