Some €419,000 will be granted to artists and arts organisations in Cork a Fine Gael Senator has said.

Senator Jerry Buttimer said: “The Arts Grant Funding is a new scheme under the Art’s Council’s 10-year strategy, Making Great Art Work.

“This is a recognition of some of the outstanding artistic talent here in Cork. I am delighted to see that Cork Film Festival has been awarded €360,000, Cork Choral Festival has been awarded €32,000 and Cork Orchestral Society has been awarded €27,0000

“The demand for funding under this programme was enormous and the quality of applications across Cork was superb.

“This new funding that we are announcing today is another solid step in supporting the growth of Irish arts and artists.

“The talent represented in these organisations is world class and their ambition and confidence is something that we should all be proud of.”

Minister for Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht, Josepha Madigan, said: “A total of 116 artists and arts organisations right across the country will receive funding of almost €7 million.

“This will support as rich a range of artistic work as great as you will find anywhere in the world- from theatre to Irish traditional arts, from jazz to classical music to local fiddle festivals, to visual arts and literature.”