Leitrim Theatre awarded €55,000 in Arts Council funding boost
Glens Centre secures major Arts Council boost as audience and box office figures defy national trends.
The Glens Centre in Manorhamilton has secured €55,000 in Arts Council Arts Grant Funding for 2026, as part of a nationwide investment in the arts announced this week.
The Glens is one of 218 recipients to benefit from the €17.1 million funding scheme, which supports artists and arts organisations in delivering high-quality programming across Ireland. The number of successful applicants is up from 194 last year, reflecting growing demand in the sector.
Brendan Murray, Director of the Glens Centre, welcomed the news: “The Glens is delighted with its increase in Arts Council funding for 2026. Under its current management funding has almost doubled. In a very difficult arts era this is further recognition of The Glens development."
The Glens has a busy season ahead, with a play touring in November, a new production opening in Dublin in April, and two cross-border projects underway under the Shared Island programme. The centre also reported strong audience growth. “The Arts Council Audience Insight survey for 2024 showed The Glens bucked the national trend by increasing its audience by 9% and its Box Office take by 28%,” added Murray.
Maura McGrath, Chair of the Arts Council, said the funding “enables ambitious, sustained artistic work that connects communities across Ireland.”
Despite unprecedented demand—7,568 eligible applications across all schemes last year—the Arts Council continues to advocate for increased resources to meet sector needs.