09/02/2010
The Arts Council of Northern Ireland has honoured two of Northern Ireland’s most eminent artists with major awards for £15,000 each.
Children’s author Declan Carville and traditional musician Len Graham were selected from a strong field of applications from artists, to the Arts Council’s annual ‘Major Individual Artist’ award scheme.
These annual awards recognise the special contribution made by established artists, writers, actors and musicians to the arts in Northern Ireland. The financial support makes it possible for these artists to take time out to dedicate to their art work and to produce a substantial and ambitious project that will make a significant contribution to the development of their careers.
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Acclaimed Northern Ireland children’s author Declan Carville is pictured in the Linen Hall Library in Belfast reading one of his books to Abbie and Adam Hession. Declan has just been honoured with a major award of £15,000 from the Arts Council to acknowledge his contribution to the arts.
Congratulating this year’s recipients, Rosemary Kelly OBE., Arts Council Chairman said: “Declan and Len have already made a notable contribution to the arts in Northern Ireland and to the positive cultural profile of the region abroad. Our support will now help them, at the mid-point of their professional careers, to cement their national and international reputations.”
Len Graham is one of Northern Ireland’s most experienced and highly regarded traditional singers. Already considered one of Ireland’s finest collectors and performers of traditional song, Len’s recent Arts Council grant will enable him to travel across Ulster and beyond to catalogue and record more urban and rural songs sung by generations of young people in Northern Ireland.
Commenting on his recent award, Len Graham said: “This Arts Council grant will enable me to research, compile and prepare for publication a comprehensive collection of Irish traditional song for young people. It will also provide an opportunity to enhance my technique, interpretation, expertise and knowledge of the Irish song tradition for young people and provide a valuable resource for children, teachers and parents.”
Declan Carville has published eleven books to date and has been a professional writer for 10 years. Already a well known name in homes across Northern Ireland, Declan’s recent Arts Council funding will be used to help him develop a new children’s story, a short animation and a monologue aimed at adults.
“For some time now I have had a number of ideas for new material but no real chance to actually sit down and put pen to paper to help develop them. The Major Award is a great opportunity and I couldn’t wait to get started.”
Declan Carville and Len Graham join an esteemed list of artists who have previously benefited from the Arts Council’s Major Individual Award, including revered writers, Carlo Gébler, Damian Gorman, Glenn Patterson and Owen McCafferty, leading contemporary artists, Rita Duffy, Susan MacWilliam, Patricia Craig and Cara Murphy, and composers Brian Irvine and Elaine Agnew.
