TED AND MARY O'REGAN ARTS BURSARY |
||
2009 BURSARY AWARDED |
||
|
||
PRESS RELEASE ARTS BURSARY AWARDS ANNOUNCED Reflecting the wide range of artistic activity in Waterford city and county, a total of 43 applications were received for this year’s awards, which went to actors Jenny Fennessy and Mickey Power, film makers Ken Lally and Samuel Jacob and Musical Theatre artist Conor Lyons. The Award Scheme is the brainchild of a group of friends and colleagues of the late Ted and Mary O’Regan and was created to honour the couple’s invaluable contribution to the artistic and cultural life of Waterford. Launched in 2005, the bursary is financed by local arts organisations and statutory bodies as well as by the O’ Regan family and by friends and admirers of the much loved couple. Among the organisations who have contributed to the bursary are Waterford Youth Committee, Waterford City Council, Waterford County Council, Waterford City Enterprise Board, Red Kettle, Garter Lane Arts Centre, Spraoi, Theatre Royal and Waterford Youth Arts. Designed to assist local artists to pursue and advance their career in the arts, the Bursary is administered by a group of trustees from the local arts community. Applications for the Bursaries are assessed by an independent adjudicator, Victor Merriman, a friend of the O’Regan family and currently lecturing in Drama Studies at the University of Liverpool. The 2009 Ted and Mary O’ Regan Bursary will be divided between local actors, Jenny Fennessy and Michael Power. Jenny Fennessy has been offered a place at the Guildhall School of Drama in London and has been awarded a total of €6,000, spread over the three years of her course. An award of €4,000 will assist Michael Power with the fees for a one year Advanced Acting Course at the Drama Studio, also in London. The generous sponsorship of Waterford City Enterprise Board has enabled the Bursary Committee to make further awards to local film makers, Samuel Jacob and Ken Lally. Samuel Jacob’s award of €2,000 will assist with fees for an intensive one year Film Production Course at the prestigious Prague Film School and Ken Lally has been offered €1,000 towards the development costs of Manoeuvres, a feature film currently in pre production. Finally, the Waterford Pantomime Society (1984) Award, designed to assist a local musical theatre artist to pursue their career has, this year, been awarded to Conor Lyons. The award of €4,000 will assist Conor to take a place at Laine Theatre Arts, one of London’s most highly regarded musical theatre academies. Bursary Committee Chairman, Bertie Rogers, said that whilst the large number of applications reflected the current economic climate, they also provided compelling evidence of both the range and quality of artistic activity in Waterford city and county. He wished to pay tribute to Bursary Assessor, Victor Merriman and, in particular, to thank the Bursary’s many benefactors, who maintained their support for the project in the face of extremely difficult financial circumstances. |
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
PHOTOS BY PADDY DWAN |
