CELTIC CROSSINGS SHOWCASE MAYFIELD COMMUNITY ARTS CENTRE

CELTIC CROSSINGS SHOWCASE (CORK)

Celebrating the close of a year of work and achievements for Celtic
Crossings, A Cork 2005/Mayfield Community Arts Centre Project. Celtic
Crossings was a project formed to celebrate Cork as European Capital of
Culture and to celebrate the talents and abilities of 10 artists with
disabilities as well as giving them space to develop their own artistic
abilities. The Celtic Crossings studio group have participated in workshops,
residencies, exhibitions and exchanges with artists from Project Ability,
Glasgow and KCAT, Kilkenny. This event will showcase their achievements.
Rita Guinan, Ted Curtin, Kevin Rassmussen, John O�Callaghan, Eoin Barret,
Valerie Scully, Liz Morey, Adrian Hanley, Derek O�Brien, John Barrett.
Thursday 15 December 11am. Cork Vision centre, North Main St, Cork. U:
MAYFIELD COMMUNITY ARTS CENTRE

Wexford Arts Centre : CALL FOR PROPOSALS

WEXFORD ARTS CENTRE: CALL FOR PROPOSALS

Call for on-site and off-site submissions. Wexford Arts Centre invites
proposals from artists and curators for exhibitions and events for its 2006
and 2007 visual arts programme. Submissions in all media will be accepted
including cross-disciplinary, performance, video, sound, installation and
applied arts. Proposals for on-site and off-site projects will be considered
while proposals specific to the Wexford Arts Centre space will be welcomed.
Submissions should include appropriate relevant documentation, artist’s
statement, CV, and description of proposed work.

WAC also invites practitioners working in the field of arts-in-context to
submit a CV and samples of work for the Arts Centres education and outreach
programme artists panel. In addition, the arts centre wishes to commission
new work and to develop project ideas in conjunction with artists, curators
and artist-run groups. Outlines of proposed work/projects are welcomed.
Address submissions to: The Manager, Wexford Arts Centre, Cornmarket,
Wexford. Closing date January 20th. For further information contact E:
wexfordartscentre@eircom.net.

Wexford Arts Centre

Cirque du Soleil : Alegria : benefit for Zip Zap

Cirque du Soleil will perform their show, "Alegria", as a benefit for Zip Zap, in London (February 1, 2006), and more info about how to purchase tickets--to help Zip Zap programs--is available at http://www.zip-zap.co.za,

To purchase tickets directly, go to http://tickets.royalalberthall.com/season/production.aspx?id=4046&src=t, the site for the Royal Albert Hall.

Please consider enjoying an unforgettable performance which will also benefit an invaluable program for youth! All best wishes and magical memories, Janet (Feldman, kaippg@earthlink.net )

Zip Zap Circus School will be the beneficiary of the Cirque du Soleil show, Alegria, on Feb 1, 2006, at the Royal Albert Hall in London. Zip Zap is a circus school in Cape Town, mother city of South Africa. The school doors are open to all youth regardless of background, culture, gender or financial status. The school is free of charge to all students.

Using circus as a social tool, Zip Zap aims at bringing children together in a safe and fun environment. Circus skills as well as technical training (welding, rigging, prop building and repairs) will help them embark on a path of sustainable living. But, more importantly, life values such as team work, discipline, trust, confidence and honesty will enable these children to become responsible adults.

The School started in 1992 and has performed more than 500 shows in South Africa. They have also traveled to Denmark, Germany, Italy, France and USA for various festivals. Zip Zap is very proud to have performers currently working professionally in Europe & on a cruise ship in the Caribbean.

Even if producing professional circus artists is not the ultimate goal of the project, this has become a reality as the youth have embraced this opportunity, which has become a part of the success of this upliftment program. Zip Zap has been running various outreach programmes since 1994 with street children, rural children, and school children.

At the beginning of 2005, the focus of their outreach programme is with children born HIV positive and receiving ARV treatment at the Nolungile clinic in Khayelitsha, the biggest township of Cape Town.

Should you wish to support this program by buying a ticket at 60 pounds for the benefit show, please book directly through the Royal Albert Hall (tel. +44 (0)20 7838 3122) and mention that you want a ticket for the Zip-Zap benefit show on February 1, 2006.

Cirque du Soleil

POSTCARD CAMPAIGN FOR RETENTION TAX EXEMPTION SCHEME : The Arts Council

POSTCARD CAMPAIGN FOR RETENTION TAX EXEMPTION SCHEME
The Arts Council has warned that the abolition of the artists¹ tax exemption
scheme could cost Ireland a generation of new and emerging artists. Without the scheme, artists will choose to base their work in more well-established art markets around the world. The Arts Council has launched a postcardcampaign to the Minister for Finance urging him to retain the exemption.
The Council hopes the many people who support the exemption will electronically post its card to the Minister for Finance. The postcard is available on the homepage of the Council¹s website atThe Arts Council.
It is a simple-to-send electronic message.

Date: December 2005

To: Mr Brian Cowen, T.D., Minister for Finance

Dear Minister

I am asking you to ensure that the artists' tax exemption scheme, currently under review by your Department, is retained in its entirety. I feel it would be a retrograde step for the arts in Ireland if it were to be changed in any way.

Despite the growing popularity of the arts, most Irish artists still cannot make a living from their creative work. The greatest number of beneficiaries of the scheme earn considerably less than the legal minimum wage. Artists' earnings are subject to very considerable annual variation. The proceeds of, say, the sales from an exhibition or the publication of a book in any one year, may represent all of the artist's significant artistic earnings for a period of three to five years.

The small number of Irish artists who have enjoyed global commercial success on an unimaginable scale are still liable for Irish tax on a significant share of their income - the only part of their income that is tax-free is the income arising from their creative work.

Artists have a unique place in society and the introduction of this tax exemption was an enlightened acknowledgement of that. I appeal to you to keep the exemption.

Yours sincerely
The Arts Council