merrion street

Jimmy Deenihan TD Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht will tomorrow (Saturday 13^th October, 2012) attend and present Awards at the Blackrock Animation Film Festival in the Smurfit Business School, Carysfort Avenue, County Dublin.

The Blackrock Animation Film Festival is now in its second year. The aim of the festival is to showcase existing and emerging talent in animation. Entries to the competition part of the festival have come from Ireland and abroad.

"To have received 146 entries to this year's Festival is a great achievement - an increase of 101 on last year and with entries coming from as far away as China, Canada, Australia, Sweden, Malaysia, Portugal, the Netherlands, Germany, and USA to nearer home from UK, certainly proves how strong your reputation has developed over a very short twelve months"

This year's festival is sponsored and supported by The Institute of Art, Design & Technology (IADT) and the Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Enterprise Board. Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council has also supported the Festival recognising the importance of the industry and efforts to boost towns such as Blackrock. A number of small local businesses too have supported the Festival, a not for profit, community event.

Minister Deenihan also said that next week he will be hosting a major conference on philanthropy with all of the different bodies across the arts and culture sector invited to participate. "When I see communities and local government along with the third level colleges working together to harness the maximum for the locality from the wealth of expertise and local talent I am heartened. I know, however, that philanthropy is new territory for many Irish arts organisations. Changing thinking and attitudes is as much a challenge as giving arts organisations the confidence and skills to take the plunge to go out and seek the support they deserve. That is why initiatives such as this Blackrock Animation Film Festival are to be commended. From very humble beginnings only one year ago, this festival has grown exponentially and great credit is due to all involved". said Minister Deenihan.