In this month's newsletter we have information on Arts Audiences’ work programme for 2012. The Arts Council, through Arts Audiences, is investing in projects in 2012 to assist and support members of the arts community to develop new skills and tools to connect and engage with existing audiences and create new ones and ensure a long-term sustainable future.

Culture Ireland, in partnership with the Arts Council, is pleased to announce the appointment of the team who will represent Ireland at the Architecture Biennale in Venice.

We provide notification of the forthcoming grant application deadlines.We would like to inform artists and organisations that Touring and Dissemination of Work, Round 1 – January to June 2013 will close on Thursday 3 May 2012 . Application forms and guidelines will be available online, and the criteria for the scheme is similar to previously advertised schemes.The Young Ensemble Scheme 2012 is 26 April 2012. The primary purpose of this award is to support groups of young people between the ages of 12 and 23 to create ambitious and original work together in any art form. The Elizabeth Macconchy Composition Fellowship deadline is Thursday 3 May, 2012. This award is offered once every three years. This award is intended to further the advanced training and development of a composer; Deadline for Frameworks animation scheme is Friday, 20 April 2012. Frameworks is a partnership scheme of the Arts Council, the Irish Film Board and RTÉ and is supported by the BAI. For information on the revised guidelines for the Travel and Training Award from 1 April 2012 click here

We have Deadline Reminders: The Opera production award deadline is 17 May 2012.The award is intended to support the making and presentation of opera productions during 2013; Deis Recording Award 2012 - Thursday 5 April 2012. The purpose of the Deis Recording Award is to provide support for the realisation of traditional arts recording projects.

Also included; Leading Irish Musicians call on Irish Music Community to join the love:live music movement on International Music Day. A host of musicians were on hand last month to launch love: live music presented by Music Network in association with RTÉ Lyric fm.

Arts Council board members Louise Donlon has been appointed the Lime Tree Theatre's first ever Theatre Manager. Best wishes go to Louise from all the Council and staff.

The newsletter rounds off with our regular articles on News from the Arts Community and international opportunities from the Cultural Contact Point.

Orlaith McBride,

Director, Arts Council

Information on Arts Audiences’  work programme for 2012, and some of the projects which it will carry out with the arts sector, is contained in a detailed announcement now available on the Arts Audiences website www.artsaudiences.ie. If you are interested in improving the information and skills you bring to the job of connecting with your audience, then Arts Audiences can help you, by providing information and audience insight, as well as direct training programmes.

Culture Ireland, in partnership with the Arts Council, is pleased to announce the appointment of the team who will represent Ireland at the Architecture Biennale in Venice.

The deadline for applications for tours beginning in the period January to June 2013 will be Thursday 3 May 2012. Application forms and guidelines will be available online from the end of March and the criteria for the scheme will be similar to previously advertised schemes.

The deadline for the Young Ensemble Scheme 2012 is 26 April 2012 at 5:30pm. The primary purpose of this award is to support groups of young people between the ages of 12 and 23 to create ambitious and original work together in any art form (e.g.; circus, dance, digital media, film, music, theatre, literature, visual arts or any combination of the above).  Groups/ensembles must be made up of 3 or more members. The maximum award available is €10,000.

The Elizabeth Maconchy Composition Fellowship is offered once every three years. This award is intended to further the advanced training and development of a composer.

Frameworks  is a partnership scheme of the Arts Council, the Irish Film Board and RTÉ and is supported by the BAI. It supports the making of animated short films and has been successful in stimulating ground-breaking new work from Irish animators.

The Arts Council's Opera Production Award is designed to encourage partnership-based proposals from those wishing to produce and present an opera at either main scale, medium scale or small scale.

The purpose of the Deis Recording Award is to provide support for traditional arts recording projects, or recording projects involving collaboration between the traditional arts and other artforms.

The recently developed Lime Tree Theatre, housed in Mary Immaculate College (MIC) Limerick, today announced the appointment of its first ever Theatre Manager, Louise Donlon.

Leading Irish Musicians call on Irish Music Community to join the love:live music movement on International Music Day.

County Sligo Youth Theatre is seeking a dynamic and experienced Youth Theatre Director. County Sligo Youth Theatre is a vibrant, inclusive organisation, dedicated to developing County Sligo’s Youth arts programme in the area of theatre/drama ;Also included Carlow Arts Festival - Éigse 2012. Open to all artists, Works selected will be exhibited in the Studio Gallery In Visual Centre for Contemporary Art from Friday 8 June - Sunday 26 August 2012

News from the Cultural Contact Point Ireland (CCP) this month includes: Creative Europe EU Funding Seminars in Kilkenny and Dublin hosted by Nessa Childers MEP. Selection results for two categories under Strand 1 of the EU Culture Programme are now online; Selection results for Strand 2 of the EU Culture Programme now online. The Culture Programme supports organisations working at European level in the field of culture by offering operating grants under Strand 2; Call for proposals: Strand 3.2 Youth n Action: ‘Youth in the world’: Cooperation with countries other than the neighbouring countries of the European Union. Also The Arts Council hosts the EU Cultural Contact Point Ireland: your resource for European funding for culture.