Latest news with #ArtsCouncil
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Celebrate Pride Month with events in, near Baton Rouge: Drag brunch, music, festivals
BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First) — Pride Month is celebrated nationwide in the month of June. Events planned in the Baton Rouge area include brunch, parties and festivals with music to dance to and drag performances. Plan out a series of activities to do with friends throughout Pride. Check out Pride events happening in, near Baton Rouge. When: May 19 to June 30. Where: Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge (233 St. Ferdinand St., Baton Rouge). The Arts Council presents a new art exhibition that spotlights local LGBTQIA+ artists responding to the significance of the pink triangle. According to the council, the symbol was used to identify LGBTQ individuals during World War II, later reclaimed in the 1970s by pro-gay activists, and used in ACT UP's Silence = Death campaign in the 1980s. When: Noon to 3 p.m. Sunday, June 1. Where: The Women's Club (259 TJ Jemison Blvd., Baton Rouge) Tickets sold for $50 include a brunch buffet, bottomless mimosas and Bloody Marys and drag performances. Tables for 10 are sold for $500. Click here to buy tickets or tables. When: 6-10 p.m. Saturday, June 7. Where: Tsunami Sushi (100 Lafayette St., Baton Rouge) The Grand Marshal and Pride Court are announced at this event. Guests must be 21 and over to attend and white attire is encouraged. General admission, premium and VIP tickets are on sale. Click here to buy a ticket. When: 4-7 p.m. Friday, June 13. Where: Time Warp (3001 Government St., Baton Rouge) This Baton Rouge Pride event is a fundraiser with a portion of the proceeds from every drink and outfit sold going to the festival. When: Noon to 7 p.m. Saturday, June 21. Where: Lamar-Dixon Expo Center (9039 S. St. Landry Ave., Gonzales) Event organizers said the festival will have family-friendly entertainment, live music, drag performances and resource booths. 'We're excited to host an inclusive and welcoming space where people from all walks of life can come together to celebrate identity, progress, and unity,' said Alysha Belgard, event organizer. 'This is about visibility, community, and creating safe spaces for self-expression.' When: 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. Friday, June 27. Where: Splash Nightclub (2183 Highland Road, Baton Rouge) Celebrate Pride with a night of dancing at Splash Nightclub. When: Noon to 7 p.m. Saturday, June 28. Where: Raising Cane's River Center (275 S. River Road, Baton Rouge) This is Baton Rouge's annual Pride event. A schedule of events has yet to be announced. When: 11 a.m. Sunday, June 29. Where: Passé, (101 St Ferdinand St, Baton Rouge) Close out Pride Month with a drag brunch inside The Origin Hotel's restaurant, Passé. Tickets are $50 in advance or $60 at the door. An extra $10 includes bottomless mimosas. Reservations are encouraged. Click here to buy tickets. These states have the most LGBTQ residents: research Raccoon breaks into box truck for Pop-Tarts: Photos Louisiana bill that gives legal protections to IVF providers heads to the governor's desk Infant's skull fractured in fight, two arrested in Louisiana Faizan Zaki overcomes shocking flub, wins the Scripps National Spelling Bee Half of world's population endured extra month of extreme heat due to climate change: Experts Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Irish Sun
7 days ago
- Business
- The Irish Sun
Arts Council ‘greatly regrets' €6.7m failed IT project spend & Maureen Kennelly to step down as director after hearings
THE Arts Council says it 'greatly regrets' splurging €6.7 million on a IT project that was later abandoned. Representatives from the Arts Council today appeared before the Public Accounts Committee following a 2 Arts Council chair Maura McGrath told how members of the body were appearing before the PAC 'to be accountable for our actions' Credit: Stedman The Arts Council has come under fire after it emerged it splashed €6.7million on a new grants management system, which was subsequently abandoned following multiple delays and complications. The project was to see five separate IT portals dating from 2008 amalgamated into one centralised grants management system but it was botched and never delivered. An initial investigation by the Department of Arts, published last February, found the council had not been prepared for the scale of the project and it had not put in place resources to deliver it. Amid the fallout, the State agency was blasted by Arts Minister Patrick O'Donovan, who expressed his 'deep concern'. Read more in News Officials from the council appeared before the Public Accounts Committee today. Arts Council chair Maura McGrath today told how members of the body were appearing before the PAC 'to provide full transparent information, to be accountable for our actions'. But Ms McGrath also took a swipe at the She insisted the controversial project 'was not and is not an optional extra'. Most read in Irish News Ms McGrath said: 'It began out of necessity, and it is a necessity that remains to be addressed.' And the Arts Council chair questioned the role of Government in the debacle. 'CARRY THE LOAD' McGrath rapped: 'The expectation that small State bodies set up for specialist purposes should be expected to carry the load on complex IT projects should be questioned.' The 2023 accounts for the agency note an overall loss of value of €5.3million up to June 2024. Arts Council director Maureen Kennelly - who will step down next month - revealed that it is now pursuing legal cases against two of the IT contractors involved in the failed project. Ms Kennelly told how the council has commenced legal proceedings against two contractors, with the council in the pre-action stage in relation to two others. 'REDUCE THE LOSS' She said: 'We are vigorously pursuing our cases to reduce the loss to the Ms Kennelly told TDs at the PAC that the IT systems date from 2008. Highlighting contributing factors to the project failure, she blamed 'a lack of internal expertise, poor performance by our contractors and also the impact of She said: 'In summary, lack of internal expertise, poor performance by our contractors and also, the impact of Covid-19 all contributed to the project failure.' Ms Kennelly also stressed that they have senior ICT expertise in-house now. 'VERY DISAPPOINTED' And she pledged the council would implement all recommendations from the Examination Report published by the Department of Arts. Speaking about her upcoming departure, Ms Kennelly said she is 'very disappointed' she has not been granted another term as director. But she said Arts Minister O'Donovan 'did not consent to a second term'. Ms Kennelly said: 'I'm very disappointed that a second term wasn't sanctioned for me, because I had very great plans for the organisation. The board fully supported me. DEPARTMENT 'FAILED' 'There were a number of reforms that I brought in, and there were a number of other reforms that I really wanted to see through. So it's a source of great disappointment that I won't be able to see those through.' Feargal O Coigligh, Secretary General of the Department of Tourism, Culture and Arts, admitted that his department had 'failed' to properly exercise its oversight function. Addressing the PAC, he confessed they 'should have intervened more actively and much sooner' to reduce the exposure of the taxpayer to this failed project. Mr O Coigligh highlighted how the minister has established an Expert Advisory Committee, led by Professor Niamh Brennan, to review the Governance and Organisational Culture in the Arts Council. A parallel review of the department's internal governance operations is also under way. 2 Arts Minister Patrick O'Donovan expressed his 'deep concern' over the failed IT project Credit: Getty
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Arts Council of Fayetteville to host annual art exhibition
FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. (WNCT) — The Arts Council of Fayetteville announced the opening of its 20th Public Works Community Art Exhibition. Artists residing in Cumberland, Hoke, Robeson, Sampson, Scotland Counties, Fort Bragg or Pope Army Airfield can submit 2-D and 3-D works. It is $15 to submit one piece of work, and submitting two is $20 total. Artwork drop-off will be on May 30th from 12-8pm. Artists are encouraged to pre-register online, but hard copies of the registration forms will be available on the drop-off day. 'My hope is that visitors will see the potential in the works of young and upcoming artists, the mastery in the works of experienced artists, and understand that art is an essential component of life,' exhibit curator and past participant, Beverly Henderson said. 'People call in throughout the year asking how they can exhibit their art in the gallery. Well, this is your time to shine and show once again how much artistic talent we have here in Fayetteville and Cumberland County,' President/CEO of the Arts Council Bob Pinson said. 'We are grateful to Fayetteville PWC for their continued sponsorship for more than 20 years, and to take this opportunity to congratulate them as PWC celebrates 120 years of serving our community.' Opening reception will be on June 6th, from 6-8pm, at the Art Center located in Downtown Fayetteville. Music and light refreshments will be included. The exhibit will be on display through July 6, 2025. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Irish Times
7 days ago
- Business
- Irish Times
Minister objected to second term for Arts Council director amid fallout over botched IT project
The director of the Arts Council , Maureen Kennelly, wanted to stay in her role, but Minister for Arts Patrick O'Donovan 'did not consent to a second term', she told the Oireachtas Public Accounts Committee on Thursday. Ms Kennelly, who has been in the role since April 2020, is due to step down next month. She told the committee she wanted to continue her work as director, but Mr O'Donovan did not grant her a second five-year term. She said she was 'very disappointed' that her contract had not been extended as she had 'great plans for the organisation' and the board 'fully supported' her. 'There were a number of reforms that I brought in, and there were a number of other reforms that I really wanted to see through. So it's a source of great disappointment that I won't be able to see those through,' she said. READ MORE Ms Kennelly said she believed that all her 'predecessors in living memory' had been granted a second term. She said she was offered 'a short-term contract, which I deemed unacceptable'. Asked if Mr O'Donovan did not grant Ms Kennelly a second term because of the IT project controversy, Feargal Ó Coigligh, secretary general at the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, said: 'The minister sanctioned the contract that he deemed appropriate.' About €6.7 million was spent by the arts organisation on a new IT system that was eventually abandoned. The PAC was told how the Arts Council is trying to recoup about €4 million lost through the botched IT project. Committee members heard the organisation had started legal proceedings against two contractors and was in the 'pre-action stage' in relation to two others. 'We are vigorously pursuing our cases to reduce the loss to the taxpayer,' Ms Kennelly told the committee . She said the council needed to modernise its IT systems and integrate five systems into one. The council 'engaged external contractors to manage and deliver the work, as we did not have the internal resources to deliver this large-scale project', she said. Ms Kennelly said, after some delays, 'multiple bugs were discovered' with the new system in 2022. She said every effort was made to 'rescue it', but ultimately this could not be done. Mr Ó Coigligh said he was 'very annoyed' that so much public money was lost through the failed IT scheme, adding that it 'shouldn't have happened'. 'Mistakes were made, and we put up our hands that mistakes were made,' he said. Mr Ó Coigligh said lessons have been learned to prevent such financial losses in the future. 'I'm putting in place changes to make sure it doesn't happen again,' he said. The minister has established an expert advisory committee, led by Professor Niamh Brennan, to review the governance and organisational culture at the Arts Council, Mr Ó Coigligh said. Representatives from the National Gallery also appeared before the committee on Thursday. Caroline Campbell, director of the National Gallery, said she hoped that a scanner bought for €125,000 and which lay idle for eight years will be up and running before the end of this year. She said she and her colleagues are 'very sorry for the length of time that it has taken to get the X-ray system up and running'. 'We anticipate that the system will be operational by the end of 2025, at no additional expense to the Exchequer,' Ms Campbell said. She said there were several reasons for the delay including 'pressures on the use of our building, unanticipated operational issues following the reopening of the gallery's historic wings in 2017, the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, and changes of key senior personnel during this period'.
RTÉ News
7 days ago
- Business
- RTÉ News
Arts Council 'greatly regrets' €6.7m IT failure, PAC hears
The Arts Council has said it "greatly regrets" spending €6.7 million on a complex IT project that was later abandoned, the Public Accounts Committee has heard. The council confirmed that it is now pursuing legal cases against two of the IT contractors involved in the failed project. Arts Council chairperson Maura McGrath said that in relation to the IT system failure the project was "not and is not an optional extra". "It began out of necessity, and it is a necessity that remains to be addressed." She also questioned the expectation that "small state bodies set up for specialist purposes" should be expected to "carry the load on complex IT projects". Ms McGrath added that the Arts Council "accepts the findings" of the Examination Report published by the Department of Arts in February this year. Arts Council Director Maureen Kennelly said that council began this project to modernise its IT systems and integrate five systems into one, explaining that the systems date from 2008, are not integrated and are difficult to use. Everything on this project was procured under public procurement guidelines, she said, adding that the council used the Office of Government Procurement framework, and the main contractor was on the OGP approved ICT framework. She added that the council "engaged external contractors to manage and deliver the work, as we did not have the internal resources to deliver this large-scale project". Ms Kennelly said that as the council approached their expected delivery in September 2022, a year later than initially planned, "multiple bugs were discovered". The sub-standard work meant the project could not move forward to completion. The council then ended contracts with both the testers and developers, she said. She added that they changed the developers, project governance and management structure and began work to "rectify and complete the programme". Ms Kennelly then said that the council was ultimately advised that the system was "too flawed to rectify in a reasonable timeframe". She said that system development was then paused, and it stopped following a board decision, with the input of the office of the Government Chief Information Officer, in June 2024. The effect of this decision was an overall loss of value of €5.3 million, which was reported to the C&AG and included in the 2023 annual report and accounts. "Throughout, we provided information and discussed with our colleagues in the department how increasing costs were to be funded from within our capital grant. "In summary, lack of internal expertise, poor performance by our contractors and also, the impact of Covid-19 all contributed to the project failure." Ms Kennelly explained that the council has commenced legal proceedings against two contractors and is in the pre-action stage in relation to two others, adding that the council is "vigorously" pursuing the cases to reduce the loss to the taxpayer. She also said that they have senior ICT expertise in-house now and are in the process of implementing all recommendations relevant to us from the department's examination report. Secretary General of the Department of Tourism, Culture and Arts Feargal Ó Coigligh told the PAC that his department had "failed" to properly exercise its oversight function. He added that they "should have intervened more actively and much sooner" to reduce the exposure of the taxpayer to this failed project. The minister has established an Expert Advisory Committee, led by Professor Niamh Brennan, to review the Governance and Organisational Culture in the Arts Council, said Mr Ó Coigligh. A parallel review of the department's internal governance operations is also under way with the assistance of the IPA. National Gallery of Ireland A team from the National Gallery of Ireland will also appear before the PAC to explain why it purchased a scanner for €125,000, that has yet to be made operational. The X-ray machine purchased in 2017 will be operational by the end of the year, the National Gallery of Ireland has said. National Gallery Director Dr Caroline Campbell said issues around the storage of the scanner led to a contract being awarded for the construction of a "dedicated lead-lined cabinet". Dr Campbell said that the manufacturing of the X-ray cabinet will "commence shortly", with the expected delivery, installation and operation of the X-ray system, before the end of the year. She added that all costs associated with it will be borne from the resources generated by the National Gallery and not from the Exchequer.
