Bray Arts

Bray Arts was founded in 1996. It is a forum for both arts practitioners and anyone with an interest in the arts.
Objectives :-
 to promote and develop the idea that art is for everyone in the community.
 to provide emerging artists opportunities to show and present their work in a supportive and appreciative environment.
 to develop a community where there is a confident and a vibrant attitude to art and creativity in all its forms.
 to promote excellence in all the art forms.
 to participate, lobby and initiate public debate on important issues relating to artists, art and supporting structures and resources.
Bray Arts people include visual artists, writers, musicians, performance artists and arts administrators. It is run by a committee of volunteers. Since its inception it has worked at raising the profile of all artistic endeavour in the community by providing access to artists and their work through a number of activities such as :-
 Monthly Arts Evenings
 Monthly Journal
 A Christmas Celebration
 Developing links with individual artists, other Arts organisations, performance groups and schools engaged in the arts.

Funding

Bray Arts receives funding from Wicklow County Council and Bray Council. However this support has been rapidly decreasing over the last few years. In 2007 the only funding received was €500 from Wicklow County Council. This is totally inadequate and constitutes a tiny fraction of the budget required to publish 10 journals and run 10 Arts Evenings. It is very regrettable that those adjudicating on funding for the arts place so little value on the concept of a voluntary community effort that engages with all forms of arts activity in the North Wicklow area. In particular, it would seem, there is a positive bias against the idea of an Arts Journal. This seems incredible, given that the Bray Arts Journal is one of the very few outlets for local creative writers.

In 2008 Bray Arts is seeking funding from local businesses and, at present, a funding sub-committee is preparing a portfolio for this purpose.