Kildare County Council Secures Funding Under Creative Climate Action Fund III
17th July 2026: Kildare County Council has been awarded €629,600 under the Creative Climate Action Fund III for ‘Not Going It Alone: Ar Scáth a Chéile’, a three-year climate action programme that embeds creative practice within local authority climate governance to support community-led responses to biodiversity loss, climate adaptation and land use change across County Kildare.
The funding recognises Kildare County Council’s leadership in integrating culture, creativity and community participation into climate action and environmental stewardship. The project will be led by Kildare County Council’s Arts Service in partnership with community organisations, artists, researchers and environmental practitioners, further positioning County Kildare as a national leader in creative, collaborative and place-based climate action.
It includes a series of arts and design residencies, including a Land Use Futures architectural residency by12th Field and a series of artists’ residencies across five key ecological habitats in County Kildare. The programme also features a comprehensive public engagement strand comprising podcasts, public events and a seminar at Maynooth University. Bringing together communities, artists, researchers, environmental specialists and local authority services, the project aims to develop collaborative and innovative responses to the climate and biodiversity crisis.
Welcoming the announcement, Éilis Lavelle, Arts Officer, Kildare County Council said: “We are delighted to receive this support through the Creative Climate Action Fund III, which will enable us to deliver an ambitious programme of engagement and collaboration across County Kildare. 'Not Going It Alone: Ar Scáth a Chéile' creates space for artists, communities and climate specialists to work alongside one another with Council support, developing new ideas and new relationships that can support meaningful and lasting change."
Sonya Kavanagh, Chief Executive, Kildare County Council added: “This project shows the power of creativity to inspire new approaches to climate action and biodiversity. Kildare County Council is proud to support this innovative programme, which brings together communities, artists and public services to shape a more resilient and sustainable future.”
The programme builds on Kildare County Council’s commitment to innovation, sustainability and public participation, creating meaningful opportunities for people to engage with climate issues through culture and creativity.
Creative Climate Action Fund III is supported by the Department of Culture, Communications and Sport, the Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment, the Department of the Taoiseach and EirGrid.
Through Creative Climate Action Fund III, the arts, culture and creative sectors will empower communities to better understand, engage with and participate in meaningful climate action.
