University Concert Hall Launches Open Doors Campaign

0:00We're going to talk now about a new campaign from University Concert Hall in Limerick called Open Doors with a very simple but important aim to ensure that every child across the wider Midwest has the opportunity to experience the magic of live performance and telling us more is the director of the University Concert Hall Cheney to option eight. I got to speak to you. Good morning, lovely to be with you this morning. It's a very powerful message behind this campaign that every child should have the opportunity to experience live performance. For many children, I guess those who experience in financial hardship, a visit to a theatre or concert hall simply isn't possible. How widespread are those barriers across the Midwest, do you believe? Based on the feedback we have had today, it's obviously a stretch for money, money, families, and schools. It's not just financial hardship. It's the cost of transport getting, you know, two venues and piers, it's the accessibility barriers. We've done a number of initiatives in more recent years

1:00like our Panta for all campaign, the grants, a number of complimentary tickets to groups throughout the Midwest. And we really kind of wanted to extend the impact further and grow on that success. We've been very lucky in June to be awarded one of the Ortee Toyshow appeal grants, which has been fantastic in terms of literally opening our doors and committing to giving school support with transport grants towards our Panto. And we kind of said, why should we stop there? We really want to, literally, I know, keep opening my doors, but open the doors even wider to families. So from, you know, to raising additional 10,000 now so that we can, you know, put on additional ISL interpreters, or should I say, sign language interpreted shows for families, you know, very often, it's, you know, it's whole families that don't get the opportunity to come to a show because, you know, some members will need sign language interpretation to enjoy it, and others won't. So, money don't come. So, based on the feedback we've had, and people are only looking for opportunities

2:02to get into seers here. We know from schools feedback, of course. And, you know, families are quite a lot of outplay, kind of in schools, and, you know, no difference throughout the year, not just at the start of the year. And while a Panto ticket is, you know, maybe reachable, but transport grants for small school classes is just too far. So, we're hoping, too, as I said, raise and open the doors so that more schools and dash schools throughout the mid-wiz can, West can apply for support to get to life, here, sure. And we'll also, hope to invest in captioning technology so that more people can enjoy, kind of, more shows throughout the year, be it kind of a cinemas or a Panto. So, yeah, we're looking to really increase the impact that we have and open our doors, as it says, to so many more throughout the mid-west, who maybe just haven't had the opportunity or haven't been in a position to come to enjoy, kind of, a life performance. And when I think of the impact of the arts on, you know, on young people, should I do it straight away, I think,

3:03of, you know, while it's entertaining, both what impact can attending a life performance have on a child's confidence there, their imagination, and their sense of belonging? Oh, without a question, it gives them confidence. You know, we've seen it from bringing various groups into the, into the concert hall. They're just imagination. The excitement, you know, school teachers say, they're still talking about the time that come to a show once afterwards, they're dying to come back. You know, some of those students, it might put the idea into their head of, maybe they could be on stage into the future or, you know, join a local music club or whatever, or theater club. It opens up possibilities, you know, and that's kind of what it's about. It's enjoying it and opening up the world to them and giving them opportunities. Okay, so as you mentioned, you're aiming to raise a further 10,000 euros so that open doors can become a permanent part of your community program. For anyone who would like to help open those doors for children, and how can they get involved

4:03or make a donation? They can make a donation directly to our website, UCHDIE4SacheDonate, and also just to say too, if they know a desk school in the region that would like additional support at the same on our website too at the same area, they can also put an application in to get support for their school to come to a show and particularly our panel this year. So there's many ways that they can kind of get involved. You know, if they're not in a position to donate themselves, maybe there's some companies in the region that might be able to do it. But if they can't do that, maybe they know their local school that could do with the support to bring the children and students to kind of an alive show. Okay, well, we wish you well with it. It's a really great initiative. Shane, thanks very much for chatting with us on Morning Focus. Really appreciate it. Thank you. That's Shane, I hope, the director of the University Concert Hall in Limerick with us on Morning Focus.