For further information, please visit CCAT's web site.

CCAT stands for Cultural Co-operation And Touring @ Aberystwyth Arts Centre (Wales) & Temple Bar (Dublin), an exciting new initiative that will help develop relationships among cultural practitioners on both sides of the Irish sea and will raise the profile of the arts of Ireland and Wales both at home and internationally. The initiative will run until the end of 2006.

CCAT will work with professional arts organisations and individuals to support performing arts tours, touring exhibitions, co-productions and networking events.

CCAT will provide advice, practical assistance and grants to improve opportunities for collaboration and touring within the INTERREG regions of Ireland and Wales. The INTERREG zone as defined by the EU includes the south east cost of Ireland - Carlow, Dublin, Kildare, Kilkenny, Meath, South Tipperary, Waterford, Wexford and Wicklow and the west coast of Wales - Anglesey, Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion, Conwy, Gwynedd, Pembrokeshire, Ynys Môn and Denbighsire.

This zone includes Gaeltacht, Welsh speaking and English speaking areas and CCAT welcomes proposals for projects in each of these languages or in any combination of these languages.

Guidelines for applications, forms and further information is available on www.ccat.ie.

Dermot McLaughlin, CEO of Temple Bar Properties "CCAT provides a new platform for the development and exchange of creative work between Ireland and Wales. The potential of the CCAT programme is enormous, given the proximity of the Irish and Welsh regions, their shared and divergent cultural histories, the tri-lingual nature of the project and the generous timescale, particularly for co-productions in 2005 & 2006. Artists and audiences will be the winners here, not just in the short term but ideally beyond the life of this project. This is because CCAT aims to leave a legacy of contacts, networks and opportunities that will sustain regular touring and artistic collaboration between Ireland and Wales in the future."

CCAT now invites applications from arts organisations with a track record in dance, interdisciplinary work, literature, multi-media work, music, theatre and visual art. CCAT is particularly interested in proposals for co-productions in 2005 and 2006. 'Go See' awards are also available to develop relationships between practitioners and presenters.

CCAT is part-funded by Ireland Wales INTERREG programme. It is an initiative of the Theatre Shop (Ireland) and Aberystwyth Arts Centre (Wales). The Irish element of the programme is managed by Temple Bar Properties Limited which is based at 12 East Essex Street in the heart of Dublin's Cultural Quarter.

For further information contact:

Alastar MacAongusa
Manager
CCAT [Cultural Co-operation And Touring] @ Temple Bar
12 East Essex Street
Temple Bar
Dublin 2
T: + 353 1 677 22 55
F: + 353 1 677 25 25
E: ccat@templebar.ie

For further information, please visit CCAT's web site.