Search
23 Oct 2025
Search
23 Oct 2025
Please allow ads as they help fund our trusted local news content.
Kindly add us to your ad blocker whitelist.
If you want further access to Ireland's best local journalism, consider contributing and/or subscribing to our free daily Newsletter .
Support our mission and join our community now.
To continue reading this article, you can subscribe for as little as €0.50 per week which will also give you access to all of our premium content and archived articles!
Alternatively, you can pay €0.50 per article, capped at €1 per day.
Thank you for supporting Ireland's best local journalism!
Echo Echo Studios
Funding has been completely pulled from a Derry dance theatre company.
According to Echo Echo dance theatre company, the Arts Council has cut 100% to its annual funding provided by the Arts Council of Northern Ireland Annual Funding Programme.
The company said the declined funding of £112,910 would have contributed to three full-time staff salaries and building overheads at Echo Echo Studios for financial year 2025/26.
A statement on its Facebook page on behalf of Echo Echo's board, staff and artists said: "This decision comes as a great shock to all involved in the company.
"We are currently assessing the impact that this cut will have on the future of Echo Echo Dance Theatre Company and our home studios.
"We will be meeting with ACNI to discuss this decision soon.
"This is an immediate existential threat to the company but we expect to continue all of our current programmes and keep Echo Echo Studios open and staffed for at least the next three months as we consider all of our options.
"The company has no outstanding creditors and sufficient unrestricted funds for this period.
"We will be reaching out to all of our key stakeholders to discuss the impact of this decision in the coming days.
"We will appreciate your support in the days ahead."
A spokesperson for the Arts Council said: "As an Arts Council client and multi-grant recipient, Echo Echo Dance Company has accessed funding from many of our programmes, including the Annual Funding Programme (AFP).
"Unfortunately, with disappointment this year Echo Echo did not receive 25-26 AFP funding. We are seeking a meeting with Echo Echo on their immediate plans.
"We want to reassure the dance community in Northern Ireland that public investment in dance in the Derry City and the North-West region remains a priority and we will be working to ensure that provision for dance continues.
"The Arts Council hopes to announce details of this year’s 2025-26 AFP clients once our annual funding allocation is known."
Subscribe or register today to discover more from DonegalLive.ie
Buy the e-paper of the Donegal Democrat, Donegal People's Press, Donegal Post and Inish Times here for instant access to Donegal's premier news titles.
Keep up with the latest news from Donegal with our daily newsletter featuring the most important stories of the day delivered to your inbox every evening at 5pm.
This publication supports the work of the Press Council of Ireland and Office of the Press Ombudsman, and our staff operate within the Code of Practice of the Press Council. You can obtain a copy of the Code, or contact the Council, at www.presscouncil.ie, Lo-call 1800 208 080 or email: info@presscouncil.ie.
