Covies and chamber celebrate award

Covies and chamber celebrate award


Áine Ryan

COVIES can celebrate. Westport Chamber of Commerce and Covies producer, Len Collin, have won a key category in the upcoming Allianz Business to Arts Awards.
Made on a low budget, the innovative online soap, Covies – supported by the town’s chamber – was chosen as winner in the Best Use of Creativity by a Business category.
Now in its nineteenth year, the prestigious awards will be presented in the Irish Museum of Modern Art, on May 24 next.
As well as arts sponsorship, the Allianz Business to Arts Awards embrace and recognise examples of arts and business organisations working together in other areas such as mentoring, training, staff development, commissioning artists, as well as Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives.
On January 10 last, the red carpet sparkled at the Castlecourt Hotel, as Len Collin’s innovative and unusual online soap, Covies, was premiered. The project, which started filming during August 2009, is one of the first of its kind to be filmed in Ireland. It  received huge support from Westport Chamber of Commerce, as well as local businesses and community groups.
Moreover, many locals participated at all levels of the creative project, filmed both on the streets and in the environs of Westport.
At the special glitzy premiere, the first three episodes of the multi-stranded drama were shown to guests, with the official online launch of the first episode, ‘The Nudie Man’, shown on the following night, January 11.
Top billing in Covies goes to Westport native, Donal O’Meachair, who played Patrick, and newcomer, Westport resident, Paul O’Brien who plays Vinnie.
Other winners in this year’s Allianz Business to Arts Awards are An Post Annual Stamp Programme and Irish Distillers Pernod Ricard & Dublin Fringe Festival for Absolut Fringe.