Mayo County Council recognised as an ‘Ambassador of Good Practice’

Mayo County Council’s Culture and Creativity Team has been recognised as an ‘Ambassador of Good Practice’ for its ongoing work supporting culture and creativity as a key component of rural development. 

The recognition highlights the Council’s interdisciplinary, place-based approach to working with communities through the arts, heritage, language, and other disciplines. 

The designation was awarded through an EU-funded programme led by the Goethe-Institut, which identifies exemplary models of culture-led rural development. 

Speaking on the recognition, Chief Executive Kevin Kelly said: “Mayo has a long legacy of embracing culture and creativity across the county, from community centres and arts centres to pubs and dance halls.”

“Investments made by individuals, communities, and the Council over the past century continue to pay dividends today in quality of life and in Mayo’s strong sense of community.”

Formed in 2017 as part of the Creative Ireland pilot and building on the work of the Arts Office, Heritage Office, and Library Service, the Culture and Creativity Team supports a wide range of initiatives through strategic partnerships and grant schemes. 

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Renewed for a second five-year programme, the team continues to demonstrate how creativity can be a powerful tool for social cohesion, economic resilience, and community wellbeing.

Speaking about the award, Anna Livia Cullinan, Creative Communities Engagement Officer with Mayo County Council, said: 

“The Culture and Creativity Team’s work is rooted in the belief that creativity is an innate and valuable part of human life.

“We focus on how that creativity can help deliver the wider vision set out in the Council’s Corporate Plan. It is a real honour for the team to be recognised as an Ambassador of Good Practice.”

As part of the award, the Culture and Creativity Team hosted exchanges with organisations interested in Mayo’s approach. Austin Vaughan, County Librarian and Creative Ireland Co-ordinator for County Mayo, said: “This recognition is a testament to the collaborative spirit of Mayo’s communities and the power of creativity to shape our future. We’re proud to share our journey and to learn from others through this exchange.”