The Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, Heather Humphreys TD, has today announced that she is opening a new €1 million Digitisation Scheme, which will provide grants for the digitisation and on-line access to cultural heritage collections. 
 
It will operate as a pilot scheme as part of the Creative Ireland Programme and will initially provide funding to the National Cultural Institutions and cultural heritage organisations which hold collections of national significance.

Speaking today, Minister Humphreys said, "There is a huge appetite for high quality online cultural material. By digitising their collections, cultural institutions increase their reach well beyond those who are in a position to visit their buildings in person. Digitisation also provides a very important channel to connect with our Diaspora – which is estimated to be up to 70 million people worldwide – and in turn encourages cultural tourism."

She added, "This investment is an important way of supporting the arts and ensuring people right across the country and indeed around the world can access our national collections. Through the Creative Ireland Programme and indeed the Action Plan for Rural Development I am aiming to ensure that communities nationwide and worldwide have access to our culture and creativity."

Source: www.businessworld.ie