Limerick City and County Council is inviting residents, community groups, performers, clubs and businesses to get involved in Summer in the City, a month-long programme of activity set to transform Limerick city centre throughout August
Led by the Council's Economic and Tourism Development team, the initiative will bring an expanded programme of events, street animation and public space enhancements to the city, creating vibrant and welcoming spaces for people to gather, participate and enjoy.
Working in partnership with local businesses and community stakeholders, Summer in the City will feature activations curated by the Economic and Tourism Development team, alongside a series of community-led events supported through a dedicated funding initiative.
Learning from Best Practice
Across the world, cities have demonstrated how re-imagining streets can create vibrant, people-first spaces. From Copenhagen’s pedestrianised city centre to Barcelona’s neighbourhood “superblocks”, streets once dominated by traffic have been transformed into places for play, performance, markets and everyday social interaction.
In Paris and London, regular car-free initiatives and expanded pedestrian areas have helped increase footfall, support local businesses and create more welcoming environments in busy city centres.
Through Summer in the City, Limerick aims to build on these ideas at a local level, creating opportunities for communities to come together, activate their streets and showcase the energy, diversity and creativity that exists across Limerick.
A number of popular city locations will once again be opened up for community use, including The Crescent at O'Connell Avenue, John’s Square, Baker Place, Lower Glentworth Street and Steamboat Quay.
Funding Ideas
This year's programme is supported by a dedicated Mayoral fund, established to encourage participation and help community groups bring their ideas to life. The fund will cover the cost of road closures on designated streets and may also assist with certain out-of-pocket expenses, helping to ensure that as many groups and organisations as possible can take part.
To support local community-led activations, stipend awards are available at three levels:
- Bronze Award: €500
- Silver Award: €1,000
- Gold Award: €2,000
The funding is intended to help cover reasonable expenses associated with organising activities, including modest fees for performers and supervisors where appropriate.
To express interest and seek an application form contact festivalsandevents@limerick.ie using the subject line - EOI Summer in the City.
Whether it is a table tennis tournament, a dance showcase, a community picnic, a school choir performance or something entirely unique, organisers are encouraged to put forward their ideas and help bring Limerick's streets to life this August.
