Mid and East Antrim Borough Council has secured around £128,000 for a two-year cross-border arts programme that will target underused spaces in Larne and Carrickfergus.

The funding, part of a wider €3.7 million Shared Island investment by Creative Ireland, will support the Creative Communities, Connected Futures initiative in partnership with Waterford City and County Council.

The programme aims to connect communities through arts, heritage, storytelling and creative placemaking. Locations such as Larne Market Yard and Carrickfergus Civic Centre are being considered as future cultural hubs.

Planned activities include theatre productions and storytelling projects developed with professional mentors, creative writing and illustration programmes delivered through local libraries, traditional music collaborations and heritage trails. Creative micro-residencies will embed artists in the two towns to work with residents on projects rooted in local stories and identity.

Mayor of Mid and East Antrim, Alderman Tom Gordon, said residents would have opportunities to participate in these activities, building skills, confidence and community connections.

The programme builds on a previous cross-border collaboration between the council and County Waterford. Under the new project, communities will strengthen links with Portlaw and Dunmore East through exchange visits, workshops and collaborative work exploring shared themes of heritage, regeneration and community identity.

Katherine Collins, Creative Ireland Coordinator for Waterford, said the project would deepen the already strong relationship and empower communities to shape their own futures while unlocking the potential of town centres and supporting the local creative sector.

Due to begin in autumn 2026, Creative Communities, Connected Futures is one of 28 projects funded across the island under the Shared Island programme, including 16 cross-border collaborations.