The 2024 Ted & Mary O’Regan Arts Bursaries were presented in Garter Lane on Thursday 11th of July at a ceremony celebrating the 20th anniversary of the Awards.

Founded by a group of friends and colleagues in the aftermath of their untimely deaths, the Bursary was created to honour Ted and Mary O’Regan’s invaluable contribution to the artistic and cultural life of Waterford. Among the organisations who contribute to the bursary are Waterford City and County Council, Garter Lane Arts Centre, Spraoi, Theatre Royal and Waterford Youth Arts. With their support, the Bursary Committee has disbursed more than €130,000 to some seventy arts practitioners, a selection of whom presented a series of readings, performances, recitals and visual art at this week’s celebration.

Adjudicated by external assessor, Robert Browne, the 2024 Bursary Awards, each for €2000, were presented to dance artists, Holly Hughes and Rachel Ní Bhraonáin, and to emerging local playwright, Hannah Carberry. Hannah’s award will assist with the production of her new play, Grasp, due to open at the Gallery of Modern Art Gardens in the Spring of 2005. Holly’s will assist with college fees for a year long course at the prestigious Millennium Performing Arts School in London.  The final award will assist with the production of Rachel Ní Bhraonáin’s two person dance, aerial and theatre show, Losing Your Body, at Garter Lane in September.