Provision of Services to facilitate Give it a Swirl - The Sligo World Festival of Everything – under Theme 3 - Celebrating Cultures and Diversity as part of Sligo's PEACEPLUS LCPAP

Sligo County Council is seeking to appoint a suitably qualified Contractor to develop, facilitate, and implement a thirty month programme of activities, Give It a Swirl – the Sligo World Festival of Everything is a ground-breaking and ambitious project designed to harness the rich potential of cultural expression - music, song, dance, drama, fashion, food, crafts, etc. - to bring together people from diverse backgrounds. This programme is aimed at promoting peace, inclusion, and cultural diversity through creative and community-led activities. The project seeks to actively engage the public in trying out elements of different culture, e.g., sean-nós singing or African drumming; try on a sari or taste a seaweed salad. The project strategically links strands of this PEACEPLUS Action Plan. Participants will share their skills, knowledge and experience, and stories with others. The project connects different cultural communities in Sligo and beyond. It requires cooperation, understanding, and cross community interaction by actively involving diverse groups and promoting understanding via shared experiences. PEACEPLUS values and goals are delicately woven throughout the Sligo World Festival of Everything, resulting in a colourful tapestry of intercommunity connections and cross-cultural learning. The Sligo PEACEPLUS Co-designed Local Community Peace Action Plan (henceforth, the Plan) was developed through an 18-month co-design process in support of application to the Special EU Programme Body for European funding under PEACEPLUS Investment Area 1.1., open only to local authorities in Northern Ireland and the border counties of Ireland. The PEACEPLUS programme is designed to support peace and prosperity and build upon the work of the previous PEACE and INTERREG Programmes. It is cross-border funding supported by the European Union, the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the Government of Ireland, and the Northern Ireland administration. The Plan includes 15 projects under three designated themes: 1. Local Community Regeneration and Transformation – Capital Investment; 2. Thriving and Peaceful Communities – Capacity Building; 3. Celebrating Culture and Diversity. This Request for Tender relates to Theme 3, Celebrating Culture and Diversity, the project is entitled Give it a Swirl - The Sligo World Festival of Everything. In its entirety this project seeks to break down social barriers and challenge discrimination, prejudice and bias through human interaction to find cultural meeting points between different communities through mutual enjoyment and participation. The result is an ambitious suite of programmes that run concurrently and interlinked over the duration of the Plan’s implementation. This project commits to proactive inclusion of participants from marginalised groups, including Travellers, new communities, and LGBTQIA+ individuals; they have an essential role in the project. To achieve this, a multifaceted approach that begins with inclusive marketing and outreach strategies will be used. Collaboration with local organisations, cultural centres, and community leaders will be crucial to foster connections and build trust within these communities. As with all projects in the Plan, accessible, safe and inclusive spaces must be used for workshops, and resources provided for individuals who may need special accommodations. Disadvantage – economic, social, educational, physical – cannot be a barrier to participating in the Sligo World Festival of Everything. The goal is to celebrate diversity, foster inclusivity, and ensure that everyone can share in the joy and cultural richness our festivals offer, regardless of their background or identity.