Rethinking Local Government Support for Youth Arts: The Case of NOISE South Dublin

Within Ireland, interest in strategically supporting young people's participation in the arts has increased. Additionally, awareness of the Internet's potential for promoting engagement with the arts has grown. Addressing national directives and local needs assessments, South Dublin County Council's Arts Office initiated NOISE South Dublin ( http://www.noisesouthdublin.com ), an interactive Web site based on Australia Council's NOISE project ( http://www.noise.net ), to promote the creative development of young people in the county. This article presents the practical challenges and potential of youth arts Web-based programs for harnessing the creative engagement of youth. It concludes that the Internet is only useful if it expands online engagement offline.