Culture Ireland showcase America

Culture Ireland is the Irish State Agency that promotes the best of Ireland’s arts and culture internationally and assists in the development of Ireland’s international cultural relations. The organisation was established in 2005 by the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism and comprises a board of directors appointed by the Minister and an executive staff led by the Chief Executive.

Culture Ireland’s purpose is to:
* ensure that diverse contemporary Irish cultural practice is understood and valued internationally
* achieve international recognition for the strength of artistic and creative work produced in Ireland
* build relationships with a broad range of cultural organisations, at home and abroad, so as to ensure that Irish cultural practice both informs and is influenced by current international debates on culture
* advise the Minister for Arts, Sports and Tourism and the government on international cultural issues and on the development of Ireland's international cultural relations

Culture Ireland, the government agency established to promote national culture abroad, has spent more than €100,000 funding its first performing arts promotional mission to the United States.
Thirty Irish theatre, dance and music companies travelled to New York last week to take part in America’s largest performing arts market, the Association of Performing Arts Presenters (APAP), which runs until Tuesday.

APAP, the Association of Performing Arts Presenters Annual Conference, held in New York each January, is the largest performing arts market in the world and key to securing US performance opportunities for international theatre, dance and music. More than 4,000 US and international programmers, promoters, producers and performers descend on New York for this event. Networking and deal-making in the exhibition halls are complemented by over a thousand theatre, dance and music showcase performances.

The Abbey Theatre, Gare St Lazare, Fishamble, Cois Ceim, Irish Modern Dance Theatre, Irish Chamber Orchestra and traditional music acts Dervish, Danu and Lu are among those participating in the event.
‘‘It’s a first for us to put together a strategic promotional initiative abroad,” said Eugene Downes, chief executive of Culture Ireland. ‘‘It’s the largest number of Irish arts organisations ever to travel together on a promotional mission of this kind.
‘‘We have a diverse group representing Ireland, from theatre to dance, and a range of musical ensembles, including classical, contemporary and jazz,” he said.
‘‘The groups are split between theatre like the Abbey and Druid, that are highly experienced, and young companies such as the Corn Exchange, that have been touring internationally. They are at that threshold where that extra push into America will help them immensely.”
Downes said the groups aimed to build on their contacts in the US. ‘‘Specific shows are already in discussion for US performances, and we hope this gives us a key opportunity to close the deal. I expect this mission will result in an increased number of bookings for Irish groups.”
As part of the visit, Culture Ireland has provided €45,000 for a run of the Abbey Theatre’s production of Mark O’Rowe’s Terminus at the Public Theatre. ‘‘It was a major hit here and we’re funding them to tour the US. It is an avant-garde contemporary piece of work bringing a different image of Irish arts to the US,” said Downes.
Culture Ireland was established almost three years ago to promote Irish culture on the world stage. The agency supported 400 events in each of its first two years. In 2006, it helped ten dance, theatre and cabaret companies to go to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

Culture Ireland

What we do

We offer financial support for Irish artists, arts organisations and cultural practitioners to:

* present and promote work internationally
* develop new and diverse international audiences and markets
* participate in international networking events
* develop opportunities through workshops, residencies and exchanges/collaborations with international arts practitioners and organisations.

We support international showcases by:

* working with partners to co-ordinate and promote Irish participation in key international cultural events.

We provide information through:

* the development of our web site as a central source of information on Culture Ireland with links and signposts to useful sites
* working with the Arts Council to collect, publish and maintain information online that is useful in developing all aspects of international cultural practice
* supporting the production of promotional information on contemporary Irish arts and culture and high quality promotional products, such as CDs and DVDs.

We support the development of Ireland's international cultural policy by:

* advising the Minister for Arts, and other government departments on the integration of cultural policies in their international strategies
* commissioning research individually and with partners in areas that are strategically important to the development and promotion of Irish arts and culture internationally

We foster international cultural relations by:

* building relationships and networks with arts and cultural organsiations, relevant public bodies, state agencies and government departments at home and abroad
* working with the Department of Foreign Affairs to ensure that cultural affairs are effectively promoted whilst strengthening Ireland’s cultural networks abroad
* managing and curating specific international cultural programmes for the Minister for Arts
* developing strengthened relationships with relevant organisations in the north of Ireland and in England, Scotland and Wales.

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Culture Ireland showcase America