Jimmy Deenihan TD, Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, has today announced the allocation of funding of over €440,000 for Irish artists and organisations to present their work on the international stage in late 2013 and 2014.
The funding - which will help to support projects across disciplines including music, dance, theatre, film and the visual arts in Australia, China, India, the USA and across Europe is being allocated by the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht's Culture Ireland programme.
Minister Deenihan commented:
“Our artists and performers play a central role in maintaining the image of Ireland as a creative and dynamic hub. The funding programme announced today showcases Irish arts and artists, and benefits Ireland as a whole.
"This weekend, the Global Economic Forum will consider the impact of Ireland's arts, culture and heritage on the international stage. Our culture is our calling card internationally, and plays a huge role in our international reputation. Even though the resources available to all divisions within my Department is under real pressure - as is the case with all Departments - I'm pleased that this funding will enable these artists to perform on the world stage later this year and into 2014."
The Department of Arts, Heritage and Gaeltacht, through the Culture Ireland programme, supports opportunities for Irish artists to present their work at strategic international festivals and venues and continues to look to new markets to help achieve sustainable careers for artists and raise the profile of Ireland's strong creative sector.
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Note to Editors:
The strong international reputation of Irish artists was recently confirmed at the Edinburgh festivals with the Beckett productions by the Gate and Pan Pan Theatre winning The Herald Angel Award. Funding is now being awarded for these Beckett productions to tour further early next year, with support for Pan Pan Theatre to travel to the Sydney Festival and on to the World Theatre Festival in Brisbane and for The Gate Theatre to present I’ll Go On with Barry McGovern, at the Kirk Douglas Theatre in Los Angeles for a month. Brokentalkers, having won a Total Theatre Award at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival is also being supported to bring Have I No Mouth to North America, including to The Irish Arts Centre, New York.
There is also a strong presence for Irish culture planned for India, including the featuring of Ireland as the Guest Nation at the Hyderabad Literary Festival in January 2014. Ireland is also the focus country at The Busan International Film Festival from October 3rd–12th having been selected as the National Cinema spotlight at the festival, which operates the ‘Asian Film Market’, one of the largest film markets in Asia.
There is also a strong programme of Irish cultural activities planned for Australia, including visual arts, theatre, circus and music, while Rian by Fabulous Beast Dance Theatre which is currently in Australia will be presented at the 2014 New Zealand Festival next March. In China, where there has been a building relationship with Irish arts, Camerata Ireland, the Royal Irish Academy of Music and The Irish Baroque Orchestra will present work on tour.