Minister for Arts, Media, Communications, Culture and Sport, Patrick O’Donovan TD has announced funding of over €1.5m for the promotion of Irish arts globally through Culture Ireland’s Regular Grants Programme.

The funding will benefit 192 projects taking place in over 34 countries, covering circus, dance, film, literature, music, theatre and visual arts.

Announcing the grants, Minister O’Donovan said:

 

“As the Minister for Arts, Media, Communications, Culture and Sport, it gives me great pleasure to announce this round of Culture Ireland funding of over €1.5m, the highest single grant round in the history of the organisation now celebrating its twentieth year. These projects demonstrate the true diversity of contemporary Irish arts and will generate new opportunities and audiences, enabling Irish artists to achieve the international recognition they deserve.  Over the past 20 years Culture Ireland has supported thousands of Irish artists to develop their international careers with funding of over €84m provided in total.  In 2024 alone, Culture Ireland supported over 5,500 individuals to present their work in over 50 countries to audiences in excess of 6.7m people.”

 

Projects include:

• Circus: Christopher McAuley presenting The Whistle II (The Netherlands), Presentation of The Grannies by Bill and Fred Productions (Finland), Hands Down Circus, Tumble Circus and Grant Goldie performing at the World Buskers Festival, (New Zealand)
• Dance: continuing support for a range of projects including The Specky Clark Tour by Oona Doherty (Europe), Bill and Fred Productions performing at Festival Plexus Rouge (France), and the presentation of Top 8 Jam Cypher & Outreach at Loud Base (Lagos)
• Film: support towards attendance by Irish filmmakers at significant international film festivals such as the Santa Barbara International Film Festival, Chicago Irish Film Festival, SFIF Documentary Film Festival and the Irish Film Festival Los Angeles (USA), Toronto Irish Film Festival (Canada),  British & Irish Film Festival, (Belgium) and Irish Film Festa 2025 (Italy)
• Literature: Irish writers appearing at various international literary festivals, such as the Bologna Children’s Book Fair (Italy), Auckland Writers Festival (New Zealand) and Melbourne Writers Festival, Sydney Writer’s Festival and Adelaide Writers Week (Australia)
• Music: Support towards over 50 international tours across the world covering a range of artists and genres including Clare Sands (Australia), Sorcha Richardson (Australia), Muireann Bradley (Australia/New Zealand), Gurriers (Britain), Nerves (Britain), St Bishop (Britain), Brigid Mae Power (Britain), Robocobra Quartet (Europe), And So I Watch You From Afar (Britain/Europe), Oisín Leech (Britain/Europe), Post-Party (Britain/Europe), Adrian Crowley (Europe), Chalk (Europe), John Blek (Europe), Crying Loser (France), Eleanor Shanley and John Feeley (Denmark), Duach (Switzerland), Lisa Canny Band (Spain), Somebody’s Child (Germany), The Mary Wallopers (USA), The Finns (USA),  JigJam (USA), Karan Casey (USA), Hermitage Green (Canada)
• Theatre: support for international tours, including Sunday’s Child (Britain), Dead Centre (Britain), Tom Moran (USA/Canada), Dan Colley/Riverbank Arts Centre (Australia/USA), Brú Theatre (Canada), Fishamble: The New Play Company (Serbia), Branar (South Korea/Canada), c21 Theatre Company (Columbia)
• Visual Arts: International exhibitions by Irish artists including Richard Malone (USA), Alan Butler (Slovenia), Aileen Murphy (Britain), Martina Cleary (Portugal), Katie Holten (Finland), Siobhan McDonald (Italy) and towards Irish presence at international art fairs including The London Original Print Fair (Britain), SUPERMARKET-Stockholm Independent Art Fair (Sweden), MIART Modern and Contemporary Art Fair (Italy), Dallas Art Fair International Art Fair (USA), IFPDA  New York Print Fair (USA)
• Multidisciplinary: Continued support towards the programme of Irish arts and culture at key festivals and venues including the Belgrade Irish Festival (Serbia), the Irish Cultural Centre Hammersmith (Britain) and Jackson Hole Public Art (USA)

The recipients can be viewed here

 

Photo: Top 8, funded to attend Loud Base in Lagos, Nigeria