€680k Committed To Global Promotion of Irish Arts

The Government has welcomed the success of Irish artists at this year's Edinburgh Festivals by approving over €680,000 in grants for the global promotion of Irish arts.

The Minister for Culture, Heritage and Gaeltacht Affairs, Josepha Madigan TD revealed the funding at an event to mark the achievements of Pat Kinevane and Gina Moxley, who have just returned from the Culture Ireland Showcase at Edinburgh and both received much-coveted awards at the festivals.

The money will enable Irish artists and arts organisations to present 125 projects covering circus, dance, film, literature, music, theatre and visual arts in 40 different countries. It will bring Ireland's artists to new audiences and help renew relationships with existing audiences.

Pat Kinevane won a Herald Archangel award for sustained contribution to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe after presenting his play 'Before', produced by the Fishamble New Play Theatre Company. This follows Kinevane's previous successes in the Culture Ireland Edinburgh Showcase in 2011 when 'Silent' was awarded a Scotsman Fringe First Award, and 2015 when 'Underneath', also written and performed by Kinevane, won a Fringe First Award 2015.

Gina Moxley also received Fringe First and Herald Angel awards for her show 'The Patient Gloria' which was produced by the Abbey in association with PanPan Theatre Company and presented at the Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh.

Congratulating the artists on their successes, Minister Madigan said: "Once again Irish artists have excelled on the world stage, demonstrating their unique talents and commitment to their work. Culture Ireland supports the Edinburgh Showcase to gain further touring contracts for Irish artists and this year Irish artists have already achieved further international opportunities for shows they presented.

"This is so important as it enables artists to sustain their careers and allow new audiences to experience Irish arts. Our culture is very much part of our global identity and by enabling our artists to travel, Ireland’s global reputation for creativity is enhanced, in keeping with the Government's Global Ireland 2025 programme."

Included in the projects being funded is Pat Kinevane's play 'Before' which will be presented in Los Angeles in November/December 2019.

The funding also covers a strong and varied representation of Irish musicians including the Irish Chamber Orchestra, David Keenan, and The Riptide Movement will perform in venues from Los Angeles to Tokyo at large music festivals and high profile venues. International dance performances include John Scott dance in France, Colin Dunne in Sweden and performances of Oona Doherty's contemporary Irish dance, Hope, Hunt and the Ascension into Lazarus will be presented in Seoul, South Korea, Hong Kong and Quito, Ecuador between October 2019 and February 2020.

A highlight of the visual arts programme is Brian Maguire's exhibition The Shock of Thought/War Changes its Address which will be shown in Mexico, NY and Washington DC over the course of a year. Irish writers will present their work at 22 literature events around the world, including the Hay writer's festival in Colombia and other locations throughout South America.

Owing to the success of the Culture Ireland GB18 Programme, a year-long focus of Irish arts in Britain last year, there has been a 17% increase in supported application for events across many art forms for Irish artists to present their work in Great Britain including Gare St Lazare's How It Is (part Two) by Samuel Beckett at The Coronet Theatre, London in April – May 2020 and the screening of Irish films by Irish Film London between September and December 2020.