A FUNDING injection of €1.5m has been announced to promote Irish arts and culture across the globe this year.
The grants will benefit 192 projects taking place in over 34 countries, covering circus, dance, film, literature, music, theatre and visual arts.
The London Irish Centre in Camden is among the grant recipientsProjects being supported in Britain include tours by musical artists Nerves, Oisín Leech, St Bishop and Post-Party, theatre productions by Sunday’s Child and Dead Centre and an Irish presence at the London Original Print Fair.
A sum of €60k has been awarded to the London Irish Centre to support its programme of events from February to December 2025, while the Irish Cultural Centre in Hammersmith will receive €18k to fund Irish artists performing at its 2025 events – which include its St Brigid’s Day, St Patrick’s Day and Easter celebrations.
Patrick O’Donovan, Ireland’s newly appointed Minister for Arts, Media, Communications, Culture and Sport, announced the grants this week.
“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 €1.5 million, the highest single grant round in the history of the organisation now celebrating its twentieth year,” he said.
“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,” he added.
“Over the past 20 years Culture Ireland has supported thousands of Irish artists to develop their international careers with funding of over €84 million 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 6.7 million people.”