Culture Ireland launches GB18
Culture Ireland launches microsite filled with exciting cultural projects and events for Great Britain in 2018
Culture Ireland will support a special focus of Irish artistic activity in Britain in 2018 and will present a vibrant, contemporary and high quality programme including a range of events across artistic disciplines in high-profile venues, institutions and festivals in Britain, building on Ireland’s special history and relationship with its nearest neighbour.
Very excited to announce details of GB18: Promoting Irish Arts in Britain – our year-long focus on Irish arts and artists across England, Scotland and Wales. More details https://t.co/b3ax26zXuF #CultureIrelandGB18 pic.twitter.com/YCjMkVIf5O
— Culture Ireland (@culture_ireland) February 2, 2018
Following the successes of previous programme strands (Imagine Ireland in 2011, Culture Connects across the EU in 2013, I Am Ireland as part of the Ireland 2016 Centenary Programme), this new initiative will create unique opportunities for artists and companies in all artforms to perform across Britain and develop new audiences and their networks of contacts.
The programme includes new theatre such as The Humours of Bandon written and performed by Margaret McAuliffe and directed by Stefanie Preissner at Brighthelm Centre, East Sussex, 16th – 20th May.
From the confines of every parochial hall in Ireland, Irish Dancing champions are churned out at a massive rate. Medals and cups build up in drawing rooms and Riverdance swells a national pride, but the public aren’t privy to the blood, sweat and tears that pave the way to the first place podium. The Humours of Bandon is a coming of age story, full of heart, humour and wisdom, for anyone who had a childhood passion that threatened to overwhelm their life.
Gare St Lazare Ireland present How It Is by Samuel Beckett at Print Room at the Coronet from 2nd May – 8th May. One of Beckett’s most eloquent and experimental works How It Is ranks among the most strange and beautiful texts ever written.
Unsurprisingly, St. Patrick’s weekend proves highly popular for events in the GB18 programme. The Vortex Jazz Club in N16 London plays host to Diatribe Records’ Éiríocht, a unique festival showcasing New Music from Ireland, as a radical alternative to traditional celebrations for St. Patrick’s Weekend 2018.
Taking place in one of the UK capital’s landmark venues for experimental music, this innovative festival presents audiences and critics with a wide-lens insight into the thriving Irish contemporary music scene, foregrounding collaborations and inter-connections between Irish and UK-based artists.
Irish Film London will host a number of events over the year as part of the programme. The UK Premiere of Damo & Ivor: The Movie, directed by Rob and Ronan Burke screens at the Prince Charles Cinema, Leicester Square on Friday 16th March. Also over the St. Patrick’s weekend, there will be a screening of the children’s animated feature Moon Man and a collection of Irish short films, including Ian Power’s IFTA nominated The Tattoo.
Find out more at www.cultureireland.ie/GB18
Follow the exciting programme on social media:
www.facebook.com/CultureIreland
www.twitter.com/culture_ireland
www.instagram.com/cultureireland
#CultureIrelandGB18
