13/01/2011

Americans will experience a yearlong celebration of Irish arts. Ireland’s cultural ambassador, actor Gabriel Byrne has launched Imagine Ireland, the largest-ever celebration of Irish arts events across the US.

40 American states will witness over 1,000 artists and producers from Ireland create over 400 events January to December in all art forms including film, theatre, music, literature, visual arts and dance.

Kicking off the film celebrations will be two Irish films The Guard [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: John Michael McDonagh
film profile] and Knuckle that are in official selection at the Sundance Film Festival. In addition, Irish Film Festivals will take place in Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, Washington DC, San Francisco and Seattle. A further celebration of Ireland in documentary film will screen at the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts.

Rounding off the year will be a retrospective curated by Byrne in association with the Irish Film Institute and the Museum of Modern Art (MOMA), which will take place at MOMA.

Imagine Ireland, an initiative of Culture Ireland, received an investment of €4m from the Irish Government in the 2011 budget to foster Irish-US cultural relations.

Ireland’s Minister for Culture Mary Hanafin said, “Culture is the means by which most Americans encounter Ireland. It connects with the deep sense of pride and belonging of more than 40 million Irish-Americans and also with the millions of Americans who love great art. We have invested in Imagine Ireland because the arts and culture are so vital to Ireland’s recovery and it will bring Irish culture to new audiences and generations across America.”