It is winter already, the clocks have moved back, the weather is colder and the evenings are so short…but the message from the Arts Council, and from the hundreds of artists and arts organisations we support, is that this would be the wrong time to hibernate!

The Arts Council supports 50 venues right across the country and the run-up to Christmas is a time for them to shine. Many will have already planned multiple performances, exhibitions, readings and other events, to bring the arts to the broadest range of people possible; families, young people and children, arts enthusiasts and newcomers alike.

In addition, I am proud to say, much of the work the Arts Council helped developed through our main grants programmes, or funded through our touring schemes, will be available for audiences in the weeks ahead, for example Teaċ Daṁsa’s beautiful Loch na hEala is in the Pavilion Theatre in Dún Laoghaire; the French Film Festival kicks off in the IFI; Ceol Connected, which makes music for children aged 2 to 6, will be in the Droichead Arts Centre, the Belltable in Limerick, the Linenhall in Castlebar, Dunamaise in Portlaoise, and several other venues; Hugh Tinney is playing Schubert, Chopin and Beethoven, in his 60th year, in Cork, Fermanagh, Roscommon, Galway, Louth, Mayo, Limerick and Armagh; and Frank Pig Says Hello continues in Donegal, Kerry and Dundalk.

There is so much to experience – you will be very glad you made the effort.

Best wishes,

Orlaith McBride

Director