The 4th annual meeting of the Network of Irish Cultural Centres of North America
News
28 January 2021NORTH AMERICAN PRESENTERS OF IRISH ARTS & CULTURE
MEET CULTURE IRELAND AND IRELAND CONSULAR NETWORK
(New York, Thursday January 28 2021) More than 120 North American-based presenters and programmers of Irish culture met Culture Ireland and the Ireland Consular Network virtually today, for the 4th annual meeting of the Network of Irish Cultural Centres of North America (NICCoNA).
Co-hosted by the Consulate of Ireland in New York and Culture Ireland, NICCoNA is a state-and-province wide association of presenters and programmers of Irish culture based in the USA and Canada. Members including Irish Arts Center and Irish Repertory Theatre in New York, Contemporary Irish Arts Center in Los Angeles and the Milwaukee Irish Fest present a regular annual programme of Irish arts, which have been severely impacted by COVID-19 restrictions.
The meeting focussed on future planning and the ways members could continue to operate and programme including online presentation of Irish artists with Culture Ireland support.
The agenda included an overview by Ireland’s Ambassador to the USA, Daniel Mulhall of upcoming events across the US and Canada to celebrate both St Brigid’s Day and St. Patrick’s Day. Each of the eight US and Canada based Consul Generals (representing Atlanta, Austin, Boston, Chicago, Ottawa, Los Angeles, San Francisco and New York) also attended the meeting to meet and share concerns with their regional centres and programmers.
Participants were introduced to the work of a selection of artists showcasing at the upcoming Folk Alliance International Conference and South by Southwest SXSW as well as a sneak-peek at the upcoming Ireland in Music film due to broadcast on PBS around St. Patrick’s Day.
Director of Culture Ireland, Christine Sisk said, “ The strong attendance at this gathering is a true indicator of the interest in Irish arts in the US and Canada. Culture Ireland support of online performances will enable Irish artists to reach North American audiences until artists can travel and perform again in person in these fantastic venues.”
Consul General of Ireland in New York, Ciarán Madden said, “Of course we are disappointed not to be gathering in person as we usually do this time of year in New York but the great benefit of these times is that we can welcome even more people to the table and it’s so encouraging to see so many people and organizations from across the continent.”
At the 2020 meeting of NICCoNA it was announced that the Government of Ireland would appoint a New York-based Cultural Officer. Such an appointment was made in November 2020 and the Newly appointed Head of Cultural Affairs in New York, Nik Quaife said: “I am very much looking forward to working with Culture Ireland and the US Embassy Network to create opportunities for Irish artists across the US and Canada.”
ENDS
LIST OF PARTICIPATING ORGANIZATIONS
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ATLANTA |
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Return to the Green Festival - Greenville |
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Aris Theatre Group Atlanta |
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Irish Studies, Georgia Southern Univ, Savannah |
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College of Charleston |
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Clemson College Charleston |
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Celtic Heritage Festival of Savannah |
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Savannah Irish Festival |
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Charlotte Irish American Center |
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Music City Irish Fest Nashville |
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AUSTIN |
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North Texas Irish Fest |
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Flynn Center for Irish Studies at the University of St. Thomas Houston |
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James Joyce Quarterly (University of Tulsa) |
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Lyon College |
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Irish Cultural Society of San Antonio |
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Austin Celtic Festival |
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Flynn Center for Irish Studies at the University of St. Thomas Houston |
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Kansas City Irish Fest |
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The University of New Mexico |
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Kansas City Irish Center |
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BOSTON |
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Irish Cultural Centre of New England |
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Irish American Club of Maine |
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Maine Irish Heritage Center |
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Eire Society of Boston |
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Boston Irish Film Festival |
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CANADA Here Come Everybody Players |
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Toronto Irish Players |
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Irish Society of Halifax |
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Toronto Bloomsday |
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Irish Film Festival Ottawa |
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St. Brigid’s Centre for the Arts |
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Ireland Park Foundation, Toronto |
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CHICAGO |
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Irish American News, Chicago |
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Murphy Roche School of Music |
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Francis O'Neill Arts Week |
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Shepherd School of Music |
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Irish Heritage Center of Cincinnati |
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Hudson Valley Fest |
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Chicago Irish Film Festival |
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O'Brien Family International Office |
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Milwaukee Irish Fest |
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Iowa Irish Fest |
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Celtic Junction Arts Center, St. P |
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Irish Fair of Minnesota |
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University of Notre Dame, Keough-Naughton Institute for Irish Studies |
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Chicago Irish Movie Houli |
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Irish Heritage Center of Cincinnati |
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CelticMKE |
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Dublin Irish Fest, Ohio |
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Irish American Heritage Center, Chicago |
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Milwaukee Irish Fest |
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Chicago Bloomsday |
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University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee, Center for Celtic Studies |
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Celtic Junction Arts Center, St. P |
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Gaelic Park, Chicago |
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Cleveland Irish Cultural Festival |
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Indy Irish Fest |
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Celtic Junction Arts Center, St. P |
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Gaelic League of Detroit |
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Chicago International Film Festival |
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Ward School of Music |
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Irish Theatre of Chicago |
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LOS ANGELES |
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Irish Screen America |
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The Great Irish Fair |
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Contemporary Irish Arts Center |
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NEW YORK |
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Irish American Society of Suffolk, Nassau & Queens |
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Irish American Cultural Institute New Jersey |
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Irish Cultural Center, Utica |
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United Irish Cultural Center |
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Irish American Writers & Artists |
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Irish Arts Center, NYC |
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Irish American Cultural Institute |
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New York Irish Center |
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Catskill Irish Week |
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Irish Repertory Theatre |
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Catskills Irish Arts Week |
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Pittsburgh Irish Festival |
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Center for Irish Studies, Villanova University |
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Great Hunger Museum, Quinnipiac University |
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Irish Screen America |
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Origin Theatre Company |
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Irish Visions LLC |
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Irish Repertory Theatre |
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Inis Nua Theatre |
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Origin Theatre Company |
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Greater Danbury Irish Cultural Center |
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Irish American Heritage Museum, Albany |
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American Conference for Irish Studies/LeMoyne C |
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Irish Arts Center |
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SAN FRANCISCO |
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United Irish Cultural Center |
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United Irish Cultural Center |
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DFA - San Francisco |
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Irish Studies at UC Berkeley |
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Portland Monthly |
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Eugene O'Neill Foundation, Tao House |
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Irish Heritage Club |
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United Irish Cultural Center |
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Method Gallery |
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Corrib Theatre |
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WASHINGTON DC |
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Solas Nua |
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Georgetown University |
