A word from our Arts Council

This autumn/winter season is no exception, with some standout highlights including an evening with the MAC’s musician in residence Tony Wright, Declan O’Rourke’s The Chronicles of the Great Irish Famine, and the always-welcome return of Ridiculusmus. We can also look forward to a particularly strong visual arts programme, featuring a major exhibition by Turner Prize nominee, Phil Collins and Ireland’s largest arts prize, MAC International, which will attract artists from across the world. An excellent balance is maintained throughout, with top national and international acts featuring alongside our own outstanding local independent companies. All of this is accompanied by extensive schools and community engagement programmes and a commitment to nurturing new and emerging talent from Northern Ireland. The Arts Council as Principal Funder, through our public and National Lottery funds, is proud to support the MAC as it continues to create opportunities for wider audiences to access and participate in the kinds of high-quality arts experiences upon which it has built its reputation and for which it continues to earn a wealth of plaudits and awards.

Roisin McDonough

Chief Executive, Arts Council of Northern Ireland