Bernadette Cronin and Eimear Reidy in Killing Stella, 2018, Gaitkrash Theatre Company (Photo: Ger Fitzgibbon)
The strategic context for the Arts Council’s support of Theatre and all other artforms
and areas of arts practice is set out in
Making Great Art Work: Arts Council Strategy (2016 –2025) (PDF, 3.29 MB)
and Making Great Art Work: Three-year Plan (2020-2022) (PDF, 1.8MB).
It describes how we will lead the development of the arts in Ireland over the next decade.
Our strategy has five priority areas: the artist; public engagement; investment strategy;
spatial and demographic planning; and developing capacity. Current Theatre Policy is aligned
to the key objectives and desired outcomes of Making Great Art Work and can be
viewed here: Theatre Policy and Strategy 2018 (PDF, 0.57 MB).
Reputation for excellence in theatre art
Ireland is highly regarded for its theatre. With a wide variety of established and emerging production companies and artists, and a vibrant tradition of writing for theatre, Ireland has earned a reputation for excellence in theatre art. This reputation
has been endorsed many times through international awards for Irish companies, dramatists, directors, actors and other theatre practitioners.
The Arts Council supports and develops theatre in Ireland through grant funding, project awards, support to individual artists, and support to venues, publications and resource organisations. We also aim to incentivise resource-sharing, talent development
and career progression through a new series of specially tailored schemes.
To enhance our support for the theatre arts in Ireland, the Arts Council strives to achieve a balance between established organisations and emerging and established individual practitioners (see Production and Presentation of Theatre: a new approach 2010-2015). We also encourage inter-organisational supports
and co-production arrangements in order to maximise the opportunities for artists to create work, and for audiences to enjoy world-class theatre.