Joint Committee on Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht to discuss the importance of Dance

The discussion will see The Arts Council and some of the organisations it supports appear, with the Committee meeting to start at 1.30pm in Committee Room 4, Leinster House.

In addition to the government agency for developing the arts, The Arts Council of Ireland, three other organisations from across the country will appear as witnesses; the Dance Theatre of Ireland, CoisCéim Dance Theatre and Firkin Crane Dance Company.

• Dance Theatre of Ireland opened in October 2000 a state of the art Centre for Dance in Dun Laoghaire at Bloomfields. The Centre is the home of the Company and its extensive award-winning Outreach Programme, as well as a diverse programme of dance classes and courses for adults and young people.

• CoisCéim Dance Theatre has presented work to audiences large and small, onstage, on film and off site throughout Ireland and overseas for over twenty years. Touring, both nationally and internationally is a key part of CoisCéim. In Ireland, the company has developed strong relationships with an informal network of venues.

• Firkin Crane, the home of dance in Cork, is a place where dance artists, dance audiences and dance enthusiasts can make, see and join in dance of all kinds. In addition it has smaller performance spaces, an exhibition space and four dance studios, all housed in a distinctive heritage building. 

Committee Deputy Chair, Michael Collins TD, said, “The Committee is keen to explore the opportunities and challenges which these key Dance organisations face, and the role which they all play in their local communities across Ireland. We look forward to their input, and also that of the Arts Council of Ireland.”

Committee proceedings can be viewed live here