Hard Working Class Heroes has become the nation’s major showcase for emerging bands. Cork-born organiser Angela Dorgan tells Eoghan O’Sullivan who to watch out for

Irish members of Clowns Without Borders help to entertain the traumatised in war-torn areas,

The board of the Cork Film Festival has broken its silence on its financial crisis to welcome a €200,000 lifeline sanctioned by City Hall.

Consideration of the arts takes up 600 words in a 160-page programme for government, writes Gerard Howlin

The Government, Dublin City Council, the RDS, and the body representing the hotel industry have all responsed to claims outlined in correspondences between the Web Summit founder and the Taoiseach’s office.

The Chinese President has been officially invited to visit Ireland.

The Government has insisted it has not cut its funding towards the proposed €50m event centre for Cork after it appeared that the Department of Arts was set to cut allocation for the long-delayed development by more than half.

ARTISTS cannot be trusted. They are politically subversive, financially illiterate, and their management skills are commensurate with their chaotic lives.

A showcase of theatrical work from six Cork-based companies runs at the TDC (Triskel Development Centre) from Nov 29-Dec 8.

The Bradshaw Literary Festival runs in Cork over the next two days, until Nov 22.

Set up 24 years ago as a haven for artists, the NSF is integral to Cork culture, says Tina O’Sullivan

The finer detail of CAP reform

The huge box office success of John B Keane’s Big Maggie was one of the factors behind theatre company Druid recording a turnaround in its fortunes last year.

Composer Shaun Davey says his new musical dips in and out of Jonathan Swift’s most famous book, reports Richard Fitzpatrick

Culture Ireland’s new CEO Christine Sisk relishes the opportunity to promote Irish artists abroad, says Richard Fitzpatrick

CULLING quangos is the new bonfire of the vanities.

Arts, Heritage, and the Gaeltacht is sometimes dismissed as an irrelevance, the least significant of the government departments.

Camille O’Sullivan performs contemporary songs with emotional depth on her new CD, Changeling, writes Carl Dixon.

The work of 23 emerging experimental composers from Ireland is showcased on an album released this month, writes Don O’Mahony

FASHION photographer Mike Bunn, one of the judges in the recent Hidden Ireland photography competition, said of the winning entry: “It really stood out, it was just very good technically”.

The new Cork Literary Review will be promoted across America this week, writes Colette Sheridan

IRELAND’S cultural ambassador, actor Gabriel Byrne, has launched the largest-ever promotion of Irish arts events across the United States.

Culture Ireland's year of Irish Arts in the US, "Imagine Ireland" is being launched in New York later.

BAD news is never welcome but, in the case of the Government’s Four-Year National Recovery Plan, Irish arts workers seem relieved things are not far worse.

A LEADING choir will perform in Dachau, Germany, this weekend as part of special celebrations marking the centenary of the birth of Professor Aloys Fleischmann after whom the choir is named.

CORK Opera House has appointed a new chief executive to spearhead its revival.

IRISH culture being recognised as one of our most important national assets and a major plus when promoting Ireland and its economy.

IT was a moment to savour. At 1.30pm on Saturday, up to 800 people of all ages gathered on St Patrick’s Street in Cork. Whether what followed constituted a “flash mob” has since been a matter of some debate, but it was certainly the most joyous public event the city centre has seen in some time.

ALL art is certainly political now with Irish luminaries coming out to highlight the value of the arts to Ireland’s economic and social recovery.

CORK CITY COUNCIL has spent almost €37,000 of public money over the last two years on seven official trips to Shanghai — its highest profile twin city.

Culture Ireland has congratulated the Irish theatre artists who have received five nominations in the 2008 Tony Awards for achievement on Broadway.

The Irish film industry will be in the international shop window at the Cannes Film Festival, which begins on Wednesday.

AN American theatre company is auditioning students for a very elaborate €10,000 musical Robin Hood they plan to stage next Thursday and Friday — free of charge.

More than 20 Irish production companies will travel to Los Angeles this month to promote the country’s film industry to some of the world’s top studio executives.

A new theatrical production marking the 400th anniversary of the Flight of the Earls will be staged this week.

An Irish artist whose work formed part of the multi-million euro revamp of Dublin’s Shelbourne hotel is now opening a major exhibition in the Italian capital of style.

CULTURE Ireland yesterday announced €1 million in funding for groups promoting Irish arts and culture abroad.

Culture Ireland, established to promote Irish arts abroad, has awarded grants of more than €400,000 to support international activities.

IRELAND’S cultural image on foreign shores will no longer be dominated by Plastic Paddy pubs and Riverdance.