IRISH & CELTIC FESTIVALS
PRODUCERS CONFERENCE COMES TO IRELAND FOR FIRST TIME
The Association of Irish
Festival Events [AOIFE] is pleased to announce that the Irish & Celtic
Festivals Producers Conference will take place in Ireland this year, for the
first time in November 2010. A delegation of international presenters and
promoters, including key large festivals in the US and Europe, will meet in
Ireland as part of
the AOIFE 17th Annual Conference .
The Irish & Celtic
Festivals Producers Conference has met five times in the past decade, in
Milwaukee, Pittsburgh , Cape
Breton ( Celtic Colours Fest) and laterly in Kansas City 2009. With AOIFE support and involvment some 100
delegates from a variety of large , well established Irish & Celtic
Festivals across the USA and North America; which specialise in programming Irish
Culture, will converge in the Mid - West on the
2 and 3rd of November before moving to Ballinalsoe for days 3 &
4 with over 200 Irish delegates at the Annual Conference .
Typically delegates will
participate in a variety of seminar, lectures, and
round table discussions on how they can manage and programme their festivals
and cultural events, but this year there will
also be focused workshops on the Marketing Support available from Irish Semi-
States and Companies who field operations in North America and are seeking new
audiences and opportunities.
Topics such as Volunteer
Management , Funrdaising , Web Marketing , Programming for Youngsters, Outreach
and Classes will all be followed jointly with Irish delegates, and over 30 International producers and agents of
Trad and Folk in the UK and Europe will join the event on Wednesday for some
panel disucssions on the development of the Trad/ Folk style in an
international contex; both from a musicians and
audiences point of view .
" We are looking forward to
hosing some of the organisers from the signature Irish & Celtic Festivals
in North America and over 30 International and European promoters to both
Limerick and Ballinasloe and believe it will lead to significant partnerships
of Irish performers , Irish Festivals and Irish promoters into the Festivals of
North America" stated AOIFE Executive Director Colm Croffy.
A specially selected music
showcase programme will take place in the Irish World Academy of Music and
Dance, Limerick [6.30pm to 12.00am] on Tuesday 2nd November and at
Glór, Ennis on Wednesday 3rd November [6.30pm to 12.00am].
An extensive call is being
made to up-coming talent,
promising new artistes,and
indeed bands. The closing date for completed application forms,
including additional material, is 5pm
Friday 3rd September 2010. Applications may be submitted online
[with supplementary material to follow by post] or by standard postal delivery
to: Amy Dillion AOIFE, The
Enterprise and Technology Centre,
Creagh, Ballinasloe, Co Galway
The Showcase and Conference
is being supported by Culture Ireland , The Arts Council, Tourism Ireland ,
Shannon Development, Failte Ireland , The Irish Fest. Foundation and the Carlton Hotel Group.
Further information on the
Irish & Celtic Festivals Producers Conference and Music Showcase is
available from Amy at + 353 90 964 3779 or email amy@aoifeonline.com
