Ireland is a seedbed of imagination where ideas are born and flourish, an island on the edge. From Seamus Heaney to Sally Rooney, Hozier and The Gloaming to Simone Rocha, generations of Irish artists and creatives have forged a new understanding of Ireland and Irish creativity.

In international fashion houses, new media companies, publishing houses, theatres, cinemas and cities, Irish artists, architects, software developers and product designers are global innovators and change-makers.

In March 2017, the Creative Ireland Programme in collaboration with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the state agencies with responsibility for promoting Ireland abroad, developed ireland.ie as the new portal for Ireland. Our launch film This is Ireland has been viewed by over five million people worldwide.

In 2018, we marked the appointment of Irish architects Shelley McNamara and Yvonne Farrell as the first Irish commissioners of the Venice International Architecture Exhibition, with a special video which attracted over 100,000 audience views. The Creative Ireland Programme informed and contributed to the development of the government’s Global Ireland 2025 initiative, ensuring that Irish culture and creativity is recognised as a vital asset in building Ireland’s reputation and influence abroad.