Support your local artists this festive season by buying something special for your loved ones. We have rounded up some ideas for that perfect Christmas present.

The Arts Council of Northern Ireland is proud to support many of our leading literary greats as well as some of the most talented emerging writers of our generation. Damian Smyth, head of literature selects some of the best works published by local writers.

Angela Graham, a Welsh-speaking TV Producer from Northern Ireland, was awarded a Literature Wales Writers’ Bursary 2017 to complete a collection of short stories. She describes getting to grips with the business side of writing.

Singer-songwriter Triona Carville is our latest guest contributor and in this blog she talks about the early stages of her career, finding her big break and the artists who have helped shape her development. 

National Lottery Players have changed the landscape of the arts & creative sector in Northern Ireland. Since 1994, The National Lottery has invested £155 million in the arts sector, distributed by the Arts Council of Northern Ireland. Jackie O'Sullivan, National Lottery Promotions Unit Director has written this piece about the importance of that support. 

Ailbe Beirne, Echo Echo Dance Theatre Company Manager and Co-Producer of the Echo Echo Festival of Dance and Movement talks about his role with the festival, the origins of the idea and outlines how the festival has gone from strength to strength over the past 4 years. 

A brand new triple bill exploring sensitive issues such as miscarriage and infant death, relics of our past and lives lost, and the relationship between our physical and spiritual body is to be premiered in The Mac by Belfast Dance Company, Maiden Voyage Dance, in early March. 

Northern Ireland Opera is about to bring the black comedy Powder Her Face to the stage of the Lyric Theatre in Belfast. It’s the last production that will directly involve their artistic director Oliver Mears who heads off to London shortly to take up the reins as director of opera at the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden. Guest writer, Alan Meban caught up with Oliver to find out more about the production and to reflect on his time with the company. 

Supported by the Arts Council of Northern Ireland and the British Council, accalimed author David Park is this week attending the globally renowned Jaipur Literature Festival in India. David has been documenting his trip through this blog.