From music and original art, to tickets to a great play or concert, the Arts Council of Northern Ireland picks out some perfect arts-inspired presents to treat yourself or a loved one this festive season.  Merry Christmas!

Damian Smyth, Head of Literature and Drama at the Arts Council of Northern Ireland, picks out the best books for gift giving this year…

Visual artist Mairead McCormack, who specialises in textiles, was selected by the Arts Council of Northern Ireland and the British Council Northern Ireland to travel to the prestigious Sanskritti Cultural Centre in Delhi to undertake a six week residency at the beginning of 2019.

We may already be halfway through the summer holidays but there’s plenty going on through the month of August to keep you entertained, from family events, to great music, theatre and more.  The Arts Council of Northern Ireland picks out some of the best events happening across Northern Ireland this month…

Lizzie Devlin, Community Arts Officer at the Arts Council of Northern Ireland talks to us about the Anne O’Donoghue Award and how to apply….(The application deadline is Thursday 15th August at 4pm.)

Looking out across Belfast’s dank misty tundra in early July, it’s hard to imagine burnt necks, the lilo, the cocktail with an umbrella in it, and a few tasty pages of a new(ish) read smeared with suncream. But someone’s got to live the dream.

Once in a lifetime a residency comes along that you feel was created just for you. That’s how I felt as the Irish Writers Centre Roaming Writer-in-Residence.

Playwright, Carol Moore, who has worked in the creative industries for 40 year as an actor, theatre director, filmmaker and drama maker was awarded a Major Individual Award worth £15,000, the highest honour bestowed by the Arts Council in December 2018. Carol will use the award to produce and premiere her new play ‘The Experience of Being’ which kicks off in the Grand Opera house on Wednesday 8 May 2019.

"On the art of taking a request, I assume no responsibility as I offer the last tweet I posted before I deleted my account:

My poetry is Marilyn Manson, your poetry is Michael McIntyre.

Belfast-based writer Jan Carson represented Northern Ireland at the prestigious Jaipur Literature Festival last month with the support of the Arts Council of Northern Ireland and British Council Northern Ireland.

Here’s her thoughts on her trip…