Annual Review 2023-24

The Arts Council of Northern Ireland’s Annual Review 2023-24 recounts many of the highlights of the (financial) Year in the Arts in Northern Ireland, supported by Arts Council exchequer funding from the Department of Communities as well as National Lottery funds.

Alongside the achievements of our artists and arts organisations, the Annual Review provides overviews of Arts Council investment, our funding programmes and our programme of research during the year.

Creative highlights of 2023-24 include:

• Cahoots NI's 'The Vanishing Elephant' opens to rave reviews on  Broadway.
• the 25th anniversary of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement is marked by important new plays: The Playhouse's 'Beyond Belief - The Life and Mission of John & Pat Hume' and the Lyric Theatre's 'Agreement'; and an exhibition of new film work by Donovan Wylie and Peter Mann at Belfast Exposed
• the inaugural Deaf Arts Festival NI opens in Belfast
• DU Dance represents NI at the prestigious U. Dance National Festival in England
• NI's leading theatre and dance companies are showcased at the Edinburgh Fringe
• Conor Mitchell's 'The Headless Soldier' receives its world premiere at the Outburst Festival
• Brian Irvine wins an Ivor Novello Award
• The Queen’s Reading Room stages its Northern Ireland
  debut with a special poetry performance celebrating works by some of NI’s most famed poets.

The Annual Review 2023-24 provides a vivid account of the year in the arts and its many highlights, reminding us all of the breadth of contribution that a rich, creative environment makes to improving the quality of everyone’s lives in Northern Ireland.