Minister Catherine Martin TD announces appointment of Cultural Officers in London and New York under Global Ireland 2025

The Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, Catherine Martin TD, today announced the appointment of two specialist Cultural Officers, one in London and one in New York, under the government’s Global Ireland 2025 strategy. These appointments are a key action to widen and deepen Ireland’s global cultural presence and engagement in these priority territories. This new strategic capability is being delivered in a close partnership with the Department of Foreign Affairs and will serve the wider needs of Government globally.

The core mandate of these two new positions is to enhance the promotion of Irish arts and culture in the US and Britain, working to achieve the strategic objectives of Culture Ireland in the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, and of the Department of Foreign Affairs.

Minister Martin said:

“These appointments will play a key part in enhancing cultural promotion, collaboration and exchange, and strengthening cultural engagement with our diaspora. They will provide a hugely valuable new resource for Irish artists, arts organisations and cultural institutions in supporting their international ambitions.”

The Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for Defence, Simon Coveney TD, said:

“This new partnership initiative between our two departments will help enrich our key bilateral relationships with Britain and the United States, and increase Ireland’s visibility, reach and reputation on the global stage.”

The positions, which were advertised nationally and internationally earlier this year and attracted extensive interest, are being filled by two arts professionals with extensive high-level experience in promoting Irish culture globally.

The Cultural Officer in New York, Nik Quaife, has worked with many of Ireland’s leading artists and arts organisations since 1999, including through his own arts PR company. Quaife has also worked for ten years with the Irish Arts Center NYC in various roles in marketing, PR and fundraising.

Kelly O’Connor, the Cultural Officer for Great Britain based in London, is the founder of Irish Film London, where she has served as Programme Director for the last decade, and a member of the Mayor of London’s St Patrick’s Community Advisory Board.

Four other priority locations for the appointment of Cultural Officers were specified in Global Ireland 2025 - Beijing, Los Angeles, Paris and Tokyo - with the possibility of additional locations in the lifetime of the strategy. The timing for these recruitments is under ongoing consideration by both departments, subject to resources and requirements in those locations.

ENDS

Notes

Role Description - New York

promote Ireland’s cultural engagement throughout the CGNY Consular region (New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Delaware, Pennsylvania and West Virginia), in line with relevant multi-annual strategies and programmes to promote Irish culture internationally
work with Culture Ireland to extend and maximise touring opportunities for artists being supported to present work in the US, and develop a regional approach to cultural promotion across the eastern United States
work to broaden the reach of Irish culture across the United States, outside traditionally stronger locations, including through developing relationships with partner organisations on an ongoing basis and the meetings of the network of Irish cultural centres and organisations in North America
map and cultivate relationships with cultural organisations in the region, and broker partnerships between Irish and US artists, ensembles, institutions, venues and festivals, including the Irish artistic and creative diaspora resident in the region
work alongside other European Consulates-General and the EUNIC (EU National Institutes for Culture) network to situate Ireland and Irish culture in its European context, presenting Ireland as both European and Irish
support Culture Ireland as required in the effective delivery of its showcase events, and assist in the development, delivery and promotion of cultural events generally on behalf of Culture Ireland, DFAT and other relevant state bodies, for example Tourism Ireland, including flagship or large-scale initiatives and cultural programmes for high-level visits by the President and Taoiseach
work with Screen Ireland to promote opportunities for the film, TV and animation industry and with relevant state bodies to develop links across other creative industries, for example architecture and design
assist and advise on the the promotion of Irish studies in the region, including the expansion of the D/TCAGSM/Fulbright Commission partnership which promotes the teaching of the Irish language in higher education institutions in the US
work with CGNY and the US offices of State Agencies headquartered in New York to maximise the potential economic impact of cultural events funded by the State and to promote Ireland’s visibility and reputation
monitor and report on the impact of cultural events, including those organised by the Consulate General, those in receipt of Culture Ireland support across the Eastern US, and other partnership-based events
navigate and adapt approaches as required to the evolving changes to Irish and US arts ecologies as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic

Role Description - London

promoting Ireland’s cultural engagement throughout Britain, in line with relevant multi-annual strategies and programmes to promote Irish culture internationally
working with Culture Ireland to extend and maximise touring opportunities for artists being supported to present work across Britain and develop a regional approach to cultural promotion in England, Scotland and Wales, building on the GB18 Programme
working to broaden the reach of Irish culture across Britain, outside traditionally stronger locations, including through developing relationships with partner organisations on an ongoing basis and collaborating with Irish cultural organisations
mapping and cultivating relationships with cultural organisations across Britain, and brokering partnerships between Irish and British artists, ensembles, institutions, venues and festivals, including the Irish artistic and creative diaspora resident in Britain
working alongside other European Diplomatic Missions and the EUNIC (EU National Institutes for Culture) network to situate Ireland and Irish culture in its European context, presenting Ireland as both European and Irish
supporting Culture Ireland as required in the effective delivery of its showcases, including events at Celtic Connections, Edinburgh Festivals and other one-off special promotional events
assisting in the development, delivery and promotion of cultural events generally on behalf of the Embassy, Culture Ireland, and other relevant state bodies, including flagship or large-scale initiatives and cultural programmes for high-level visits by the President and Taoiseach
planning and managing events within the premises of the Embassy that highlight the richness and diversity of Irish arts and culture and ensuring that key public diplomacy events (St Patrick’s Day/St Brigid’s Day) at the Embassy feature an appropriate cultural dimension
collaborating with the Consulates General in Edinburgh and Cardiff in the planning and execution of their cultural programmes in Scotland and Wales
working with Screen Ireland to promote opportunities for the film, TV and animation industry and with relevant state bodies to develop links across other creative industries, for example architecture and design
assisting and advising regarding the promotion of Irish studies and the Irish language in Britain
working with the Embassy, Consulates and State Agencies in Britain to maximise the promotional impact of cultural events funded by the State so as to enhance Ireland’s visibility and reputation
monitoring and reporting on the impact of cultural events, including those funded or supported by the Irish missions in Britain, those in receipt of Culture Ireland support in Britain, and other partnership-based events
navigating and adapting approaches as required to the evolving changes to Irish and British arts environments because of the COVID-19 pandemic

Nik Quaife

Nik Quaife has been working with Irish arts and culture since 1999 when he joined the Broadway production of Riverdance as stage manager. Since then, and with his own Arts PR company, Nik has worked with many of Ireland’s leading artists and arts organisations including projects like the reopening of the Centre Culturel Irlandais in Paris, the opening of the new Wexford Opera House, Dublin Writers Festival, Dublin Fringe Festival, Landmark Productions, Druid Theatre and Irish National Opera. Most recently, Nik was part of the core team delivering the RAISE philanthropy programme for the Arts Council.

Nik has also worked with Culture Ireland on various projects since 2005 including managing Press and Communications for Imagine Ireland, Culture Ireland’s year of Irish arts in America and GB18, a year of Irish arts in Britain.

In New York, Nik has worked for ten years with the Irish Arts Center in various roles in Marketing, PR and Fundraising.

Kelly O'Connor

Founder and Programme Director of Irish Film London for the last 10 years, O’Connor is also a member of the Mayor of London’s St. Patrick’s Community Advisory Board. Former roles include Digital Marketing Manager at The Irish World Newspaper and General Manager at the Irish Cultural Centre in London. She has been a short films judge at the Galway Film Fleadh, a guest speaker at the London Film School, is a Hibernian Hero Award nominee and has a First Class Honours degree in Fine Art Video and Sound.