Culture Ireland (Irish: Cultúr Éireann) is the Irish State Agency established to promote and advance Irish Arts internationally. It was set up in 2005 and is funded by the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht. Its budget for 2010 was €4.083m. The specific activities of Culture Ireland include:
Funding Irish artists or arts organisations to support Irish cultural activities of excellenceFunding and facilitating Irish participation at strategic international arts eventsManaging of special ('emblematic') cultural and artistic eventsAdvising to the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism (currently, Tom Iles) on international arts and cultural affairsThe board of Culture Ireland is appointed by the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht and will serve until 2014. The board has twelve members and a chair who serve on a voluntary basis. The current members are:
Mícheál Ó Súilleabháin (Chair), Professor of Music, University of LimerickJohn O’Shea, Director of the Gathering Traditional FestivalMary McCarthy, Deputy Director of Cork 2005Mark Mulqueen, Director of Irish Film InstituteDoireann Ní Bhriain, Arts Consultant & BroadcasterPatrick Sutton, Director of the Gaiety School of ActingEve Molony, BusinesswomanPeter Sirr, Editor of Poetry Ireland ReviewDearbhla Collins, Voice Coach & PianistDavey Arthur, MusicianMary Cloake, Director of the Arts Council of IrelandNiall Ó Donnchú, Assistant Secretary Department of Arts, Heritage and the GaeltachtPhilomena Murnaghan, Counsellor Department of Foreign Affairs