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The Minister for Arts Catherine Martin has appointed six new members to the Expert Advisory Committee of Culture Ireland, which provides support for Irish arts abroad.

The new members are visual arts curator Helen Carey; theatre and opera producer and director Tom Creed; Louise Donlon, Executive Director of the Lime Tree Theatre; Noeleen Hartigan, multidisciplinary arts strategy advisor; Rosaleen Molloy, CEO of Music Generation; and Nidhi Zak, poet, editor and peace ambassador.

Commenting on the new appointments, Kieran Hanrahan, Chair of Culture Ireland, said:

As Culture Ireland is embarking on a new strategy, which will shape the approach for promoting Irish arts for the next 5 years, the appointment of such experienced new Committee members from across the arts sector is timely. We will work together to maximise the benefits for Irish artists and global audiences.

The other members of the Committee are Conor Falvey, Assistant Secretary, Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media; Désirée Finnegan, Chief Executive, Irish Film Board; Eugene Downes, Cultural Director, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade; Josephine Kelliher, Founder/Director Rubicon Gallery; Liz Doherty, academic and musician; Mark Henry, Director of Central Marketing, Tourism Ireland; Maureen Kennelly, Director, The Arts Council; and Somhairle Mac Conghail, Arts Officer, Monaghan County Council.

For more, visit https://www.cultureireland.ie.

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The nominees have been announced for the Ivor Novello Awards for British and Irish songwriters and screen composers. The awards will take place on 21 September at Grosvenor House in London.

The shortlist includes Dublin band Fontaines D.C. for A Hero’s Death in the Best Album category, and Craig Stuart Garfinkle and US-based Irish conductor and composer Eimear Noone for Two By Two: Overboard! in the Best Original Film Score category. 

See the full list of nominees below.

Songwriter of the Year
AJ Tracey, Celeste and Jamie Hartman, Kamille, Kid Harpoon and Harry Styles, MNEK

Best Album
Fontaines D.C., A Hero’s Death; Lianne La Havas, Lianne La Havas; Pa Salieu, Send Them to Coventry; Laura Marling, Song For Our Daughter; Tom Misch and Yussef Dayes, What Kinda Music

Best Contemporary Song
Dave and Fraser T Smith, ‘Children of the Internet’; Ashnikko, ‘Daisy’; Pa Salieu, ‘Energy’; Rachel Chinouriri, ‘Give Me a Reason’; For Those I Love, ‘Top Scheme’

Best Song Musically and Lyrically
Arlo Parks, ‘Black Dog’; Headie One and Fred Again.. ‘Gang’; Obongjayar, ‘God’s Own Children’; Marina, ‘Man’s World’; Celeste, ‘Stop This Flame’

PRS for Music Most Performed Work
Harry Styles, ‘Adore You’ and ‘Watermelon Sugar’; Lewis Capaldi, ‘Before You Go’; Joel Corry featuring MNEK, ‘Head & Heart’; Lewis Capaldi, ‘Someone You Loved’

Best Original Film Score
Black Mass, Calm With Horses; Anne Nikitin, Four Kids and It; Adam Janota Bzowski, Saint Maud; Daniel Pemberton, The Trial of the Chicago 7; Craig Stuart Garfinkle and Eimear Noone, Two By Two: Overboard!

Best Original Video Game Score
Ilan Eshkeri and Shigeru Umebayashi, Ghost of Tsushima; Jessica Curry and Jim Fowler, Little Orpheus; Gareth Coker, Ori and the Will of the Wisps

Best Television Soundtrack
Alex Heffes and Anoushka Shankar, A Suitable Boy; Geoff Barrow, Ben Salisbury and the Insects, Devs; David Arnold and Michael Price, Dracula; Matthew Herbert, Noughts + Crosses; Oli Julian, Us

Rising Star Award with Apple Music
Allegra, Holly Humberstone, Kamal, Rachel Chinouriri, Willow Kayne

For more, visit https://ivorsacademy.com/awards/the-ivors/

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Mark Ball has been appointed the new Artistic Director of the Southbank Centre.  

Currently Creative Director at Manchester International Festival (MIF), Ball will join the multi-arts centre in January 2022 and will have overall responsibility for delivery of the entire artistic programme, working with the Southbank Centre’s artistic team and network.

In his current role as Creative Director at Manchester International Festival (MIF), Ball is responsible for leading the artistic programme for The Factory, the new cultural space currently being built in Manchester. He was previously Artistic Director and Chief Executive of the London International Festival of Theatre (LIFT), Head of Events and Exhibitions at the Royal Shakespeare Company, and Artistic Director of Fierce! He is also Chair of Belarus Free Theatre and an Advisory Board Member of the Science and Industry Museum.

Commenting on his appointment, Ball said:

I’m thrilled to be joining the talented and passionate team at the Southbank Centre as Artistic Director. As we emerge from the pandemic it will be our shared cultural experiences that will help us unite and create a positive and optimistic future together. I’m keen to build on the unique legacy of the Southbank Centre, which emerged from the Festival of Britain, and build a bold, inclusive and collaborative international programme that’s seared with artistic innovation and experiment and that excites the imaginations of artists and audiences across London and the UK.

For more, visit https://www.southbankcentre.co.uk.

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Na Píobairí Uilleann, the organisation for uilleann pipers, has announced the appointment of Daniela Ferretti and Ellie Nic Fhionnghaile to its administrative staff.

Ferretti will succeed Anne-Marie Bell as NPU Administrator as the latter departs to pursue further academic studies. Nic Fhionnghaile takes over from Clara Grunefeld as Administrative Assistant as Clara departs to return to her native Germany.

Ferretti, an uilleann piper, studied contemporary music at the University of Macerata, Italy, before moving to Dublin where she worked in the advertising industry. She has assisted NPU as a volunteer for International Uilleann Piping Day over the past ten years.  

Nic Fhionnghaile, a fiddle player and music teacher, has recently completed a Master’s degree in music and holds a BA in applied music from Dundalk Institute of Technology.

Commenting on the appointments, NPU Chief Executive Gay McKeon said:

On behalf of the Na Píobairí Uilleann I would like to sincerely thank Anne-Marie and Clara for their contribution to the work and progress of NPU over the past number of years and wish them both the very best in their future endeavours. I would also like to congratulate Daniela Ferretti and Ellie Nic Fhionnghaile on their respective appointments and wish them every success in their new roles.

For more, visit www.pipers.ie.

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Cellist Aoibhin Keogh Daly has been announced as the winner of the Trench Award at the 5th Birr Festival of Music. The award assists singers/musicians from the midlands/mid-west region develop their careers through further study in Ireland or abroad.

Six finalists performed a 15-minute programme at a Gala Concert at Birr Theatre and Arts Centre on 21 August. A number of other awards were made, including the Birr Lions Club Bursary for Maria Matthews (soprano); the Canto Al Serchio Award for David Kennedy (baritone), and and the Audrey Chisholm Award for David Vesey (piano). A total of €8,000 in bursaries was made. The accompanist was Dearbhla Collins.

For further information, visit https://www.birrfestivalofmusic.com/the-trench-awards

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The Royal Philharmonic Society has announced the seven composers who will be joining the 2021–22 RPS Composers programme. Over the course of the year each will work with and write a new composition for one of the RPO’s partner organisations. The composers are: Lucy Armstrong writing for the Wigmore Hall as the Rosie Johnson RPS Wigmore Hall Apprentice Composer; Andrew Chen for Cheltenham Music Festival; Rylan Gleave for Presteigne Festival; Alex Ho for Manchester Camerata; Zakiya Leeming for Riot Ensemble; Sarah Lianne Lewis for the Chorus of the Royal Northern Sinfonia; and Angela Slater for Music in the Round. 

For more, visit https://royalphilharmonicsociety.org.uk/rps_today/news/introducing-the-2021-22-rps-composers