It gives us all great pleasure to celebrate significant birthdays, and The Arts Council this year marks the 70th anniversary of its very first meeting on 25th January 1952 at No. 45 St. Stephen's Green. Over the course of the year, we will use the opportunity to look back at the extraordinary achievements of Irish artists throughout the country with whom we have engaged since the Council's very first meeting on that cold January day. We will be mining the archives, reflecting on the present and looking to what promises to be a very bright future for Ireland's artists and the communities with which they work.  

Your work and your experiences are critical parts of The Arts Council's story, and we hope that you will join us for public events and information sessions throughout the year. We will be launching a number of publications and announcing some special awards to celebrate this landmark anniversary. More than anything, we want to celebrate your magnificent achievement in continuing to make exquisite art for, and indeed with, the public. We will stay in touch as our programmes develop and we look forward to celebrating the past, present and future in marking this significant year for all of us.  

Maureen Kennelly

Director