Culture Chats is a round table discussion that intertwines cultural and social conversations with performance; while delving into the minds of some of the leading contemporary voices in Irish culture.

Streamed on RTE.ie Culture, MART.ie and CIACLA.com

Episode 1 – Performance & The Spectacle

The first episode features musician Erica Cody, writer Felispeaks, visual artist MASER, DJ/Broadcaster Tara Stewart and musician James Vincent McMorrow discussing the spectacle and performance. The discussion is led by Matthew Nevin. Through an accessible and free flowing conversation the panel of artists, musicians, writers and actors discuss their creative processes, artistic drives, performative anxieties and triumphs while intercutting performances and examples of their work.

Episode 2 – Contemporary Disciplines

Matthew Nevin chats with an exciting lineup; featuring multidisciplinary artists Niamh Hannaford and Day Magee, award winning director Eamonn Murphy, composer Ruth O’Mahony-Brady and internationally renowned singer Chloë Agnew. The chat showcases and celebrates these artists’ work, while discussing the highs and lows that come with a career in the arts. The conversation moves across artistic disciplines and provides an insight into how these artists are paving the way to create and develop a modern arts scene in Ireland.

Episode 3 – Sustaining a Career in the Arts

Features Matthew Nevin hosting a discussion focusing on sustaining a career in the arts in Ireland. Matthew chatted with some of Ireland’s most successful artists, including internationally renowned artists Amanda Coogan, playwright and director Philip McMahon, writer and journalist Una Mullally, Actor and writer Paddy C. Courtney and award winning choreographer and performer Philip Connaughton. All of whom over their creative careers have made important contributions and impact into the development of Contemporary Irish culture. The conversation covers the highs and lows of working in the arts, tips for their peers and focuses on the journeys that led them to gaining international recognition.

Episode 4 – Irish in Los Angeles

Episode 4 was filmed during November 2022 on location at Building Bridges, Bergamot Station Arts Center in Santa Monica, Los Angeles, during CIACLA’s Irish Contemporaries Exhibition, where Matthew Nevin hosted a discussion with Irish Creatives living in Los Angeles on how the they have found success, the ups and downs of their experiences of working in LA and advice for anyone looking to follow in their footsteps. The episode features: Olivia Tracey, an established actress and one of Ireland’s most distinguished models, Kirsten Sheridan is an Irish film director and screenwriter, Sonya Macari Devlin an entrepreneur and actress and Jenn McGuirk an actress, singer, voice over artist.

Culture Chats was co produced by MART Gallery & Studios and CIACLA Los Angeles. Supported by Culture Ireland.