An Interview with Aidan Connolly, Executive Director of the Irish Arts Center
At Symphony Space, we work with many cultural organizations, contributing to the glorious multiplicity of activities on our stages for which we are renowned. The Irish Arts Center, a New York-based organization dedicated to promoting contemporary Irish culture, has a longstanding and close relationship with us. This season, IAC is partnering with us on a brand new work by Irish composer Donnacha Dennehy (February 5) and Bloomsday on Broadway XXXV (June 16) as well as presenting their own events, including the annual Irish Christmas: A Musical Solstice Celebration this weekend (December 18–20).
This week, I interview Aidan Connolly, the dynamic and enterprising Executive Director of the Irish Arts Center, about himself and his organization.
Can you tell us a bit about your background?
So far my professional life has consisted of three chapters. After graduating college, I spent eight years as a concert and theatre artist. When I had the chance to work on the Al Gore’s presidential campaign, I began the second chapter of my career in which I worked in politics and government for eight years. During this time, I maintained an interest in theatre by producing works of contemporary Irish playwrights like Donal O’Kelly and Macdara Vallely. In 2008 I became Executive Director of the Irish Arts Center, which brings my background in arts and politics together in a really wonderful way.
How did your partnership with Symphony Space begin?
I lived on the Upper West Side for many years. One of the first people I met as a young theatre person in New York was Isaiah Sheffer who invited me to participate in Bloomsday on Broadway in the mid-1990s. When I worked for the government, our senate district included Symphony Space, so I have a personal and abiding respect for the institution.
When I took over the Irish Arts Center, I felt that it was important to develop relationships with the broader cultural community. I think Symphony Space was the first meeting I had! We really do think of Symphony Space as our home away from home and feel we’ve been able to build a really great relationship with the audience there.
Can you talk a little about the Irish Christmas project, how it was conceived, and how it changed over the years?
Historically, the Irish Arts Center has mostly presented theatre, but recently we have expanded our programming reach. With music, I wanted to take traditional Irish music out of the pub and place it in a theatrical context with the sense of occasion we think the art form deserves. The first Irish Christmas: A Musical Solstice Celebration, which aims to place traditional music in a global context, took place in December 2007. We started by presenting the show in our own 99-seat venue, but, as the number of performances increased, it became apparent we needed a larger venue. That’s why last year we made the move to Symphony Space. It’s great to way to end the season.
What other events at Symphony Space are you looking forward to in the season season?
We’re proud to be partnering with you on the world premiere of Donnacha Dennehy’s new work for the Fuse Project in February and to introduce our audiences to this exciting composer. Then just in time for St. Patrick’s Day there’s our Celtic Appalachian Celebration, which places Irish traditional music in a global context, as it explores the musical traditions of the Ulster Scots as they merged with African banjo-playing traditions in the American South, which helped form American country and bluegrass music. And of course Bloomsday on Broadway in June! We’re honored to be part of this iconic celebration of James Joyce for Symphony Space and for New York.
