This "first-time, unprecedented celebration of Irish arts" is an initiative of Culture Ireland. More than 1,000 artists and producers from Ireland are involved, representing "all art forms including theatre, music, literature, visual arts, dance and film." The Irish government's investment of €4 million ($5.2 million) in Imagine Ireland "will enable Irish artists to strengthen the bonds which exist between Ireland and America, to generate new relationships and opportunities with key partners and presenters and to build new audiences and interest in Ireland across the cultural, business and heritage sectors."

Among the theatrical highlights are:

Multi-venue, national tours by the Abbey Theatre (Ibsen's John Gabriel Borkman at BAM, Mark O'Rowe's Terminus at various venues).

Druid Theatre Company productions (The Silver Tassie at Lincoln Center Festival, Penelope in Washington, DC, and The Cripple of Inishmaan in eight cities).

The first-time appearance by the Gate Theatre at New York's Under the Radar Festival (Beckett's Watt)

The Performance Corporation with Solas Nua will create Swampoodle, a site-specific work in Washington, DC.

The Company will present As You Are Now So Once Were We (Best Production, ABSOLUT Fringe Festival 2010) at the RADAR Festival in Los Angeles.

For more information, visit www.imagineireland.ie.