Irish Arts Center (IAC), based in New York City and renowned for presenting dynamic, inspiring, collaborative experiences of the evolving arts and culture of Ireland and Irish America in an environment of warm Irish hospitality, announces its Spring 2026 season.
IAC’s panoramic and multidisciplinary conception of Irish culture—and the ways it influences and is influenced by cultures around the world—is on vital display as works daringly collide genres and forms, past and present.
Irish Arts Center, founded in 1972 and based in Hell’s Kitchen, is a home for artists and audiences of all backgrounds who share a passion or appreciation for the evolving arts and culture of contemporary Ireland and Irish America. We present, develop, and celebrate work from established and emerging artists and cultural practitioners, providing audiences with emotionally and intellectually engaging experiences—fueled by collaboration, innovation, adventurousness, authenticity, and the celebration of our common humanity, in an environment of Irish hospitality.
Steeped in grassroots traditions, we also provide community education programs and access to the arts for people of all ages and ethnic, racial and socioeconomic backgrounds. In an historic partnership of the people of Ireland and New York, Irish Arts Center recently opened a state-of-the-art new facility to support this mission for the 21st century and has begun work on the project’s second phase, the redevelopment of IAC’s adjacent, original 51st Street building.
Irish Arts Center’s 2026 season reflects an ever-expanding vision for what’s possible within its walls and an emboldened approach to Irish culture at the nexus of tradition and innovation. Partnerships with legendary organizations on both sides of the Atlantic—Carnegie Hall, Lyric Theatre, Belfast, and the Under the Radar Festival—further reveal IAC’s growth into one of New York’s leading presenters of international performance, helping to keep New York a critical site of global dialogue.
Irish Arts Center Executive Director Aidan Connolly said, “As we enter our fifth full year in our magnificent new home, we are thrilled to present another season of eclectic work by thrilling Irish artists across a range of disciplines for New York’s adventurous audiences, taking them on an emotional journey through boundary-pushing theatre, thrilling live music, propulsive dance, provocative visual art, world class traditional culture, and much more.”
The season is bookended by two works of performance that defy genre entirely, both bringing together music and theatricality in moving and expansive explorations of legacy. In North Star (produced and presented by Irish Arts Center and Solab in association with the Lyric Theatre, Belfast), creator and director Kwame Daniels brings to IAC a live music and spoken word performance inspired by the speeches of abolitionist Frederick Douglass during his historic visit to Belfast in 1845. This collaborative, immersive, standing-room show fuses artistic responses to Douglass’s experience from an eclectic range of contemporary artists—including hip-hop, jazz, gospel, electronic and classical musicians, poets, and young people from Belfast and New York—in a moving, provocative artistic journey rooted in Black cultures, and inspired by Douglass’s deep connection with Belfast. IAC’s presentation of North Star, June 3-21, follows IAC’s collaboration with the Lyric following 2024’s “impeccably acted…meditation for this moment” (The New York Times) Agreement,and 2023’s “charming…tonic of a musical” (The New York Times, Critic’s Pick review) Good Vibrations.
North Star concludes the season that begins January 7-18 with Dublin-based company Brokentalkers’ Bellow (part of the 2026 Under the Radar Festival). In this work, “one of Ireland’s most fearless and path-breaking theatre companies” (Irish Independent) fuses experimental theater, concert (in a musical collision of traditional Irish accordion and an electronic score), and dance. Danny O’Mahony—who has devoted over four decades to accordion playing—performs live with Brokentalkers’ Gary Keegan and dance artist Emily Kilkenny Roddy, as he processes the weight of a life dedicated to tradition.
Music traces Irish culture’s evolution across time, revealing how deeply our past enriches what we make today. IAC begins a monumental multi-year partnership with one of the world’s most iconic concert halls—Carnegie Hall—and international arts management company Askonas Holt with a performance by Martin Hayes and the Common Ground Ensemble on March 17. At Carnegie Hall, globally acclaimed fiddler Hayes will be joined by his latest collective, which includes Cormac McCarthy on piano, Kate Ellis on cello, Kyle Sanna on guitar, and Brian Donnellan on bouzouki, harmonium, and concertina. Special guests will include Irish harpist and sean-nós singer Síle Denvir; contemporary folk singer and multi-instrumentalist Sam Amidon; percussive dancers Nic Gareiss and Stephanie Keane; and Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Paul Muldoon.
In Impasse, another stirring intersection of genres, Nigerian-Irish choreographer and dancer Mufutau Yusuf creates a dance to a score mixing sounds of his Yoruba roots with Bach and hip-hop for an arresting duet (with Shafiki Sseggayi) exploring African diasporic experiences and the politics of the Black body in Western society. Activating dance as an act of reclamation, Impasse has been hailed as an “exciting and thoughtful…terrific new work” that’s “sharp, detailed, full of grace” and “build[s] to a propulsive climax” (The Guardian). It marks Yusuf’s return to IAC—where he made his full-length choreographic debut with Òwe in 2022.
Bell X1, the multi-platinum-selling band that across 2.5 decades merging genres with a strong foundation of Irish alternative rock have “continue[d] to confound expectations and better themselves in the process” (DIY Magazine), return to New York for the first time since 2014 at Irish Arts Center, April 8-10. The band, “a cornerstone of modern Irish music” (The Irish Times) will be joined by Dowry Strings in what has been described as “a celestial collaboration that brings an extra element to the treasured tunes” (The Irish Examiner).
These large-scale musical events are paired with another type of experience for which IAC has, throughout its over-50-year history, been cherished: its concerts bringing audiences up close with the arresting beauty, power, and festiveness of Irish (and local New York) music. In the new Irish Arts Center’s cozy and inviting Devlin Café, three beloved, free recurring series continue: the Café Concert Series (April 15 featuring Gráinne Hunt with Jules Stewart); evenings of traditional music and community with Traditional Irish Sessions and Slow Sessions (February 20, April 17, May 8); and the monthly showcase of original songwriting Big City Folk Song Club (February 26, March 26, April 16, May 14).
As IAC presents this stunning range of performances across the months, the organization continues to anchor its season and its home with a major visual arts exhibition. In Spring 2026, that’s “one of the leading, and most significant, artists of our time” (The Irish Times) Brian Maguire’s Portraits—The Failure of the State. Maguire’s keen portraiture from three bodies of work shines a light on the systemic violence without justice in three distinct corners of the world: Missoula, Montana; Bentiu, South Sudan; and Ciudad Juárez, Mexico. The exhibition, curated by Maolíosa Boyle and Jonathan Cummins will be on display from February 10-June 20.
Whether in IAC’s home or in the streets of New York, the season offers countless opportunities for intimate encounters with Irish literature and discourse and a significant sense of community. The season features events with journalist Fintan O’Toole and Northern Ireland editor of the Belfast Telegraph Sam McBride discussing their book For and Against a United Ireland (March 14); and author Cauvery Madhavan in conversation (with Irish Stew podcast’s Martin Nutty) about her novel The Inheritance, April 16; and, bridging community and literary programming, IAC’s St. Patrick’s Day tradition, the 14th Annual Book Day, handing out free books in all five boroughs (March 17).
IAC Spring 2026 Programming Schedule & Descriptions
[FAMILY & COMMUNITY]
Cultural Immigrant Initiative at P.S. 69Q
January – May
In this year’s iteration of IAC’s annual intercultural, community art residency at PS69Q in Jackson Heights, students will take part in 10 weeks of dance classes—Irish and Tibetan—and creative writing workshops, which will culminate in performances and sharing events for parents, peers, and the public. The organization thanks NYC Council Member Shekar Krishnan for his continued support of this program.
[THEATRICAL PERFORMANCE]
Brokentalkers
Bellow
Part of the 2026 Under the Radar Festival
Written by Feidlim Cannon, Gary Keegan, and Danny O’Mahony
Performed by Danny O’Mahony, Gary Keegan, and Emily Kilkenny Roddy
January 7-18
Danny O’Mahony—one of Ireland’s foremost accordionists and a man who has dedicated his life to the preservation of traditional Irish music—revisits pivotal moments in his life: his first taste of music as a child, the mentors who shaped him, and the unrelenting pursuit of artistic mastery that left room for little else. Alongside his sublime live playing, Bellow features an original electronic composition by Valgier Siggurdson and contemporary dance from Emily Kilkenny Roddy, heightening the tension between past and present. The result is an arresting, astonishingly beautiful theatre performance exploring the weight of tradition, the capriciousness of memory, and the artist’s need to express their true self.
[FAMILY & COMMUNITY]
St. Brigid’s Imbolc Family Concert
The Crankie Island Song Project
Saturday, February 7
The Crankie Island Song Project features Dervish’s Cathy Jordan and artist Peter Crann, who bring Irish lore to life through traditional songs from all across Ireland illustrated by hand-drawn crankies—picture scrolls that move with the music. They perform in the JL Greene Theatre at IAC’s annual family concert celebrating St. Brigid’s Day and Imbolc, the ancient Celtic festival marking the coming of spring, with Imbolc-inspired crafts to follow.
[VISUAL ART]
Brian Maguire
Portraits—The Failure of the State
Curated by Maolíosa Boyle and Jonathan Cummins
February 10–June 20
February 10: opening reception with the artist and curators
Portraits—The Failure of the State presents painter Brian Maguire’s portraits from three bodies of work that investigate the catastrophic impact of systemic violence without justice in Missoula, Montana; Bentiu, South Sudan; and Ciudad Juárez, Mexico. Maguire is an artist who looks outward, beyond the studio, engaging with the world and working in close dialogue with the families and communities of those erased, displaced, and forgotten by the failure of state institutions to serve and protect. Portraiture is at the heart of his practice: each work is an act of turning towards a person, their family and community, spending time and bearing witness where justice is absent.
[FAMILY & COMMUNITY]
St. Pat’s for All
Wednesday, February 11: Benefit at Irish Arts Center
Sunday, March 1: Parade in Sunnyside and Woodside, Queens
Irish Arts Center hosts the benefit event supporting the 2026 St. Pat’s for All parade, one of the most inclusive and progressive celebrations of Irish culture and solidarity in the U.S. Join IAC for
music, drinks, raffles, and fun!
[MUSIC]
Traditional Irish Sessions and Slow Sessions
February 20, April 17, May 8
In the Devlin Café
Come to IAC for free evenings of traditional Irish music and community! Beginner players kick off the event at 6pm; advanced players jump in at 8pm. Audience members—join at any time. The Devlin Café is open all night!
[MUSIC]
Big City Folk Song Club
February 26, March 26, April 16, May 14
In the Devlin Café
Big City Folk Song Club continues its residency at IAC with a monthly showcase of original songwriting from NYC artists. Curated and hosted by acclaimed Irish songwriter Niall Connolly, the series has long been a welcoming space for emerging and established voices alike, counting Lana Del Rey, Anaïs Mitchell, Lucius, Mundy, Mick Flannery, and Susan O’Neill among its past performers.
[FAMILY & COMMUNITY]
St. Patrick’s Open Day
Saturday, March 14
Guests of all ages can enjoy traditional Irish music and dance performances, sample Irish language lessons, watch short films from famed Irish animation company Cartoon Saloon, take part in storytime from Children’s Books Ireland and Books of Wonder, sing along to a concert by urban cowboy Hopalong Andrew, make arts and crafts, and more, all at IAC’s 26th annual open house. Admission is free.
[LITERATURE]
Fintan O’Toole
and Sam McBride
For and Against a United Ireland
Saturday, March 14
Fintan O’Toole and Sam McBride discuss their new book in which each author presents arguments both for and against Irish unity. From the deceptively simple question “What does a ‘united Ireland’ actually mean?” to the hard-headed calculus of public services, taxation, and identity, O’Toole and McBride probe every fault line with forensic precision and intellectual flair.
[FAMILY & COMMUNITY]
14th Annual Book Day
Tuesday, March 17
Every year, IAC celebrates St. Patrick’s Day with the most cherished of Irish traditions: sharing stories. The IAC family of volunteers, staff, sponsors and supporters, along with IAC’s partners at the New York City Council, will be handing out free books at Book Day pop-up stations in all five boroughs. Visit irishartscenter.org, or follow IAC on Instagram, Facebook or X, for times and locations.
[MUSIC]
Martin Hayes and the Common Ground Ensemble
A St. Patrick’s Day Celebration at Carnegie Hall
Presented by Carnegie Hall in collaboration with Irish Arts Center, New York, and National Concert Hall, Dublin; with support from Culture Ireland.
A co-presentation with Askonas Holt
Tuesday, March 17
At Carnegie Hall Stern Auditorium / Perelman Stage
The virtuosic Irish fiddler Martin Hayes and his Common Ground Ensemble lead a St. Patrick’s Day celebration featuring an exciting roster of special guests, sean-nós singing and dancing, and modern takes on Irish traditions. This special event is the first of a multi-year St. Patrick’s Day concert series presented by Carnegie Hall in collaboration with Irish Arts Center and Askonas Holt.
[LITERATURE, HUMANITIES, &FILM]
Féile na Gaeilge / Irish Language Day
Saturday, March 28
This year’s event celebrates the storytelling practices that sustain and evolve the Irish tradition today. The afternoon’s program includes story-focused workshops, conversation circles, Irish language short films, and a special storytelling session curated and hosted by Seanchoíche, a Dublin-based global storytelling collective.
[MUSIC]
Bell X1 & Dowry Strings
April 8-10
Back in New York for their first show since 2014 and following a sold-out Irish tour, multi-platinum-selling indie rock trio Bell X1 perform new interpretations of their 25-year catalog with cross-genre ensemble Dowry Strings, led by multi-instrumentalist and composer Éna Brennan.
[MUSIC]
Café Concert Series
Gráinne Hunt with Jules Stewart
Wednesday, April 15
In the Devlin Café
Irish singer-songwriter Gráinne Hunt and San Diego drummer/vocalist Jules Stewart create a bi-continental queer folk duo defined by rich harmonies, emotive storytelling, and magnetic chemistry.
[LITERATURE
Cauvery Madhavan in Conversation
The Inheritance
Thursday, April 16
Arriving in Beara in 1986 and moving into a cottage he has just inherited, writer Marlo is amazed how quickly he feels at home. But the land carries its own inheritance. In the wildness of the forest, the openness of Big Meadow and the crashing waves around the island of Dursey, echoes of the past still resonate, and a 400 year old tragedy reveals itself.
Inspired by her love of Ireland, her home for over 30 years, the acclaimed Indian writer Cauvery Madhavan evokes the magical Beara peninsula in her newest novel, weaving the true story of the Long March of O’Sullivan Beare in 1602, when the English military forced the Irish from their lands, into a tale of longing, identity, and finding peace. Martin Nutty (Irish Stew podcast) joins the author in conversation.
[DANCE]
Mufutau Yusuf
Impasse
April 23-25
Performers
Mufutau Yusuf
Shafiki Sseggayi
Mufutau Yusuf’s Impasse is a stunning, charged duet that seeks to understand the politics and representation of the Black body in contemporary western society. Mixing sounds of his Yoruba roots with Bach and hip-hop, the performers challenge historical racial projections of blackness—steeped in cultural imperialism, violence, exploitation, marginalisation, and powerlessness—to reclaim its humanity and self-determination.
[THEATRICAL PERFORMANCE/MUSIC]
North Star
Created and Directed by Kwame Daniels
June 3-21
Musical compositions by Kaidi Tatham, Winnie Ama, Leo Miyagee, and Hannah Peel
Arrangements and Music Supervision by Kaidi Tatham
Choral Arrangements by Jennifer John
Musical Direction by Si Francis
Text and Spoken Word by Nandi Jola, Colin Salmon, and school pupils of Belfast and New York City
Produced and presented by Irish Arts Center and Solab in association with the Lyric Theatre, Belfast
A Belfast City Council via Belfast 2024 and Belfast Stories Co-Commission
Performers:
Kaidi Tatham, band leader, keyboard
Nandi Jola, poet
Winnie Ama, singer-songwriter
Leo Miyagee, hip-hop artist
Colin Salmon, actor
Oli Savill, percussion
Rick Swann, trumpet
Joseph Leighton, guitar
Ben Flavelle Cobain, bass
Additional artists to be announced
North Star is a live music and spoken word performance inspired by the speeches of abolitionist Frederick Douglass during his historic visit to Belfast in 1845. Conceived and developed by Kwame Daniels, this collaborative, immersive standing-room show fuses artistic responses to Douglass’s experience from an eclectic range of contemporary artists—including hip-hop, jazz, gospel, electronic and classical musicians, poets, and young people from Belfast and New York—in a moving, provocative artistic journey rooted in Black cultures, and inspired by Douglass’s deep connection with Belfast.
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