Funders, Patrons & Philanthropy at Siamsa Tíre

Commitment to sharing the stories of rural Ireland past, present and future through giving.

Funding & Patrons

Siamsa Tíre is a registered charity, and relies on a combination of ticket sales, visitor donations, corporate sponsors and grants to keep Irish folk culture alive through music, dance, theatre productions, workshops and art exhibits.

We work closely with our funders to ensure that we are representing the best of Irish culture in person at our theatre in Tralee, Ireland and online through streaming events.

As a funder or patron, your investment in Siamsa Tíre supports many different facets of the arts, as well as Irish artists, musicians, dancers and thespians. Grants allow us to promote Irish arts and culture, in many mediums, not just across Ireland but into popular Siamsa Tíre markets like the US, UK and Canada where there is a natural affinity for Irish culture. This ongoing global footprint drives continued interest, appreciation and tourism.

For further information on our governance and policies and to meet our board directors and company members, click HERE

Philanthropy, Trusts and Patrons

We relish the opportunity to work closely with our patrons at Siamsa Tíre and always look for opportunities to stay connected, receive feedback and collaborate on meaningful projects, through:

A dedicated liaison that will work closely with you to achieve your organisations’ goals
An opportunity to provide input as to how your investment is used across the different offerings that Siamsa Tíre brings to its audience and students
Invitations to take part in relevant Siamsa Tíre activities including attending shows, gaining insights into the inner workings of the theatre, and a direct connection with the staff that keeps it all going
Reports and updates pertinent to your organisation’s interests
Direct access to the Siamsa Tíre leadership team, to discuss strategy and plans for the future

Public Exchequer Funding

Siamsa Tíre’s major core public funder is The Arts Council of Ireland. The Arts Council of Ireland has expressed the view that Siamsa Tíre is an organisation of significant infrastructural importance and it currently provides annual funding under its strategic Arts Centre support strand.

In response to the collapse of the live events industry caused by the global pandemic, in 2020 The Arts Council provided €310,000 annual funding, €174,000 in Emergency Stabilization funding and €20,000 in Capacity Building funding.

In a year when Siamsa Tíre lost 85% of earned revenue due to the COVID crisis, this significant invaluable support from the Arts Council provided over 50% of our total income for the year. Most of the balance of our income also came from other Exchequer funding streams such as the Revenue Commissioners, the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment and Fáilte Ireland. Combined, these funding supports enabled our fifty-year old organization to continue and plan for recovery and we are very grateful for all of this support.

Siamsa Tíre has also been supported with invaluable core and capital grant funding totalling over €2 million from the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media over the past ten years. Without this support, Siamsa Tíre’s efforts to reduce our carbon footprint and implement our award-winning greening policies would not have been possible.

Kerry County Council has also provided between €20,000 and €32,200 core funding each year over the past ten years under its annual Arts Grant Aid scheme to support the artists and citizens of Kerry in accessing a varied arts programme in the county with particular emphasis on youth arts engagement.

Interested in supporting Siamsa Tíre? We’d love to hear from you

To find out more about the work of Siamsa Tíre and to discuss how your investment will create a lasting impact on the continued development of one of Ireland's leading theatres and arts centres as Kerry's cultural hub and home of Irish folk culture, please contact our Business Development and Marketing Manager Michelle Murphy at marketing@siamsatire.com

Governance at Siamsa Tíre

As a registered charity under the Charities Act, Siamsa Tíre upholds the highest level of governance to ensure transparency to our donors and partners. All funding supports the theatre and furthers the agenda of the National Folk Theatre of Ireland to support Irish culture.

Governance & Policies
Board of Directors

Siamsa Tíre Cuideachta faoi Theorainn Ráthaichta is a registered charity under the Charities Act 2009 and complies with the Charities Regulatory Authority’s Governance Code and the Principles of Good Fundraising.

Registered Address – Town Park, Tralee, Co. Kerry.

Registered in Dublin, Ireland.
No. 38483
CHY No. 5842