The IMDA sponsors and organizes two full days of Irish entertainment at the Landmark Center in St. Paul every March.  In 2020, these activities will include a St. Patrick’s Day Celebration on Tuesday, March 17, and a Day of Irish Dance on Sunday, March 15.  The IMDA has presented activities of this kind at the Landmark Center for 39 consecutive years.

In March of 2018, the IMDA added a new cross-cultural component to its programming for its Landmark Center activities on St. Patrick’s Day weekend.  The IMDA believes that exposure to the music, dance and customs of ethnic groups other than one’s own can help bridge gaps, foster understanding and promote mutual respect. The IMDA Cross Cultural Grant aims to provide funding for unique, collaborative projects that showcase the rich traditions of communities the world over.

Here are the details:

Written proposals regarding joint cross-cultural performance pieces will be accepted via email by the IMDA through 11:59 pm on November 15, 2019.  Each proposal should identify one or two principal contact persons, and include the name, mailing address, email address, and phone number for each such person. Proposals (and questions, if any, about proposal requirements) should be sent to info@irishmusicanddanceassociation.org. 

The maximum award amount is $1500. Groups must complete the income/expense worksheet for their application to be considered complete.

Each proposal must involve (a) at least one local person or group that performs primarily Irish music, dance, or other performance based piece and (b) at least one local person or group that performs primarily “non-Irish” music, dance or other performance based arts, especially that of an American ethnic minority or an ethnicity from a South American, African, Arabic or Asian country or culture. (Non-Irish individuals/groups that are seeking potential “co-proposal partners” from the local Irish-American community are encouraged to consult the directory that can be found at http://www.irishmusicanddanceassociation.org/resources.html, especially the “Irish Dance Performance Groups,” “Irish Dance Schools” and “Irish Musicians” sections thereof.) 

Each proposal must describe or explain what each participant (or participant group) will do as part of the joint performance piece. 

The proposed performance piece must be between 15 and 30 minutes long. 

The IMDA will review all proposals and select the winning proposal by November 30, 2019.  The IMDA reserves the right to contact any proposer to seek additional information. The IMDA also reserves the right to not select a winning proposal if the IMDA determines that no proposal will adequately achieve its cross-cultural objectives. 

Grant recipients will be required to perform their piece at the IMDA’s Day of Irish dance and/or St. Patrick’s Celebrations at Landmark Center. The IMDA will work to provide additional opportunities for performances at other events throughout the year as we are able.

The maximum award amount is $1500. Questions and applications should be sent to info@irishmusicandassociation.org or by calling Julia at 651-341-3618.