Continuing to nurture  talent on an International stage through the Brussels Platform, the Arts Council of Northern Ireland is delighted one of our finest literary artists was recently  participants in the 2012 programme of events.
Pictured outside the Paul-Henri Spaak building (European Parliament) under the  ‘Europe’ statue in the historic city of Brussels, award-winning Northern Irish author Leontia Flynn took centre stage at the Office of the Northern Ireland Executive in Brussels to read extracts from her most recent collection of poetry Profit and Loss. The poet read her work in front of an international audience, including MEPs and the opinion formers amongst EU representatives in Brussels.

Award-winning poet Leontia Flynn has joined a number of leading creative talents from Northern Ireland and travelled to Brussels to perform to the Northern Ireland Executive as part of the Brussels Platform.

Continuing to nurture our very best talent on an International stage, the Arts Council of Northern Ireland were thrilled the celebrated literary artist Leontia Flynn was a recent participant in the 2012 programme of events.
In front of an audience including MEPs and the opinion formers amongst EU representatives in Brussels, Leontia shared extracts from her third collection of poetry Profit and Loss. Shortlisted for Britain’s best known poetry award, the 2011 T.S.Elliot Prize, the collection is a moving reflection on human relationships, making references to and between the international banking crises and the everyday life of what’s left behind as people and places come and go.

Damian Smyth, Head of Drama and Literature with the Arts Council of Northern Ireland said: “Leontia is a shining light in the wealth of literary talent that has emerged over recent years from Northern Ireland. At the Arts Council we aim to nurture and assist in the development of our artists. To perform at the headquarters of the European Union, is a unique opportunity for the artists taking part in the Brussels Platform – we are proud to be showcasing the very best of talent from our shores.”

The Brussels Platform is the result of collaboration between the Arts Council of Northern Ireland and the Northern Ireland Executive Office in Brussels. Launched in September 2011 the programme runs until the end of next month (June2012) and will represent musicians, writers, dancers, theatre practitioners and visual artists giving them the opportunity to showcase their talents at a series of ten monthly events at the prestigious headquarters of the NI Executive. 

Gerry Mulligan, Head of Office in Brussels, said,
"The Brussels Platform has proved a huge success for visiting artist and audiences alike. With readings to date from Lucy Caldwell and This initiative has been a wonderful platform for showcasing up and coming and established talent from Northern Ireland, here in Brussels.  As ambassadors for Northern Ireland the plethora of talent has been representative of the wealth of talent to come from Northern Irish shores.”
Still to travel to Brussels this month and next , representing the Arts Council of Northern Ireland at the Northern Ireland Executive in Brussels, are fellow poet Sinead Morrissey and actor Dan Gordon with his production of The Boat Factory which will be performed at the Bozar Theatre for three nights from the 27 June.