Agenda item

            The Committee was advised that a request had been received from the organiser of the Milwaukee Irish Festival seeking Belfast to feature as part of its programme in 2010.  The Head of Economic Initiatives advised that the Festival was the world’s largest annual Irish cultural festival and took place over four days in Wisconsin, America.  This year, the Festival, which would be staged from 19th till 22nd August, aimed to promote Irish cultural through music, dance, cultural exhibits, drama and sport.  Over 130,000 consumers were expected to visit the Milwaukee Irish Fest, of whom 79% had roots in Ireland, 55% would have visited Ireland before, with 40% planning a visit to the island within the next year.

            There were two tourism areas within the 75 acre festival site.  Destination Ireland, which was sponsored by Tourism Ireland, and a Northern Ireland Village, which would include a marquee for each County/City showcasing its particular part of Northern Ireland.  As part of the 30th anniversary celebrations, Belfast had been asked to be represented as part of a Northern Ireland Showcase.  The organiser had requested also that Belfast mount a Titanic Exhibition.

            The Head of Economic Initiatives reported that the Milwaukee Irish Festival had approached the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure requesting it to consider funding organisations in Northern Ireland to attend the Showcase.  That request was being considered currently by the Department, however, it was unlikely to receive significant investment in 2010.

            She reminded the Members that the Titanic Exhibition had first been developed as part of the Smithsonian event in 2007.  It was owned by National Museums Northern Ireland and had been in storage for the previous few years.  Tourism Ireland, in partnership with National Museums, was currently looking at updating the exhibition, with a view to displaying it in the Grand Central Station, New York in September, 2010.  The costs associated with that would be in the region of £300,000 and it was considered to be unlikely, at this stage, that those partners would consider participating in the Milwaukee Irish Fest due to timing and budget constraints.  National Museums had indicated that it could supply some exhibition content if the production and erection could be covered by the organisers of the Festival.  Whilst the Festival would not have any budget to put towards these costs, it would have the skill and resources to erect the exhibition on site.

            The Head of Economic Initiatives pointed out that the Northern Ireland Tourist Board had established a Titanic 2012 Marketing Group to identify marketing opportunities between now and 2012 in order to promote the Titanic.  It had not included the Milwaukee Festival as part of its plans, although it had acknowledged its potential.  The Belfast and Visitor Convention Bureau had included £5,000 towards attending the Festival as part of its Marketing Plan 2010.  Having discussed that with representatives of the Bureau, it had been ascertained that they were keen to go to the event to explore the opportunities which it could present for Belfast in the future.  The Bureau could liaise with the National Museums Northern Ireland and the Northern Ireland Tourist Board to source some exhibition materials to promote Belfast and the Titanic.

            The Committee agreed that it would not participate in this year’s programme but rather await the Belfast Visitor and Convention Bureau’s analysis of the event before considering any possible Council involvement in future years.