Snow, snow everywhere! Thaw out and enjoy:

• Dublin’s been shortlisted to host the World Music Expo in 2013 (any detectable irony with respect to the possible cancellation of the Festival of World Cultures?)
• Trinity has unveiled its new Long Room Hub – in a word: jealous.
• Judith Woodward is stepping down as director of the National Concert Hall – she will be greatly missed.
• A new report on Arts Attendance in Ireland has just been published & makes for fascinating reading.
• Speaking of new research, Arts Council England has published a report on the Internet and ‘digital arts audiences’ – should be required reading for Irish arts orgs (and the Irish Arts Council, and the Dept of TC&S– digital/internet strategies and development support in this country have a long way to go!)
• The Dublin Contemporary project‘s been picking up steam – although support for the event has so far been couched in the language of cultural tourism, I can’t help feeling the timing will do this initiative few favours.
• Richard Conway in The Guardian recently sang the praises of new pop-up arts spaces in Dublin– great responses in the comments (unfortunately now closed)– ryan333 however has a point!!
• I was interested to read about this campaign about charitable legacies in the IT, launched by Legacy Promotion Ireland – back in my IU fundraising days bequests were a standard part of the curriculum & training, and it surprised me initially they were so rare in Ireland. Until there are significant changes in the tax structure however I don’t see them becoming a widespread practice.