Ardán

29/10/2026

🎭 OPEN CALL: FOR ACTORS

NTA & Tilting the Lens are looking for actors to take part in a professional table read as part of
Screen Stories.

📍 Dublin City Centre
📅 Wednesday, 25 November 2026

Now in its third year, Screen Stories supports emerging Disabled screenwriters to develop original short film scripts.

This table read will bring their stories to life, providing an exciting opportunity for actors to collaborate with writers and contribute to the development of new Irish screen stories.

How to express your interest 👉
We welcome expressions of interest from actors who identify as Disabled, d/Deaf, hard of hearing and/or neurodivergent, including those with physical, learning, sensory, mental health, neurodevelopmental, neurological, communication and/or medical conditions.

We keen to hear from actors who are fluent in Irish Sign Language (ISL).

✨ All ages, genders and levels of experience welcome.
✨ No minimum acting credits required.
✨ Access requirements and accommodations will be supported wherever possible.

How to get in touch 👉

📩 Email [email protected]
with a short CV or bio, your age, gender identity and any access requirements.

🔗 read more at nationaltalentacademies.ie/news
⏰ Deadline: Nov 6th

The National Talent Academy Film and TV is an initiative of Screen Ireland managed by Ardán.

29/10/2026

🎬✨ Black & Irish × NTA Film & TV: Screen Industry Social! ✨🎬

Two years of mentorship, meaningful connections and supporting emerging talent in the Irish screen industry - let’s celebrate! 🥂

The NTA for Film & TV Drama and Black & Irish are delighted to invite you to a special evening of conversation, celebration and networking in Dublin, marking two successful years of our Black & Irish × NTA Film & TV Mentorship Programme.

Bringing together mentors, mentees and the wider screen community, this event is an opportunity to reflect on the programme’s achievements, celebrate the relationships and opportunities it has helped create, and make some new connections along the way!

🎤 The evening will begin with a panel discussion, featuring mentors and mentees sharing their experiences of mentorship, career development and navigating the Irish screen industry.

🥂 Then it’s time to network! Join us for informal drinks, good conversation and an opportunity to connect with fellow filmmakers and screen professionals in a relaxed, welcoming environment.

And everyone’s invited! Whether you’re a writer, director, producer, performer, crew member, emerging filmmaker or established professional, we’d love to see you there.

You do not need to have participated in the mentorship programme to attend - everyone is welcome!

📅 Thursday, 26 November 2026
⏰ From 6:00pm
📍 Dublin City Centre
🎟️ Free to attend | RSVP essential

✨ Full panel lineup to be announced soon!

👉 Find out more and RSVP via nationaltalentacademies.ie

Places are limited and allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.

The National Talent Academy for Film & TV Drama is an initiative of Screen Ireland, managed by Ardán

29/10/2026

🎬✨ Cork International Film Festival | Pathways to Early Credit Funding

Got a short film idea but not sure how to get it funded? 💡

The NTA is delighted to return to Cork International Film Festival as part of First Take, a day of industry insights, professional development and networking for emerging filmmakers.

We’ll be presenting Pathways to Early Credit Funding, a practical panel exploring how emerging filmmakers can take those first steps towards securing funding and getting their short films made.

Bringing together funders and filmmakers with recent experience of navigating the funding landscape, the session will offer practical advice, insights and guidance on accessing early-career funding opportunities.

🎤 Meet the Panel:
L
⭐ Jamie Hooper – Co-chair, Screen Cork
⭐ Sophie O’Donovan – Filmmaker
⭐ Clare Monnelly – Filmmaker & Actress

But that’s not all! 🎥

The wider First Take programme includes sessions on short film festival strategies, transitioning from screenwriting to directing, a keynote with filmmaker Brendan Canty, and more.

🥂 We’ll also be co-hosting the networking reception at the end of the day, offering an opportunity to meet fellow filmmakers, speakers and industry professionals.

📅 Thursday, 19 November 2026
⏰ 10:30am–4:45pm
📍 Triskel Cinema, Cork
🎟️ Tickets available via Cork International Film Festival

All First Take sessions will feature on-screen subtitles for Deaf and Hard of Hearing audiences.

👉 Find out more and book your place via Cork International Film Festival

The National Talent Academy for Film & TV Drama is an initiative of Fís Éireann / Screen Ireland, managed by Ardán

23/10/2026

22/10/2026

22/10/2026

Ardán’s European Project Coordinator John Crowley was delighted to be in Brussels last week, following his trip to Iceland, with his European consortium partners as part of European Week of Regions and Cities. 🌍✨🌾

The programme brought people from different backgrounds together to exchange ideas, challenge perspectives and explore solutions to real-world challenges.

Our roleplay session gave participants the opportunity to step into different roles in society, see challenges from new perspectives and work together to find solutions. The accompanying panel discussion continued these conversations, highlighting the potential of games and gamification to encourage participation, strengthen collaboration and inspire fresh thinking.

It was particularly encouraging to see the positive engagement and the range of perspectives people brought to the sessions. We have found that taking a playful approach can open the door to meaningful conversations and new ways of working together!

The InnoGS – Innovation Through Gamifications Solutions – project is all about exploring how innovative approaches can support stronger, more inclusive communities and create new opportunities across rural and remote regions throughout Europe.

A big thank you to everyone who took part, shared their experiences and helped make the sessions such a success. It was great to connect with colleagues and partners from across Europe and see the value of collaboration in action!

Find out more about InnoGS – Innovation through Gamification Solutions https://ardan.ie/innovation-through-gamification-solutions/

21/10/2026

European Projects Coordinator John Crowley and Games Projects Coordinator Eoin Butler Thornton travelled to Iceland last week as part of the Interreg project InnoGS. 💚✨🐳

At Ardán we’re always interested in exploring how creativity, innovation and collaboration can help address societal challenges. Our recent experience in Reykjavík offered plenty of inspiration!

Through our involvement in Interreg NPA – InnoGS alongside our partners Interreg Northern Periphery and Arctic Region Västerbotten Savonia University of Applied Sciences Creative Crowd AB, we had the opportunity to explore how games can create new ways to connect people, encourage dialogue and make learning more meaningful.

From role-play, board games and VR/XR experiences at Gróska Innovation Hub to conversations with game makers, educators and policymakers, one thing stood out: games can help people see familiar issues from entirely new perspectives.

‘Games can make complex social and political dynamics easier to explore’

Game-based approaches can encourage collaboration, build skills and help people engage with real-world challenges and the learning doesn’t just happen when playing a game — it also happens during the process of designing and developing one.

We were particularly inspired by the discussions around games and diplomacy at an event parallel to the Arctic Circle Assembly, where we explored how playful approaches can bring different perspectives together and create space for new ideas.

A big thank you to Interreg NPA – InnoGS, Ásta Olga Magnúsdóttir, everyone involved in organising the events, and all the participants and speakers who contributed to such open and thought-provoking conversations.

We’re returning to Galway with fresh ideas, new connections and plenty of inspiration for the continued collaboration and development of serious games through Ardán and ArcticKnows.

20/10/2026

🎬⚖️ Navigating AI in the Creative Industries with Kelsey Farish

How can creatives protect their work, understand their rights and navigate the growing role of AI in the screen industry?

The NTA for Film & TV Drama, in partnership with the University of Galway, is delighted to present a special masterclass with London-based entertainment lawyer Kelsey Farish, as part of the 2026 Micro-Credential in Entertainment Law.

With so much debate about AI and its impact on the creative industries, this session puts the focus back on the people at the heart of it all — writers, actors, directors, producers and other creative professionals.

Drawing on her extensive legal experience, Kelsey will explore:

⚖️ Contracts & Rights — understanding how AI may affect your work and the agreements you enter into.

✍️ Consent & Creative Ownership — protecting your voice, image, performance and creative contributions.

🎬 Power & Protection — navigating the changing balance of power between creatives and the companies they work with.

💬 Practical Guidance — knowing what questions to ask, what to look out for and how to make more informed decisions.

Kelsey has been advising on AI since 2019 and was among the first legal researchers to examine deepfakes and the protections needed for performers.

This isn’t about telling creatives what to think about AI. It’s about creating space for informed, constructive discussion, understanding the legal realities and helping people feel better equipped to navigate a rapidly changing industry.

☕ The introductory masterclass will be followed by an opportunity to discuss the learnings & network over tea and coffee.

📅 Wednesday, 18 November 2026
⏰ 7:00pm–9:00pm
📍 University of Galway

Open to screen professionals at all career stages, particularly writers, directors, actors and producers. No previous knowledge of AI is required, and all perspectives are welcome.

👉 Find out more and register via nationaltalentacademies.ie

Places are available on a first-come, first-served basis.

The National Talent Academy for Film & TV Drama is an initiative of Fís Éireann / Screen Ireland, managed by Ardán

20/10/2026

Reminder to join us from 1 to 2 pm this Wednesday 21 October for a webinar on navigating European Film Festivals with Grainne Humphreys, Executive Festival Director of Dublin International Film Festival. Gráinne will go through how best to approach and find the right European film festivals for you and your project.

Register here: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/xqCFiruWRUGvrcImnu7e5g #/registration

Screen Wexford Screen Producers Ireland Screen Directors Guild Ireland Screen Ireland Ardán

20/10/2026

Creative Europe MEDIA's funding call for European Slate Development supports 3-5 works with an option to include a short film by new talent. Deadline 1 December 2026. For advice on all MEDIA calls and help with your applications, please do contact MEDIA Office hashtag or hashtag . We're here to help!

The EACEA will host a funding information webinar on European Slate Development and *Mini-slate Development on Wednesday 14 October, 9am to 12pm Irish time (10am-1pm CET).

Details on EACEA webinars: https://www.creativeeuropeireland.eu/news-events/eacea-funding-webinars-on-creative-europe-media-calls-october-2026

* Companies based in Ireland are not eligible to apply for Mini-slate funding