The Goethe-Institut has been present in Ireland since 1961 and plays an important role in German-Irish cultural exchange. In 2021, we celebrate the past 60 years with our partners and lay the foundations for the future.

Having opened its doors on Dublin’s Merrion Square in October 1961, the Goethe-Institut has long played an important role in sharing a contemporary image of Germany, fostering cultural cooperation and exchange, and promoting the knowledge of the German language.

To celebrate its 60th anniversary in Ireland, the Goethe-Institut has put together a diverse programme of activities with a variety of partners, which will launch on 7th October and run until the end of the month. The programme will feature a mix of in-person and online activities, and will include musical performances; film screenings; panel discussions; free online language taster classes; a visual arts programme, including a series of exhibitions; and more.

The visual arts programme will feature a series of exhibitions and accompanying events in collaboration with the renowned German academy of fine arts in Frankfurt am Main, the Städelschule. Entitled ‘The German School’, the collaboration will present the work of 24 students of the academy’s film class, who come from five continents. Against the backdrop of more than 18 months of Covid-related restrictions, the programme reflects and explores the desire among young artists to connect with others internationally. Also included in the Goethe-Institut’s visual arts programme is a collaboration with the Hugh Lane Gallery, which – through an exhibition, film screenings, talks and lectures – focuses on influential German artist, Joseph Beuys.