Members of the Cultural Policy Observatory Ireland, Prof Aoife McGrath, Dr Emma McAllister and Dr Victoria Durrer, recently presented research at the Sociological Association of Ireland Annual Conference 2026, held at Queen’s University Belfast on 7–8 May 2026. The conference theme, Conflict, Change, Solidarity, brought together sociologists and interdisciplinary researchers from across Ireland and beyond to share new work on social transformation, culture, identity and policy.

The research presented by the CPOI members draws from their work on the project Building Capacity for Cultural Industries: Towards a Shared-Island Approach, a major collaborative research initiative examining cross-island relationships, policies and practices in the professional performing arts sector, with a focus on dance and theatre funded through the Irish Research Council New Foundations Scheme under the Shared Island Initiative.

The project involved workshops, focus groups, interviews and sectoral analysis with artists, policymakers and cultural organisations operating across Ireland and Northern Ireland. The research highlights both the opportunities and challenges involved in developing stronger all-island cultural infrastructures and collaborative practices.

The participation of CPOI members at the SAI conference reflects the Observatory’s ongoing commitment to engaging with colleagues across disciplines, sharing emerging research, and building connections around critical and policy-engaged approaches to cultural research. The conference provided an important opportunity to exchange ideas with researchers working across sociology and public policy, and to contribute to wider conversations about cultural life, collaboration and governance on the island of Ireland.