What is the Roots in Ireland Project?
(updated Oct. 2021)
A year-long exploration of Jamie’s vocal heritage, and the roots of her family’s Chicago Salon tradition, exploring the world of her Irish American relations: feisty activists, artists and writers, and the Irish literary revival in the early 20th century. The Project will culminate in a journey to Ireland, and a performance celebrating the Centenary of the James Joyce masterpiece Ulysses.
Why is Jamie doing this?
Climbing out of the pandemic, after a year of personal losses, and earning minimal business income, Jamie kicked-off an ambitious cultural arts, community project with the sold-out “Roots in the Garden,” an outdoor music series, presented in distinctive Chicago area venues, thus reviving the Salon tradition of her artistic foremothers, and fostered by Jamie for over 25 years – until the pandemic!
She created an extensive marketing and fundraising effort for the yearlong-plus project Roots in Ireland, collaborating with women-owned businesses and skilled artisans. She is hiring musicians, recording engineers, graphic and video designers. And seeking compensation herself! The year culminates with Jamie’s trip to Ireland summer of 2022, exploring her roots where she will do more research and prepare for an exhibition in 2022.
With this dream project, she is celebrating her musical and literary heritage and inviting others to do the same. YOUR SUPPORT is needed and appreciated!
Contribute here via Paypal. https://www.paypal.com/donate/?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=UBBN4EZPF9MB6
The exciting Roots in Ireland 2022 Project is in launch mode! This ambitious yearlong effort will involve:
- Research, reading, writing including webpages and weekly blogs
- Recording and reviewing the musical catalog
- Designing and implementing a marketing and fundraising campaign
- Implemented the fundraising. (Received an Artist Rescue grant)
- Successful Facebook birthday fundraising and small business fundraiser through PayPal
- Extensive social media outreach
- Hiring a videographer
- Creating a short film – completed! Oct 2021
- Doing radio interviews
- Hosting sold-out Roots in the Garden Salon Events (see image below) AND MORE…
- Setting up concerts of In Old Chicago
- Developing business partnerships with women-owned businesses
- Working with female artisans to create new work
- Creating and assembling donor premiums
- Producing virtual and in person public fundraising events
- Co-hosting family history events
- Seeking performance opportunities in Ireland
- Developing a travel itinerary
- Developing programming in Ireland
- Documenting the project
- Planning a public exhibition for 2022
Support Jamie O’Reilly’s Roots in Ireland 2022 Project!
Watch the video here. https://www.jamieoreilly.com/videos/jamie-oreilly-roots-in-ireland-a-video-a-musical-journey/
Sept update
I am four months into this project. Updates are on my monthly newsletters and blog. All shows this summer were sold-out and lovely. The next step is finishing a short video about my career and the background on the Roots in Ireland Project. I am updating my songlist for the In Old Chicago show Nov 6, with Sanctuary City, a new song about Chicago by Anne Hills and Al Power.
Summer Update
Thanks for the encouragement about the Roots in Ireland Project. It is gaining momentum! I started producing a video with videographer Jeffrey Bivens. We inteviewed Siobhan McKinney at Chief O’Neill’s Pub. A snail-mailing went out this week. I launched a birthday fundraiser via FACEBOOK. I am filling in the performance calendar with concerts at Dreambox Gallery Garden, Tre Kronor Swedish Bistro, Givens Castle and a private home in Cary, Il, with my band the Rogues.
Read more here: https://www.jamieoreilly.com/may-enews-out-about-roots-in-garden/
I’m meeting with friends, artists and business owners. We are planning a VIP Fete event for the fall, and creating gift premiums for supporters. We are featuring women-owned businesses and artisans among the offerings.
- House & Garden Concerts for intimate gatherings
- Jennifer Friedrich’s La Fée Verte Apothecary
- Chief O’Neill’s Pub, VIP event
- Tre Kronor Swedish Bistro & The Sweden Shop
- Iwona Biedermann’s Dreambox Gallery photography
- One of a kind clothing and gifts
- Decorative handicrafts by quilters, seamstresses, crafters
- Foodstuffs
- Musical recordings
Come on board!
Read about the project on this page: https://www.jamieoreilly.com/projects/roots-ireland-2022-project/
| Please click on pay button below with Paypal or credit card to make a donation. Zelle and checks are also accepted. (see form below) Questions? Email jamie@jamieoreilly.com |
The online form looks like the onebelow.
Or print the pdf. Click here.
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