About the Animation Industry
The Irish animation industry has long been a creative cornerstone of Ireland’s vibrant film industry, and has witnessed substantial growth in the last decade. It is an integral and important component of Ireland’s digital and creative economy, employing 1,600 full-time staff.
Irish animation studios are working with some of the biggest names in global broadcasting—including Disney, Nickelodeon, Cartoon Network and the BBC—making animated series that are shown to millions of children all over the world every week. Award-winning features and shorts, animated programming for adults, apps and games are being made here by our dynamic, technically advanced—and entirely indigenous—2D and 3D studios.
Animation Ireland is the voice of the Irish animation sector whose core objective is to establish Ireland as a creative centre for content and technology by focusing on growth, developing an innovation culture and creating competitive advantage for members.
Past successes include Oscar-nominated Wolfwalkers (Cartoon Saloon), BAFTA-nominated Go Jetters (Boulder Media), box office sensation Two by Two (Moetion Films) as well as award-winners Doc McStuffins (Brown Bag) and Roy (JAM Media).
Just 10 years ago, there were only 70 people in full-time employment in animation in Ireland and in this short space of time, there are now over 20 times that number working in the sector. Ireland now houses a thriving and prolific animation industry that has received global recognition on the international stage; a feat cemented by the fact that in 2016, Cartoon Forum—one of the world’s leading pitching and co-pro forums for animation—placed a special focus on Ireland at the event.