Poots Visits Hollywood

The centrepiece of the visit is the launch of the world tour of chamber music ensemble, Camerata Pacifica, in Los Angeles on Tuesday and the Sacramento Highland Games on Saturday.

Several high level meetings have also been arranged with studio executives to promote Northern Ireland as an attractive filming location.

In addition, the Minister will delve into the realm of sport during meetings with the LA Galaxy Football Club and when he tours world-class sports venues such as the Home Depot Centre.

Speaking before his departure, the Minister said: "For a small country, Northern Ireland has an abundance of talented people and my mission is to promote that talent in the United States. My short programme is packed but the aim is to encourage decision makers in the US to consider Northern Ireland as a location for their type of business, be that music, film or sport. I want them to visit us, to sample our lifestyle and enjoy the vast range of arts, cultural and sporting activities we have to offer."

The Minister said that he was looking forward to launching Camerata Pacifica's concert tour. He said: "High quality events such as this provide the perfect platform for our musicians to perform with equally talented people from other parts of the world and it highlights that Northern Ireland is an exporter of extraordinary musical talent."

Camerata Pacifica's tour takes the ensemble from LA to Washington and on to New York, London, Dublin and Londonderry, arriving in Belfast on 3 May where the Minister will join them for the final concert in St Anne's Cathedral.

"This imaginative concert tour is due to the foresightedness of Adrian Spence, a native of Northern Ireland, who founded the ensemble and Ian Wilson, also from Northern Ireland, whose music will be performed by Camerata Pacifica," the Minister said.

Still in Los Angeles the Minister will meet LA Galaxy officials to discuss the potential for a friendly match with the Northern Ireland Football team in 2009.