Great atmosphere as line-up for Carlow Arts Festival is unveiled
Pictured at the launch of the Carlow Arts Festival in Tully's Bar in Carlow were artistic director Mikey Martins, Sinead O'Reilly from the Arts Council and creative producer Orlaith Treacy Photos: Michael O'Rourke Photography
THE programme for Carlow Arts Festival, which takes place between 28 May and 1 June, was officially launched on Wednesday 6 May in Tully’s Bar.
It was a lighthearted affair, with CEO of Carlow Co Council Coilín O’Reilly beginning the speeches by jokingly welcoming “everyone in a chain – doesn’t matter what chain you’re wearing, chains are great”. Several local councillors were in attendance and laughed heartily.
Coilín highlighted the festival’s significance to the county, noting that over its 47-year history in different forms, it has become a foundational part of Carlow’s cultural scene.
“When these things happen in your town, you go out to them and meet really nice, cool people from your town and go ‘I live in a really great place’. And that’s what the arts festival does at its core,” said Coilín.
He thanked former festival directors Benjamin Perchet and Andy Currums for their work over previous years and officially welcomed Mikey Martins, its new artistic director. “I’m impressed by his vision of where he wants the arts festival to go. So, as much as I’m looking forward to this year, I’m looking forward to the next year and the year after and the year after,” said Coilín.
“I’m really looking forward to this year’s arts festival. I hope the weather is good. But you know what, it’s Ireland, so if it’s not, we’re just going to get on with it and have a great craic and really enjoy it,” Coilín said.
Sinéad O’Reilly from the Arts Council told the crowd that her organisation had invested over €3.3 million in the festival in the last 18 years and “are proud to have done so”.
She acknowledged how the “non-coastal counties can sometimes feel like their artistic ambitions go a little bit under the radar nationally and that we need to punch a bit harder to be noticed, but there’s a power in that in some way as well,” said Sinéad.
Mikey Martins ran through a summary of the theatre, music, dance and visual arts events that will take place over the weekend. He noted that this year, on Monday 1 June, for the first time there will be a ‘CAF on the Road’ event in Bagenalstown, featuring an outdoor spectacle and other activities.
Local arts practitioner Rennie Buenting has organised an exhibition of local visual artists with curator Tony Strickland at Carlow College, signalling the festival’s return to a celebration of local work. The exhibition, which runs all through the weekend, received a Creative Ireland grant, which means the artists will be receive fair remuneration for their work.
