A QUARTER century ago, Baboró, Ireland’s International Arts Festival for Children was founded, to fly the flag for brilliant child-focused arts experiences.
Now, 25 years later, from its home in Galway, Baboró has earned a global reputation, and has presented thousands of events which have been experienced by hundreds of thousands of children from tots to teens, together with their families, schools and communities, in the venues and streets of Galway, and online around the world. As the festival celebrates its quarter century, we took the opportunity to ask past and current directors of the festival to reflect on Baboró.
JEAN PARKINSON, first artistic director of Baboró
"It’s hard to believe it’s been twenty-five years since Baboró became an independent festival. When I look back at how far the festival has come in that time, I feel quite proud. When we started out, we were determined to find the best children’s programming available nationally and internationally and to present it with the highest production values and in the most efficient and accessible way possible. I’m glad to see the festival has continued to hold fast to these priorities and consequently has earned such a well-deserved reputation for professionalism and integrity.
"The passing of a quarter century means my recollection of specific names and details are understandably hazy, but the memory of moments of magic, fun and sensation are still vivid. The exuberant leaping on rickety raked seating of the much-loved Little John Nee greeted with gales of laughter remains with me. As does the first unfurling of the striking colourful chambers of the Eggopolis inflating in Father Burke Park. Giant shimmering bubbles filled with swirls of smoke by Pep Bou in the Town Hall. A suitcase gradually revealing a miniature world of sand dunes, tiny campfires and adventure in the arts centre.
"All magical moments in themselves but the best part was watching the audiences of children arrive. Distracted, jostling and fidgeting amongst themselves they began to settle and become enthralled. The expressions of wide-eyed wonder, rapt attention and gasps of delight were when you knew the show worked. There was a connection, a memorable experience. That made it all worthwhile.
LALI MORRIS (Artistic Director 2001 – 2015 )
"Is being in the right place at the right time with the right skills, luck or providence? Whatever it is, this is what I say when people ask me ‘How did you ever land the job of Artistic Director of Baboró in Ireland?’ Somehow, I knew that it was my destiny. It’s just that it took a while!
"My years of study at a Teachers College in Chicago, included the opportunity for me to work for the Department of Performing Arts, I learned firsthand about programming, fundraising, delivery and even directing productions for Young Audiences.
"Fast forward to the summer of 1994 and I’m visiting Galway and I meet Trish Forde, Artistic Director of Galway Arts Festival and Jean Parkinson, coordinator of Baboró. Encouraged by their enthusiasm, I applied to lead a workshop for Baboró the following year. To my delight I was accepted, and I held a weeklong study of Improv Theatre for teenagers. The year after that I held a workshop with children where we created a production of Story Theatre. This was 1996, the year Baboró was acknowledged as the largest festival of its kind in Ireland, with over 4,500 children attending.
After the festival was over, I was invited to join the Baboró Board of Directors. Several years passed and by 2001 Baboró was on the international stage, and I was hired as Artistic Director. What a privilege! In the years to come I was fortunate to connect with a host of dedicated volunteers, some amazing sponsors and a very active and knowledgeable Board.
"After a few years of struggling with sporadic but incredible part time staff, I was finally blessed with two incredible co-workers, the late Teenagh Cunningham, and Jennifer Ahern who still works at Baboró. Together we broke the boundaries of what was accepted and what was expected of arts programming for children. Introducing Modern Dance, Opera, Live Concerts, Foreign Language Theatre and Circus was no easy task. Teachers and parents had to be convinced that that this would work for children.
"What helped was the standard of productions which enthralled any age group including adults. Shows were presented in Irish, English, German and Italian and there were some created for children with additional needs and for babies. All of this is still happening with the current amazing Baboró team. Long may it live!
AISLINN Ó HEOCHA (executive artistic director since 2015 )
"When I grew up in Galway there were very few opportunities to experience creative arts made especially for children. I was lucky to be brought to shows and exhibitions by my parents - those early arts experiences shaped my personal and professional life. Then in 2015 I landed the dream job of Executive Artistic Director of Baboró, a unique arts festival dedicated to school children and families.
"This year we celebrate a quarter of a century since Baboró’s founders took the bold step to plant a flag in the sand in the West of Ireland declaring the importance of children’s arts in Galway. That decision has resulted in 484,500 children engaging with the festival over 25 years and has inspired several Galway artists and companies to dedicate their lives to making work for children.
"I’ve always been struck by Baboró’s dedication to include ALL children in the festival - babies, children with additional needs and a diverse range of school children across the city and county. The foundation for this work is in Article 31 of the UN Rights of Child which declares that ‘all children have the right to participate fully in cultural and artistic life’. Twenty-five years later and those rights are still central to what Baboró does.
"Some of my abiding memories of the festival include; the giddiness of school children walking hand-in-hand to theatres across the city as they attend what for many will be their first show; seeing profoundly autistic childrens’ unbridled joy as they expressed themselves creatively through movement in the Black Box at Playful Tiger; seeing children cartwheeling across the Black Box carpark, clearly excited and inspired by the dance show, Dream City, they’d just seen.
"Long may Baboró continue to inspire and excite its young audiences, working hard to include all children in the festival, as is their right."
Baboró International Arts Festival for Children 2021 will run from October 4 to 17. The full programme will be revealed at the end of August. For further information please see: www.baboro.ie
