Baboró International Arts Festival for Children has been awarded funding from Creative Europe to embark on a four-year project, working with 17 other European partners.
Baboró is the only Irish partner participating in MAPPING – A map on the aesthetics of performing arts for early years 2018-2022. The project involves researching 'Early Years' (0-six years of age ) audiences across Europe to provide artists with a better understanding of that audience. Each of the 18 partners will also create a new production through a shared artistic process.
The project also marks the third Creative Europe Small size project for the Galway based festival to be involved in, and Baboró has invited the Department of Drama and Theatre Studies at NUI Galway and Branar Téatar do Pháistí to collaborate with it on the project.
"Baboró is thrilled to be a partner on this Small size project funded by Creative Europe," said Baboró executive artistic director, Aislinn Ó hEocha. "This new project will enable Baboró to continue to be a leader in this field in Ireland, and to continue to invite world-class performances to Galway for our youngest audiences."
Patrick Lonergan, professor of drama and theatre studies at NUIG said: "As we move into a post-Brexit environment, and with Galway 2020 coming soon, it is important students and staff at NUI Galway continue to build strong links across Europe. This project provides an excellent opportunity to do so."
Marc MacLochlainn, director of Branar Téatar do Pháistí, said the collaboration would be "a really exciting initiative" in creating "excellent theatre experiences for the youngest citizens of Europe".
