Cuirt is seeking a new director for the annual Cúirt International Festival of Literature as outgoing director, Sasha de Buyl, steps down to pursue creative opportunities outside Galway.
Cúirt International Festival of Literature is one of Europe’s oldest book festivals, and a leading voice for literature both internationally and across Ireland. Cúirt brings readers and writers together to tell stories, share new perspectives, and to celebrate writing, books and reading in all forms for all audiences.
It was established in 1985 as a three-day poetry festival and has since grown to a week-long event that includes fiction, non-fiction, poetry, genre writing, debate, events for young people, community-focused activities, visual art and film.
The vacancy of Festival Director arises at an exciting time in the development of Cúirt following three extraordinary years led by outgoing Director, Sasha de Buyl. During that time, Cúirt has achieved a sustained increase in public funding, expanded its production team, rebranded, and secured national media partnerships.
During the pandemic, Cúirt led the way internationally in reimagining literature festivals in a digital / hybrid world and the festival has presented three eye-catching programmes of events since Sasha de Buyl joined Cúirt in 2019, notable for their diverse contributors and contemporary societal themes. Under her stewardship, Cúirt was recently awarded a landmark grant for the Arts Council, securing multi-annual funding for the festival through the Arts Grant Funding programme.
Commenting on her departure from Cúirt, outgoing Director, Sasha de Buyl said that working on the festival has been one of the most rewarding roles of her career to date.
“Though it has been challenging at times with the recent years’ uncertainties, I am incredibly proud of what we have achieved as a team, and how Cúirt has grown into a festival confident in its mission and values and committed to bringing the finest writers working today to Galway readers. I look forward to seeing how Cúirt will continue to flourish!”
Commenting on Sasha de Buyl’s departure from Cúirt, Galway Arts Centre Director/Curator, Megs Morley, said Sasha has made an astounding contribution to the development of the Cúirt International Festival of Literature and to the role of literature in responding to the most urgent and profound topics and ideas of our times.
“She leaves an incredible legacy for the Cúirt festival to develop into the future, and while we all at Galway Arts Centre are sad to see her go, we are so excited for her as she embarks on her next creative odyssey “
Chair of the Board of Galway Arts Centre, John Caulfield, said that in a period of profound change for the arts and society, Sasha reimagined how the Cúirt International Festival of Literature can engage with the big questions of our time and present exciting and innovative events to lovers of literature in Galway and around the world.
“We wish her every success in her own creative writing and look forward to seeing her on the Cúirt programme in the years to come!”
The board said they are seeking to appoint a dynamic, highly motivated individual with excellent interpersonal skills and leadership qualities to manage the festival through the next exciting stage of its development.
Appllicants who believe they have the drive, passion and experience necessary for this role, please download the information pack available at www.cuirt.ie, which contains the application procedure.
