The Arts Council in partnership with Drama and Theatre Studies at the University of Galway and Creative Europe Desk Ireland is to hold the Festival Makers Conference in Galway on Thursday 11 and Friday 12 May. The event will provide opportunities for festival makers, festival stakeholders and artists to exchange ideas, share skills and discuss festival practice in Ireland.
The conference keynote address will be provided by Kim Cook, Director of Creative Initiatives for Burning Man Festival, Nevada in the United States. Kim works at the frontier of exploration for projects and collaborations that extend Burning Man culture into the world.
Speaking about the Festival Makers Conference, Maureen Kennelly, Director of the Arts Council, said that festivals are always at the heart of their communities, offering the public opportunities to attend a multitude of different arts experiences, volunteer in the arts and collaborate with artists.
“Over the last few years festivals have experienced a tailwind of change, adapting quickly and with imagination during the pandemic to ensure audiences could continue to enjoy arts experiences; they have shown remarkable resilience during this time.
“We are delighted to welcome Kim Cook to join us as the keynote speaker and festival delegates from across the country to convene in Galway. The work of ‘Burning Man’ is hugely respected; at the frontier of inspirational collaborations with artists and arts organisations from across the world.”
Alongside Kim Cook, panelists will include John Crumlish, CEO of Galway International Arts Festival; Patrick Lonergan, University of Galway; Marin de Boer, Oerol Festival (Netherlands ); Romane Boyer, Creative Carbon Scotland; Megan Best, Native Events; Aisling O’hEocha, Festival Dirctor of Baboró Children’s Festival; Nora Corcoran, Miselor Festival; and Dominic Campbell, Creative Ageing International.
As part of the event, Creative Europe Desk Ireland will host a special evening networking event for artists and festival organisations hosted by James Riordan, Brú Theatre; featuring Galway’s Blue Teapot, Twisted Lane Productions and the arts and personal development program That’s Life. Conference tickets are €35 for the two days and includes a light lunch on Thursday May 11.
A limited number of free artist tickets will be made available to individual artists; in particular, those making work in a festival context in order to provide networking opportunities with festivals. Artists will also have the opportunity to provide their perspective in panel discussions over the course of the two days.
