Over 2,000 people attended two multidisciplinary ritual beach performances to celebrate the ocean last weekend. The unique events took place in Kinvara on Trácht Beach and Ladies Beach in Salthill, Galway City as part of Galway Theatre Festival.
A community choir of 60 voluntary participants sung alongside a performing ensemble cast made up of professional performers Daniel Guinnane, Johanne Webb, and Sophie Hutchinson who performed with artist and vocalist Ceara Conway.
The Salt Community Choir consists of members of the community in Kinvara and its surroundings, most of them sea swimmers themselves. Over an extended period of three months, the choir rehearsed with composer Robbie Blake and Vanessa Earl exploring together soundscapes of the sea and Ode.
An exploration of our connection to the sea, through the power of personal story, collective song, poetry, and light art.
SALT, a collaboration between a community of sea-swimmers based in Kinvara, composer Robbie Blake, poet Mary Madec, and marine scientists, led and directed by theatre-maker Vanessa Earl and produced by Culture Works will celebrate our connection to the sea as a coastal community.
SALT, inspired by the powerful personal stories of local swimmers gathered during the pandemic, is about belonging, authentic connection, healing and empowerment. To belong, to be part of, and to be connected with ourselves, each other and the sea. These themes have informed the creation of a 30-minute site-responsive, outdoor performance.
In this collective positive action of celebration, we will foster an understanding of our common humanity; reconnect to our natural home, foster conscious living through our love and respect for our ocean. This is Positive Intrinsic Cultural Activism. (PICA )
The long-term ambition for SALT is to perform on beaches at all four cardinal points in Ireland and ultimately, to share the ode and music with community choirs in coastal communities across the world to raise awareness of our intrinsic relationship to the ocean and the vital need to protect it and take positive action in order to do so.
SALT champions the work of FairSeas who are working to fully protect 30% of Ireland’s ocean territory by 2030, thus making Ireland a world leader in marine protection. Galway Bay has been identified as an area of special interest due to its’ high density of bottlenose dolphins, harbour porpoise and the 65,000 birds who breed here every year.
This project is funded by The Arts Council’s Arts Participation Project Award, Creative Ireland, Galway County Arts Office, Galway and City Council.
SALT champions the work of FairSeas who are working to fully protect 30% of Ireland’s ocean territory by 2030, thus making Ireland a world leader in marine protection. Galway Bay has been identified as an area of special interest due to its’ high density of bottlenose dolphins, harbour porpoise and the 65,000 birds who breed here every year.
For more information get social on Instagram @saltprojectgalway and @cultureworks.ie
