Along with providing ten days of superb entertainment for all the family, this year’s arts festival which has recently drawn to a close, has also lent a hand in boosting the local economy.
The festival is expected to have contributed some €5m to the local economy with more than 23,000 people enjoying the events over the 10-day festival.
The streets of the city were visibly thronged throughout the event, which saw arts events taking place from lunchtime through mid-afternoon and into evening and on into the early hours.
Kilkenny’s venues were busy with visitors and locals alike and the streets were awash with colour at the weekends when street entertainers took over the town.
Commenting on this years festival, Damian Downes Kilkenny Arts Festival CEO said, “the festival continues to go from strength to strength, and we’re delighted with the success of this year’s event. As times grow tougher, it’s even more important that we continue to programme this festival of high quality events that challenge, entertain and question our audiences,” he pointed out.
This year, the range of experiences on offer included: Being blindfolded and tied into a wheelchair for a 25 minute sensory experience; Amateur choristers from all over the country singing Beethoven in St Canice’s Cathedral; Watching a whole day of Gabriel Byrne movies; Listening to Nell McCafferty, Margaret MacCurtain and Catriona Crowe celebrate 40 years of feminism; Readings by leading authors including Joe O’Connor, David Vann, John Banville, Ciaran Carson and John Boyne; Having your feet washed and kissed by a performance artist: Robert Fisk giving his unique perspective on Middle East politics.
Pat Moylan, chairman of the Arts Council, speaking as the 2010 event concluded said that the Kilkenny Arts Festival is the defining event in Kilkenny’s cultural calendar. The Arts Council invested €410,000 in this year’s festival.
“The 2010 event offered the most unique, distinctive entertaining and inspiring programme yet. The Arts Council is delighted to be the main funder of such a notable event. As well as its enormous artistic and social value, the festival plays a key role in generating economic investment and job creation. Our investment also pays dividends by increasing cultural tourism, and helping maintain Kilkenny's pre-eminence as a cultural destination.
The Kilkenny Arts Festival, which ran from August 6, until last Sunday has become a vital showcase for Irish and international arts over its 37 year history, and is now firmly established as one of Ireland’s leading arts festivals.
Scullion played the festival out at the Set Theatre on Sunday night in their ususal style and to a packed audience.
In the last two years, the Kilkenny Arts Festival has achieved unprecedented levels of growth with ticket sales up by 44 per cent on 2008 levels. The festival attracts the very best in Irish and international visual art, classical music, theatre and dance, jazz,world and traditional Irish music, literature, film, architecture, indie music, craft and children’s events.
