Galway International Arts Festival has released the programme of events for this year’s revised Autumn edition.
GIAF 2020 was supposed to take place in July, but had to be cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
In the past weeks and months, the arts festival team have been working on a new programme, taking place in September and October, that will welcome audiences to Galway, and help locals get their festival fix this year.
The programme features a mix of live arts events, and an enhanced digital component so people can still enjoy the festival from home.
The centrepiece of the programme will be the world unveiling of a major new visual arts commission for Galway 2020, European Capital of Culture.
Presented outdoors in Galway city and in Connemara, the unveiling of John Gerrard’s Mirror Pavilion will be a dazzling moment on the Irish landscape.
Mirror Pavilion by John Gerrard, using cutting edge digital technology, will be one of the largest outdoor installations ever to be seen in Ireland.
The Festival Gallery will feature new work from Hughie O’Donoghue and online from Sarah Hickson. The Festival gallery will also host American video art pioneer Bill Viola’s Three Women.
Be among the first to see in person a new work by Enda Walsh at a work-in-progress stage, with Clare Barrett and Aoife Duffin, which will also mark Domhnall Gleeson’s return to the stage as well as a new ROOM, also written by Enda, to explore.
First Thought Talks: the big issues and challenges of 2020 are explored with speakers including Samantha Power, Professor Luke O’Neill, Marion McKeone, Colm TóibÃn, Gaia Vince, Eamon Dunphy and Fintan O’Toole.
Experience through headphones, as you walk through the streets of Galway, Cascando by Samuel Beckett directed by Gavin Quinn, from Pan Pan.
Live performances to mark Beethoven 250 by Galway’s ConTempo string quartet.
“While this has been a very challenging time for everyone, we were determined to present a programme in Galway this year despite everything and we are set to do just that with our Autumn Edition,” said Galway Arts Festival CEO John Crumlish.
“We wanted this to be a love letter from the arts to our audience during a very difficult period for people.”
“We have had to radically rethink how we do things but one thing’s for sure, we look forward to safely gathering again to celebrate great art with everyone – either in person or online – this Autumn.”
