There is still time to enjoy the final days of Galway International Arts Festival’s Autumn Edition programme, which has been running in Galway city since the start of September. but which will come to a close this Saturday 26 September.
This once-off programme of events included both live arts and an enhanced digital component giving audiences a choice as to how they wished to engage with it - either in person (both indoors and outdoors ) or at home digitally.
ON UNTIL THIS SATURDAY
The centrepiece of the programme, Mirror Pavilion by John Gerrard, situated on the Claddagh Quay, has been wowing locals and visitors alike. Commissioned by GIAF for Galway 2020, European Capital of Culture, Mirror Pavilion is a beautiful and striking mirrored structure featuring a virtual world on the LED wall. The characters and landscapes we see on the LED wall may look like video or film but they are not – they are a simulation created using cutting edge digital technology in response to the escalating climate crisis. Runs 24 hours on the Claddagh Quay until Saturday 26 September.
The Festival Gallery on William Street hosts two spectacular exhibitions: Night Cargo, by Irish artist Hughie O’Donoghue, and Three Women by internationally acclaimed video artist Bill Viola. Entry is free with a pre-booked ticket. See giaf.ie Open until this Saturday from 12pm-6pm with late opening until 8pm on Friday. The Festival Merchandise Shop is also located in the Festival Gallery.
Celebrating Beethoven’s 250th birthday, Galway Music Residency and Contempo Quartet are this week presenting Beethoven 250; a series of live performances of some of Beethoven’s most celebrated works for string quartet. St. Nicholas’ Collegiate church until Friday 25 September.
On Saturday audiences can enjoy a ‘one-night-only' peek at a new Enda Walsh play, Medicine, at a work-in-progress stage. Medicine will see Domhnall Gleeson return to the stage, alongside Clare Barrett, Aoife Duffin and jazz percussionist Sean Carpio. Produced by Landmark Productions and Galway International Arts Festival.
EXPERIENCE GIAF ONLINE AT HOME - ANYTIME
Festival organisers were acutely aware that some may not be in a position to experience events in person and with that in mind you can enjoy an enhanced digital programme at home in your own time. This includes all First Thought Talks, which featured a wide range of speakers discussing the big issues and challenges of 2020 including Samantha Power, Professor Luke O’Neill, Marion McKeone, Colm Tóibín, Eamon Dunphy, Fintan O’Toole and many more. Watch on the Festival’s YouTube channel, on GIAF.ie and listen on the Festival’s new Podcast – First Thought. Also on the First Thought podcast, you can listen to special guests Julie Feeney, David Brophy and Liz Nugent discuss their favourite music and memories with Tiernan Henry in a new series of Vinyl Hours conversations. Listen on Spotify, iTunes or wherever you get your podcasts.
There’s also an online photographic exhbition from artist Sarah Hickson - Placing Home: Hidden Stories - which portrays the experience of people making long, perilous journeys to find refuge. This new exhibition was planned as a collaboration with people in Galway who had lived experience of Direct Provision. View on GIAF.ie There are also online interviews with Enda Walsh, artist Hughie O’Donoghue and a series of videos about Mirror Pavilion including an in conversation with artist John Gerrard. Watch on GIAF.ie
COMMEMORATIVE ARTWORK BY JENNIFER CUNNINGHAM
To mark this most unusual of years, Galway International Arts Festival commissioned award-winning visual artist Jennifer Cunningham to create a commemorative artwork for Galway International Arts Festival’s once-off Autumn Edition programme.
Jennifer Cunningham’s hopeful piece is both a celebration of the recent past and a look to a more optimistic future and features the iconic Heineken Big Top, which we all missed in Galway this summer. The Festival poster, and all other GIAF merchandise for 2020, is available to buy online on GIAF.ie or in the merchandise shop in the Festival Gallery.
Galway International Arts Festival’s Autumn Edition programme concludes in Galway city this Saturday 26 September. The online programme will remain available beyond this date. For full details see https://www.giaf.ie/
Galway International Arts Festival would like to acknowledge the support of its principal funding agencies the Arts Council and Fáilte Ireland, Galway 2020 European Capital of Culture, Education Partner NUI Galway, Festival Energy partner Flogas and Drinks Partner Heineken®.
