7 June 2022
By Bryan Smyth
bryan@TheCork.ie
Today Kinsale Arts Weekend released the much-anticipated 2022 programme that is bursting with events, truly offering something for everyone. The packed programme, that runs from 7-10 July, will see the festival weekend return with a line-up that will surprise and delight all ages and interests. Headline acts include Pulitzer Prize winning poet Paul Muldoon, renowned jazz and blues singer Mary Coughlan and immunologist Professor Luke O’Neill.
At its heart, Kinsale Arts Weekend is an inclusive festival that brings art, in all its forms, to life for residents and visitors to the town. Kinsale Arts Weekend provides a stage for big names and new-comers to perform in one of most picturesque locations in Ireland. Taking art from its traditional locations, Kinsale Arts Weekend brings art to the streets, the pubs, the park, the shop, the café and in doing so makes it accessible to new audiences. St Catherine’s Church which has been recently restored by its trustees, will provide a stand out location for the conversation with Professor Luke O’Neill and a poetry reading by Paul Muldoon. Wandering around this seaside town is always a treat for the senses but this July you will have the added bonus of encountering art in unique spaces thanks to wonderful collaborations between business and arts communities. Kinsale is a town that continues to surprise, when you think you know the town it shows you another side – this weekend shines a light on the thriving arts and culture scene.
A team of volunteer art enthusiasts curate the festival that captures the imagination of audiences and sees art popping up in the most surprising locations. The programme includes diverse artforms from spoken word to song and visual art to theatre. Theatre fans will be spoiled for choice with no less than 14 events to choose from, as well as comedy, improv, and dance. Speaking about this year’s programme, Chairperson Anna Mulcahy said, “We are thrilled to be back this year, and to welcome new audiences with a programme that has so much to choose from, whether you are a fan of visual arts, theatre, poetry, song, dance, literature, photography, comedy or spoken word you will find something for you. Our focus on making our whole town a stage, means that you will find art in churches, on walls and in windows, breathing life into spaces that may have been previously unseen. Kinsale is a thriving town because of our welcome and openness, this festival mirrors that with local, national and international acts, many of whom call Kinsale home, or home for now.”
The festival that has taken many shapes over the decades, was revived 6 years ago and has since been a growing in success. It evolved across the pandemic years but never faltered in its mission to bring arts to all. This year’s visual arts programme is being curated by Kinsale-local and artist, Audrey Cantillon, who launched her own fulltime art career on the back of the festival 6 years ago. Cantillon has brought together an artist’s collective of established and emerging artists from Kinsale and surrounds. Highlights include a live painting showcase by Tony O’Connor and a large-scale mural installation by Shane O’Driscoll. In addition, the arts trail will return this year with almost 40 businesses transforming their windows into exhibition spaces for national and international artists for visitors to explore.
With collaboration, openness and connection as key themes, Kinsale Arts Weekend is delighted to welcome a group with shared guiding principles. Ubuntu (from the Zulu word for interconnectedness) will be presenting film and dance and the Cork Migrant Centre are also supporting a craft project inspired by the Mother Tongue concept, offering unique interpretations of maternal wisdoms shared across generations and the globe. This year the festival is also delighted to provide a platform for ‘Through Ukrainian Eyes’, a photography exhibition from newly arrived visitors from Ukraine where they share first impressions of their time in Ireland as well as memories of the homeland they have left.
Collaborations with local community groups, Kinsale College and Kinsale Community School mean that Kinsale Arts Weekend continues to support youth and emerging artists, helping them to reach broader audiences while also giving them exposure to more established artists. This year’s Kinsale Arts Weekend poster is an original piece designed by Ole Lehmann, a student at the Community School. A team of transition year students is also creating a series of podcasts as part of the festival’s outreach programme.
Many events are free, and ticketed events prices range from €5 to €40. Full programme and tickets available at www.kinsaleartsweekend.com, and follow festival news and behind the scene insights on Instagram and Facebook.
