The Well Festival of Arts and Wellbeing is in full swing and continues until Saturday with music, art, poetry, theatre, film, talks, workshops and exhibitions
The Well Festival of Arts and Wellbeing is in full swing and continues until, Saturday, 21 February with music, art, poetry, theatre, film, talks, workshops and exhibitions every day.
Taking place in Waterford, the Well Festival features fun, FREE, inventive and sociable arts events for all ages, including a programme of Wellies, festival events for younger audiences.
Presented by Waterford Libraries, Réalta and Garter Lane Arts Centre, the Well Festival is funded by the Arts Council, the HSE and Waterford City and County Council.
See www.wellwaterford.com and @wellwaterford on social media.
Highlights worth checking out for the rest of the week include:
- Cór Chroí, the Waterford HSE Staff Choir performs in the UHW foyer this (Tuesday) evening at 5.30pm. All welcome.
- Paint with Joy, with artist Kiki Roosli, at Tramore Library, this (Tuesday) afternoon at 4pm.
- Arts + Health Mixer, a networking social for artists, arts practitioners and healthcare professionals working in arts + health, Wednesday 3pm at the Réalta Centre for Arts + Health, on the grounds of UHW.
- Thank you for hearing me, a moving short film by Embrace Music, on Wednesday at 5.30pm at the Réalta Centre for Arts + Health, UHW.
- New Shoots: A beautiful exhibition of images, relating to wellbeing, personal growth and positive change, created by budding local photographers, continues at Central Library, Lady Lane, Waterford. The official launch takes place on Wednesday at 6pm. All welcome.
- Other Worlds, an immersive theatrical experience by Jess Rowell Dance, for adults attending day services in Waterford, on Thursday at 10.30am and 2.30pm at Garter Lane Arts Centre.
- Stone Soup, a community workshop, with soup, with Réalta Artist in Residence Siobhan Clancy, on Friday at 1pm at the Réalta Centre for Arts + Health, UHW.
- Sunshine: sharing writings to brighten our souls… an uplifting evening of poetry and music, on Friday at 6pm, at The Book Centre, Waterford.
Younger audiences and their families can take part in:
- Make Some Noise, a fun music workshop with creative arts therapist Catherine Sweeney, on Thursday at 10am at Ardkeen Library.
- Doodle Your Monster Mood – A creative invitation to children to add their colour to giant monster doodles at Brown’s Road Library, Lisduggan on Friday from 10am and 2pm, and at Central Library on Saturday from 10am and 2pm.
- Mini Wellbeing Float-Making and Parade, for children aged 5 years+ to make their own parade float and then join the procession of miniature floats from the Réalta Centre of Arts + Health across to the main hospital, Saturday from 9.30am.
- Re-fashion Revolution, with Blast Store: Young people (13-15 years) can learn to creatively upcycle and repair their clothes in this hands-on workshop, Saturday 2.30pm at Central Library.
Many exhibitions, music performances and arts initiatives are continuing all week, for FREE:
- For anyone who might Fancy a Lift? The daily Poetry Postcards curated by Waterford poet Joanne McCarthy for patients at UHW are also available in all Waterford Libraries, and online at www.wellwaterford.com and Well Festival social media.
- The Gruagach’s Lair: A stunning exhibition of intricate stained-glass works, inspired by the landscapes and coastline of County Waterford, by An Rinn-based artist Rayleen Clancy, ongoing at UHW.
- The daily Sounds Good coffee concerts at 11am in the main foyer at UHW continue with singer, musician and composer Damien Kehoe on Wednesday, singer Alan Browne with Liam Kavanagh on viola on Thursday, and classical guitarist Andrew Ryan on Friday.
- The Embrace the Arts at Your Library resources specially curated by library staff for the Well Festival are available all week at all 12 branches of Waterford Libraries and online at www.waterfordlibraries.ie.
- Healing Sounds live music sessions, Mini Wellbeing Float Making art workshops with artist Eilis O’Toole and Wandering Tales storytelling sessions with Joe Brennan continue in various wards at UHW;
All events (except Other Worlds) are free, but must be booked as places are filling up. The full festival programme, with booking details, is available from www.wellwaterford.com.
The Well Festival of Arts and Wellbeing is funded by the Arts Council, the HSE and Waterford City and County Council. The festival is presented by Waterford Libraries, Réalta (Waterford Healing Arts) and Garter Lane Arts Centre). Detailed listings from www.wellwaterford.com and @WellWaterford on Instagram and Facebook.
