Theatre, circus, dance, music, visual art, heritage and Irish-language work, 20–25 October, under the theme In Memories We Grow
Imagine Arts Festival once again takes place across Waterford City from Tuesday 20 to Sunday 25 October, marking its 25th edition with a programme of performance, music, visual art, heritage events and workshops under the theme In Memories We Grow.
Founded in 2001, Imagine is Waterford’s flagship multidisciplinary arts festival. Twenty-five years on, it commissions and produces new work as well as presenting it, through an annual Commissioned Artist and an Artists in Residence programme, alongside an open call that brings artists from Waterford, the South East and further afield into venues across the city.
The Festival Hub
At the heart of the week is the Festival Hub at the WCQ Community and Cultural Hub on O’Connell Street, in Waterford’s Cultural Quarter, open free to the public daily from 10am to 6pm. The Hub is home to What Persists, a new work by 2026 Commissioned Artist Chris Falconer (Waiting Space) responding to 25 years of the festival, and to The Scattering, an immersive installation by Will Flanagan and Alchemy Arts, which comes to life in ticketed performances later in the week.
Also on show at the Hub all week: Prismatic Perspectives by Niamh Ní Chearbhaill and Waterford Creatives Network, Nature and Culture by Angela Fewer, Open Book, a handmade book exhibition led by Anne McDonnell, Beyond the Veilby Martina Furlong, and new work by Emily A. Thompson.
Artists in Residence – through Irish
For the first time, Imagine’s Artists in Residence programme is delivered through the Irish language. Songwriter Síomha Brock and playwright Ciara Ní É spend festival week in residence at St Patrick’s Gateway Centre, each leading a public masterclass (Wednesday 21 and Thursday 22 October, 6pm; both now sold out) before sharing what they have made together at the Artists in Residence Showcase on Saturday 24 October at 6pm.
Performance
The Scattering, the immersive circus and installation work by Will Flanagan and Alchemy Arts, is performed at the Festival Hub on Thursday 22 and Friday 23 October at 5pm and 8pm, and on Saturday 24 and Sunday 25 October at 2pm. On Saturday 24 October, Circus250 brings Desert Bloom, by Angelica Santander, to young audiences and their families at 12pm, 2pm and 4pm, and that evening Bank Lane hosts the 25th Anniversary Cabaret (8pm), a mixed-artform celebration of 25 years of Imagine curated by Shauna Farrell and Wayne Power.
Lunchtime theatre runs at 1pm at St Patrick’s Gateway Centre throughout the week, with In Case You Didn’t Know by Martina Collender (Tuesday 20 and Friday 23), The Patron Saint of Side Chicks by Nicola Spendlove (Wednesday 21 and Saturday 24) and Maggot Mind by Steven Walsh (Thursday 22 at 1pm and Sunday 25 at 4pm). CoisCéim Dance Theatre presents A Corpo Libero by Silvia Gribaudi, combining virtual reality and movement, on Wednesday 21 October at 4pm and 7pm, and Reginald’s Tower Prison Tales plays the Garter Lane Studios Basement on Tuesday 20 and Wednesday 21 October at 8pm.
Music
Paul Savage launches his new album as Whozyerman? at Bank Lane (upstairs) on Friday 23 October at 9pm, presented with Luca Records. The music programme also includes Puisín Beag an Diabhail – Éire & Cú Chulainn (Tuesday 20 October, 6pm, WCQ Community and Cultural Hub) and The Epic Life of Lugh Samildánach (Sunday 25 October, 7pm, Phil Grimes’). The festival then closes on Sunday 25 October with The Legendary Dead Pub Trail, setting off at 9pm.
Heritage and across the city
Festival favourite Booze, Blaas & Banter returns to Jordan’s American Bar on Saturday 24 October from 9am, livestreamed by Waterford in Your Pocket, while Tales and Ales with James Doherty takes place at Downes’ on Thursday 22 October at 9pm. Across the city, festival-week exhibitions include the Spanish Civil War exhibition at Jordan’s, Ed Morrissey at the Index Gallery, Waterford City Library, and Rayleen Clancy’s Wild Wisdom from a Grúagach’s Lair at GOMA, which also hosts the SETU Magazine Launch on Wednesday 21 October at 8.30pm. Banners for Waterford, a bunting project made by students from schools across the city and county, will be on display during festival week.
Workshops
Places are still available for Studio, Anywhere, a workshop with Commissioned Artist Chris Falconer (Friday 23 October, 6pm, St Patrick’s Gateway Centre). The needle felting workshop with Emily A. Thompson (Sunday 25 October, 2pm) and both Artists in Residence masterclasses are already sold out.
“Twenty-five years is a long time for any festival to keep going, and a longer time again to keep changing. In Memories We Grow is about both: honouring the people who brought Imagine this far, and backing the artists who will carry it forward. So much of this year’s programme was made here in Waterford, and we can’t wait to share it with the city.” – Sinéad Dunphy, Festival Director, Imagine Arts Festival
The full programme and tickets are available at imagineartsfestival.com.
Imagine Arts Festival is funded by the Arts Council / An Chomhairle Ealaíon, Waterford City and County Council and Fáilte Ireland, with the support of sponsors IBEC, Dawn Meats, General Paints, Parker Law Solicitors, Waterford Chamber, Luca Records and the Granville Hotel. Media partners: WLR FM and Waterford in Your Pocket.
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