Arts shindig loses spotlight to unhappy fringe group

ONE of the country’s best loved arts shindigs, The Galway Arts Festival, was launched last night but the gloss was taken from the event with news that an alternative programme was to be announced by a fringe group unhappy with the official proceedings.

The 2006 GAF features over 400 writers, artists, performers and musicians from around the globe and this 29th GAF is the first under the stewardship of new festival artistic director Paul Fahy.

However, while the calibre and variety of the programme is undeniable, Project 06, a group of Galway-based artists, arts groups and promoters, feel the local element to the programme has suffered and have established an alternative festival to draw attention to the issue.