Kilkenny Arts festival gets underway

One of the biggest, oldest and most diverse arts festivals in Ireland opens today.

More than 300 national and international artists and 200 local volunteers are putting together the final touches to bring Kilkenny Arts Festival to life for the next 10 days.

Featuring more than 100 events, the festival will also bring around €8m to the local economy.

The Ulster Orchestra, jazz and blues ensemble Mingus Dynasty, children’s events, and cutting edge visual arts are among the exciting programme of events.

Highlights also include the international premieres of A Prelude To A Death In Venice by New York avant-garde theatre company Mabou Mines and This Dancing Life by fellow New Yorker, dance legend Sara Rudner.

Irish-American political thinker Samantha Power will be giving the inaugural Hubert Butler lecture, talking about her experiences reporting from Darfur, while organisers plan to screen highlights of the 1957 All Ireland Hurling Championship between Waterford and Kilkenny.

“Festivals such as the Kilkenny Arts Festival are a very important part of the Irish tourism product while also affording an opportunity for local people to enjoy the benefits,” said Gary Breen, of Failte Ireland, South East.

“The variety of events which are programmed as part of the festival throughout Kilkenny this August promises a rich cultural experience for the visitor.”