A full feast of the arts as children to take over the city!

More than 60 events for Baboró 30th anniversary

Baboró International Arts Festival for Children is planning a feast of the arts for young people in Galway as part of its 30th anniversary programme.

From October 9 to 18, the festival will feature more than 60 arts experiences by artists and performers from Ireland and across Europe, including theatre, dance, circus, music, literature, film and visual arts.

This year’s festival will welcome internationally acclaimed artists and companies from countries including England, Belgium, France, Germany and Spain, offering a varied and ambitious programme for children and young people of all ages, from toddlers to teenagers.

“We strive to create a festival that is exciting, welcoming and full of possibility, and we want as many children as possible to be part of it. This is the time of year when children take over the city – when the theatres, galleries and streets belong to them!” remarked Baboró’s Executive Artistic Director Aislinn Ó hEocha.

Alongside family performances, there are dedicated events for schools, helping to ensure that as many children as possible can experience high-quality live arts. Four shows, from Ireland and the Netherlands, designed specifically to tour directly into schools, will visit schools throughout the city and county. The festival also features performances for children with additional needs, creative workshops, art exhibitions, free pop-up events and a number of events for adults.

Among the festival highlights is a dazzling circus performance from France entitled The Fabulous Tale of BasarKus. The performers realise they are no longer one extraordinary creature but two and embark on a mischievous journey of self-discovery, exploring identity and the wonder of growing up.

From Spain, A Teen Odyssey combines live physical performance with smartphone technology to explore identity, belonging and what connects us across generations.

Witch Hunting is a captivating contemporary dance performance in which six dancers draw on styles to explore cultural identity, the meaning of community and what connects us as a society.

“Whether through theatre, dance, circus, literature, visual arts or hands-on creative experiences, we hope the programme will spark curiosity, imagination and empathy, while giving audiences a glimpse into a variety of cultures,” added Aislinn Ó hEocha.

Founded in 1996, Baboró has grown into one of the oldest and most highly regarded children’s arts festivals in the world. Over the past three decades, it has welcomed more than half a million children and their families, with almost 18,000 now attending the festival annually.

“We’re incredibly proud of how the festival has grown over the past three decades, always guided by the belief that every child has the right to experience and participate in arts and culture, regardless of background, ability or circumstance. We’re grateful to the many artists, audiences, schools, supporters and partners who have been part of that journey,” said Aislinn Ó hEocha.

The full festival programme is available at baboro.ie, with tickets up on sale from Wednesday, September 2.