We are delighted to announce that tickets for The Bealtaine Gathering 2024 are now on sale. The annual get together of Bealtaine event organisers will take place on Tuesday 22nd October (10am to 4:30pm) in Project Arts Centre, Temple Bar, Dublin.
We are absolutely thrilled to announce that our keynote speaker will be award-winning writer and founder of Narrative 4, Colum McCann, speaking on radical empathy and the potential for social change.
In recognition of ongoing political and social upheavals, this year’s Bealtaine Gathering will focus on the critical theme of Solidarity. We invite the Bealtaine community of organisers, artists, partners, local authorities and supporters, to join us in looking at Solidarity as a driving force and foundation for our work.
We also hope to provide inspiration for events and information on planning for Bealtaine Festival’s upcoming 30th anniversary.
Dr. Tara Byrne, Arts Programme Manager and Bealtaine Artistic Director, Age & Opportunity, said: “we are living in such turbulent times which are inevitably reflected in our work. As such, for this Gathering we really wanted to represent that and hope that the Bealtaine community will come away from the day with new ways to consider their work, as well as more insight into the transformative potential of such a deeply rooted community festival.”
We will also be showcasing projects which we think will inspire you and which explore ideas relating to Solidarity. Socially engaged artist and activist Grace Dyas will be discussing her film project The No Show, produced in collaboration with Limerick City Build, about a group of men’s experiences of abandonment, absence, loss and social exclusion.
Poet, translator and editor Keith Payne will present on the project Tales My Granny Told Me which collected stories from around the world brought to Ireland by International Protection Applicants. Keith will be joined by a participant from the project.
In the afternoon, we will be joined by two panels, one featuring the Bealtaine co-ordinators from three different county library services to look at the specific opportunities for Bealtaine events in local libraries. The second panel discussion ‘Solidarity is a Verb’, will feature artists Donal O’Kelly, Grace Dyas and Emma O’Grady joining Mary Moynihan from Smashing Times as Chair to discuss how art can play a role in building solidarity in communities and between generations.
The day will also feature a very special performance by poet Stephen James Smith in response to the theme of Solidarity.
Whether you regularly organise Bealtaine events or haven’t had the opportunity for a number of years, we very much welcome you to join us for the Bealtaine Gathering 2024. We especially welcome smaller groups, individuals, artists, care setting representatives, as well as representatives of local authorities and arts organisations.
Get your tickets
Tickets for the day are €15/10* with lunch provided. For full details and to book see Bealtaine.ie or Eventbrite.
*if cost is a factor in accessing this event, please get in touch with us: arts@ageandopportunity.ie or 01 9133921.
