Bealtaine Festival, Ireland’s national celebration of the arts and ageing, was honoured at a special reception at Áras an Uachtaráin today. Artists from the genres of music, performance, literature, visual arts and film joined President Connolly to highlight the importance of creativity and artistic expression at every stage of life.
The festival is an Age & Opportunity initiative which takes place throughout the month of May and will bring a rich programme of performances, exhibitions, discussions and workshops to communities nationwide.
President Connolly said: “I am delighted to welcome artists from across the country to Áras an Uachtaráin today who bring a huge wealth of experience and expertise to Bealtaine Festival and our cultural landscape. The festival showcases the work of older artists and ensures their voices and contributions are visible and valued in our communities.
Bealtaine is a genuinely national festival in a way few others are, present not only in the cities, but in towns and parishes across the country. This year’s theme ‘Lust for Life’ is one I particularly enjoy. It is a phrase that speaks to the energy, the appetite and the creative drive that the years can sharpen rather than soften. It is also, in the spirit of Bealtaine, a phrase with a wink in it: knowing, joyful, and slightly defiant. The festival has always carried that double quality, deeply serious about the cultural rights of older people, and entirely unwilling to be solemn about it.”
Dr Tara Byrne, Arts Programme Manager at Age & Opportunity and Artistic Director of Bealtaine Festival said: “Bealtaine Festival reflects that creativity is a lifelong ability that can foster connection and shape our society. The upcoming Bealtaine programme features events and discussions that both challenge assumptions and build understanding. It also offers an opportunity to reflect on how we value ageing, creativity and care in Irish society and how the arts can help us to realise a positive model of ageing.”
The 2026 Bealtaine Festival is inspired by this year’s ‘Lust for Life’ theme which aims to reframe ageing as a time of creative possibility. Following a month of nationwide activity, the festival will reach its culmination at a flagship finale weekend from the 28th to the 30th of May at Project Arts Centre in Dublin.
Bealtaine Festival is proudly funded by the Arts Council and the HSE, supported by communities nationwide and a vast network of accomplished local and national bodies.
To find out more about the 2026 Bealtaine Festival and to book tickets, visit www.bealtaine.ie.
