June University of Galway and Galway International Arts Festival announce details of 2023 partnership

• Exclusive alumni event includes tickets to sold out Saw Doctors show
• Tickets will go on sale on Friday June 30 at 9am

University of Galway and Galway International Arts Festival today announced details of their partnership for 2023, including an exclusive event for University alumni, the largest ever festival theatre being built on campus, and an education programme for the next generation of artists, arts managers and creative entrepreneurs.

Celebrating the 13th year as Education Partner of the festival, the University will collaborate with Galway International Arts Festival on a range of events including: 

• An exclusive event for University alumni including tickets to the sold out Saw Doctors show on July 29. Graduates of the university are invited to relive their glory days at a reunion party followed by the Saw Doctors concert at the Festival Big Top, with tickets going on sale on Friday June 30 at 9am.
• The SELECTED programme, offering University of Galway students a two-week whirlwind academy to see how a festival of this magnitude is put together from practical experience to artistic development.
• An oral history project to capture key voices of the 2023 festival. The University Library holds Galway International Arts Festival’s archive from 1978 through to the present day and oral histories with visiting artists are also being collected, creating a digital festival archive for future generations.
• A series of free campus photo tours will also be open for booking on June 30.  Taking place on July 28 and 29, leading mobile phone photographers will join with University experts to guide tours of the University campus, offering photography enthusiasts of all levels the chance to learn about the University’s wonderful campus while getting tips on how to elevate photography to the next level. 
• The First Thought Talks series on campus, featuring a number of University personnel, exploring the big issues and challenges of the day through the festival’s thought leadership platform.
• The expansion of University’s role as a key Festival venue hub, with the hosting of The Pulse, which will transform the University’s sports centre into a 1,200 seat theatre. The campus will also host Enda Walsh’s Bedbound, You’ll See, the adaptation of Ulysses for children, Strings Attached featuring Finghin Collins and ConTempo Quartet, and the First Thought Talks series.
• University of Galway will continue to support Galway International Arts Festival’s Volunteer Programme, which has recruited over 600 volunteers for Galway International Arts Festival 2023 to date. The Volunteer Hub is also located on campus this year. 
• The University is also playing a key role in the expansion of Galway International Arts Festival’s sustainability initiatives. 

University of Galway Vice-President Engagement Dr Paul Dodd said: “The partnership with Galway International Arts Festival is hugely important to us and, over the last number of years, the relationship has grown significantly and now impacts across a number of different areas of the festival. The partnership offers something for everyone, with opportunities for students, alumni, and members of the public to visit our campus and enjoy the festivities. The creative industries are vital to Galway and we are delighted to act as Education Partner to Galway International Arts Festival to showcase our local talent to a global audience.”

CEO of Galway International Arts Festival John Crumlish said: “The partnership with the University of Galway is a very important one for us which has played a significant role in the recent development of the festival. The university has been hugely helpful and very supportive across a number of areas including facilitating GIAF in terms of its programming ambitions, helping it develop a role in artist development and partnering with it on a number of Equality, Diversity and Inclusivity objectives.”

For more information on the events taking place visit www.universityofgalway.ie/giaf 

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