July GIAF and University of Galway further develop their Partnership to Deliver Festival’s Most Ambitious Programme on Campus

The deepening partnership between GIAF and University of Galway has been a key factor in driving the festival’s remarkable development over the last number of years, enabling an unprecedented growth across art forms, venues and audiences. This year, the continued expansion of the festival onto the university campus has resulted in 21% of all GIAF venues located on campus, with close to 54,000 people expected to attend performances, exhibitions and talks across the university campus during the festival.

At the heart of this collaboration is a shared commitment to the creation and presentation of new work, as well as public engagement through bold and contemporary programming. Thanks to the partnership, GIAF is proud to host its most expansive First Thought Talks series to date on campus, alongside world premieres and exhibits that speak to today’s cultural and environmental concerns.

University of Galway is also home to GIAF’s largest venue - the Heineken Big Top - which will host 12 major live music performances this year, including The Stunning on 26 July, preceded by an exclusive alumni gathering on campus.

Supporting New Work and Groundbreaking Theatre

This year, the campus becomes a creative incubator, playing host to four new theatre productions — including two world premieres.

These include:

• Why the Moon Travels, the world premiere of a new theatrical adaptation celebrating the richness of Irish Traveller heritage.
• The Baby’s Room, the latest immersive experience from Enda Walsh’s acclaimed Room
• Two productions in development: The House Must Win by Rosa Productions and Dating Amber, a co-production between Landmark Productions and GIAF.

Hosting a Cross-Disciplinary Cultural Programme

In addition to theatre and music, the university campus will showcase thought-provoking visual arts and interactive installations:

• Not Breaking. This Wave Drowns Hate by Kat Austen, a striking response to the global marine microplastics crisis.
• What Lies Beneath the Rubble, an urgent photographic exhibition by award-winning Palestinian photojournalist Eman Mohammed.
• Tactile Tunes, an interactive musical installation at the Aula Maxima.

Expanding Public Discourse and Cultural Legacy

This year’s First Thought Talks will feature a wide range of prominent thinkers, including Fintan O’Toole and five University of Galway faculty members, engaging with pressing contemporary themes. The talks - held entirely on campus - are a cornerstone of the festival’s ambition to foster critical public discourse.

Beyond the stage and gallery, the partnership also strengthens the cultural legacy of the festival. The University continues to house and curate the GIAF Archive, including the Galway International Arts Festival Oral History Project, which documents the lived experiences of festival creators and participants. New recordings, developed in collaboration with Dr Barry Houlihan and the University’s Archives, are added annually and made fully accessible via the university’s digital repository.

Empowering the Next Generation of Arts Leaders

The festival also provides significant opportunities for student and alumni engagement. This year, the university-backed GIAF Volunteer Programme will welcome 536 volunteers, while 12 students from diverse disciplines will take part in SELECTED - GIAF’s academy offering behind-the-scenes access to festival-making and exclusive meetings with artists and producers.

GIAF CEO John Crumlish said:

“The relationship with the University of Galway is very important to us. It has played a significant role in our development, has facilitated our growth, played a major role in the expansion of the Festival footprint and provided valuable support in the development of new Irish work.”

University of Galway Interim Deputy President & Registrar, Professor Becky Whay, said: “Our partnership with the Festival has community and opportunity at its heart - from the students on our SELECTED programme and their learning and experiences, to our colleagues on the ground who make all the events happen, to the volunteers and to the welcome we can afford to the audiences. We love the vibrancy and creativity that it offers the University and importantly the city.”

Galway International Arts Festival would like to acknowledge the support of its principal funding agencies the Arts Council and Fáilte Ireland; its Drinks Partner Heineken®; Education Partner University of Galway.