University of Galway’s Arts in Action 2026-2027 programme returns this week with free events, workshops and partnerships with arts organisations in the west.

A flagship public arts, performance and creative engagement programme of the University of Galway, Arts in Action prides itself on the strong partnerships it has built from year to year.

With a new home at the University of Galway’s Institute for Creativity, the upcoming programme spans arts forms from theatre to music, film to comedy, as well as conversation, talks and hands-on workshops.

The programme includes 15 free events, 3 workshops and partnerships with TULCA Festival of Visual Arts, Theatre of the Oppressed Festival, Music for Galway, MusicConnects, Culture Night and Galway City Council.

Highlight events include:

• Opening the programme on September 11th, writer Sam Fowley and poet and University of Galway alumna Laoighseach Ní Choistealbha will deliver readings of their works related to the theme of the associated research symposium ‘Water Ways: Water in Flux in Ireland and Beyond’.
• On Culture Night, September 18^th, ‘What about M.E.?’, supported by Galway City Council, features four short plays that give an insight into the thousands of people in Ireland who live with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) and Long-Covid, written by people living with these illnesses.
• On November 5th, The Pale Blue Dot, a Music for Galway performance by Elevation Ensemble, will reimagine the extraordinary cultural time capsule of the Voyager Golden Records that were affixed to NASA’s Voyager spacecrafts launched in 1977 as humanity’s message to the cosmos. This unique multimedia performance includes new music by Irish composers Linda Buckley and Jonathan Nangle.
• In December, a MusicConnects event ‘3 Kinds of Music’ will feature Galway guitarist and composer Aengus Hackett, MusicConnects’ Ensemble in Residence, ConTempo Quartet and the In Flow Gamelan Group – an ensemble of talented adults with Intellectual Disabilities, facilitated by That’s Life and supported by Corlann Services, Galway.
• Throughout October and November, artist Maeve Curtis and author Mike McCormack will lead deep-listening workshops responding to MusicConnects’ season of music.
• In partnership with TULCA Festival of Visual Arts, internationally renowned artist, photographer, writer and cultural producer Del LaGrace Volcano will give a live artist talk and presentation on November 12th as part of TULCA 2026: Veruca Salt.
• In comedy, The Accidental Activist, is a quick-witted show about the Climate Crisis by Irish comedian Diane O’Connor. Róisín Stack’s No Woman is an Island will also display sharp humour and considers the relationship between productivity and identity.
• Talks include a lecture by Professor Helena Grehan (Edith Cowen University) on Theatre; a presentation by Uruguayan actress, educator, and social activist Sabrina Speranza; and an hour with Alfrun Rose, writer, actor, and producer of major productions including Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald.
• Documentary film Monarca from North to South: Migrant Audiovisual Memory, gathers the memories, songs and experiences of Nicaraguan composers exiled in Costa Rica. The screening will be followed by a discussion with historian and executive producer Dr Antonio Monte Casablanca.

Florian Schneider, Director of the Institute for Creativity, University of Galway, said: “Arts in Action has a formidable legacy within the University of Galway as a major cultural initiative of the College of Arts, Social Sciences and Celtic Studies. 

“As the programme enters a new phase of development, we are delighted that Arts in Action will now reside under the institutional banner of the Institute for Creativity, the University’s recently established interdisciplinary hub for creative innovation, research, and societal engagement.

“Our plan over the coming years is to position Arts in Action as a cross-disciplinary, strategic programme for the University, strengthening links with curriculum, teaching and learning. We also want to further develop existing and new partnerships with community, cultural and creative groups and organisations, and build national and international recognition for this fantastic cultural programme.”

Marianne Ní Chinnéide, Lecturer in Drama and Theatre Studies at University of Galway and Artistic Director and Head of Production and Curation for Arts in Action, said: “The University is delighted to present this year’s Arts in Action. I have curated a programme of events, lectures, talks, showcases and workshops where creative practice meets research and teaching, that embodies University of Galway’s commitment to integrated, research-led, and socially engaged artistic practice and arts education.

 “Looking back over Arts in Action programmes throughout the years, a rich legacy has been formed between the University and the artistic community of all art forms, throughout the Galway region and across Ireland. I would like to sincerely thank all of our strategic partners who co-fund the programme - our university colleagues and researcher community, and festival and arts organisations – making this programme accessible to all. The reach of this programme at the intersection of research disciplines and, art form development and the live art event, is a unique model nationally and I can’t wait to share it with you all.”

 Founded by the late Mary McPartlan, the Arts in Action programme was established to create a space where artistic excellence, cultural dialogue and public participation could flourish. The programme provides opportunities for staff, students, artists, researchers, community and arts organisations as well as audiences to encounter innovative artistic work, artistic research and engage in critical conversations about contemporary society.

 Arts in Action events will take place at the University’s O’Donoghue Centre for Drama, Theatre and Performance, the Bank of Ireland Theatre and the Siobhán McKenna Theatre.

 All events are free and open to staff, students and the wider community. Registration is required. The full programme with booking details is available here.

 Ends