The Arts Council and the Drama and Theatre Studies department at the University of Galway will present the Festival Makers Conference – formerly known as Change Makers – on 11 and 12 May in partnership with Creative Europe Desk Ireland. The two-day conference, which will take place at the O’Donoghue Centre at the University of Galway and the Town Hall Theatre, aims to create a platform for festival makers, artists and stakeholders to exchange ideas, share experiences, discuss sector developments and explore festival-related issues in Ireland.

Festival Makers will include a number of panel discussions, workshops and networking events as well as a keynote address from Kim Cook, Director of Creative Initiatives at the Burning Man Festival in the US.

Panel discussions will cover topics such as climate action, models of producing, and building partnerships. Workshops on valuing and developing volunteers, governance and strategic planning, and green action toolkits will also take place.  In addition, there will be networking slots, a curated swim and walk in Salthill, and a Creative Europe reception on 11 May to allow festivals to learn more about developing international partnerships.

The Arts Council is providing a limited number of free tickets for artists to attend Festival Makers. Tickets are available on a first-come, first-served basis and are aimed at individual artists working within a festival context. To apply, visit https://bit.ly/3KjcJuX.

Conference tickets are €35 for the two days and include a light lunch on 11 May. For full programme details see below or visit https://bit.ly/3KjcJuX

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