In the Open | Faoin Spéir Cavan 2021 - 2022
In the Open | Faoin Spéir is an Arts Council funded programme developed in response to the COVID-19 crisis for 2021 which will see a variety of outdoor arts events taking place in public spaces around Ireland. As we expectantly emerge from the pandemic in the second half of 2021 and into 2022, In the Open | Faoin Spéir will help to bring a renewed spirit of optimism and confidence in a fulsome return to the arts.
The public can expect to experience In the Open | Faoin Spéir events in the following locations, kicking off this summer and continuing in some places to Easter 2022; Dublin (Artane, Rathfarnham and City Parks), Castlebar, Carrick-on-Shannon, Clonmel, Cavan, Cork City, Ennis, Offaly (Birr, Lough Boora and Tullamore), Laois (Abbeyleix, Portarlington, Portlaoise, Rathdowney, Stradbally, Mountmellick, Mountrath), Longford, Louth (Drogheda and Dundalk) and Waterford.
Each area will have a variety of events appealing to a broad range of audiences and interests which will range from performances, film, projections, music, street art, trails, spectacle, installations, visual arts, literature, spoken word and much more.
The scheme encouraged collaborations between arts organisations, festivals, arts centres, and local authorities to programme innovative events for local audiences in outdoor public places. It will help to ensure that the public will be able to safely enjoy arts events as we continue to emerge from the pandemic. It will also bring employment to many artists, curators, to event and production managers over the coming months.
Cavan Town
This town wide arts programme running from July 2021 to March 2022, led by Cavan County Council through the Arts Office and Townhall, includes spectacle, outdoor theatre, visual arts, and traditional arts responding to the people and place of Cavan, reflecting on recent challenges, and looking to the future.
Schedule of Events:
Transart (Siobhan Harton and Joe Keenan) will curate a two-week drive by, walk by arts gallery on the theme of daydream (pleasant thoughts about future potentials) on advertising boxes in Cavan town. Nine artists will be commissioned to make work which will be on view in mid-September.
Redemption of A Rogue from Pale Rebel Productions the feature length film shot on location in Cavan and Swanlinbar written by Philip Doherty will be screened at a pop-up outdoor cinema in a local location. Fiach a drive-in theatre production by Fibín, the Irish language theatre company and written by Philip Doherty will be performed at the same venue. These shows are scheduled for late October.
Tom Meskell, lantern making artist will work with 8 local artists in July to create a ‘herd’ of lantern sculptures to be placed in Cavan for a Gathering In light experience in late November over the weekend of 26 to 28 November. These temporary sculptures will be accompanied by new writing from Noel Monahan and music by Daragh Slacke and will be placed in shop windows in the county over the month of December.
The Portals of Light project curated by Heather Brett and Kim Doherty working in community contexts on the theme of spring and re-emergence will draw attention to the doorways and archways in Cavan. This community-based installation will coincide with St Brigid’s Day 1 February 2022 and work on the community aspect is underway.
The NYAH (Not Your Average Hooley) festival will provide a Beyond Borders experience between 18 and 20 March 2022. The programme will promote the Northern Folk and Ulster Culture with an influence from County Clare the new generation and the traveller traditional link through Thomas McCarthy.
Ongoing updates on www.cavanarts.ie.