Kilkenny Arts Festival Programme 2023

The exciting programme ranges from classical music to contemporary dance; visual art to immersive theatre. It celebrates renowned artists from home and abroad, and features collaborations platforming new voices and familiar faces. Alongside a truly international programme, KAF 2023 includes a number of locally based artists and companies. Central to the programme is Kilkenny itself. Once again, the beautiful buildings that adorn the Marble City will be locations for magical artistic encounters.
Explore, experience and enjoy.

Highlights include an audio visual installation projected on the walls of Kilkenny Castle; the return of the Architects of Air - this time with their Timisien luminarium; the premiere of The Local, a new site immersive theatre work from Asylum Productions; an exciting musical programme ranging from Beethoven’s 5th Symphony performed by the ICO & Thomas Zeheteimar, to Grammy Award winning Malian Wassoulou musician Oumou Sangaré; a visual arts exhibition exploring The Art of Sport; the Hubert Butler lecture delivered by acclaimed journalist, Ben Judah; a special performance by Iarla Ó Lionáird and the RTÉ Concert Orchestra of Neil Martin’s Sweeney, with narration by Ciarán Hinds and a discussion series commemorating Seamus Heaney’s appearance at the very first Kilkenny Arts Festival 50 years ago.

Speaking today, Festival Producer Marjie Kaley said, “We’re very excited to announce this year’s programme. It’s a landmark year for the Festival, and although it’s not been without its challenges, we believe that this year’s Festival represents the very best of what has put Kilkenny Arts Festival on the map for half a century - world class talent from across a diverse spectrum of arts practices, transforming - and being transformed by - Kilkenny’s truly unique places and people.”

To kick off the 50th Festival a specially commissioned audio-visual installation called ‘In Good Hands’ will be projected on the walls of Kilkenny Castle. This film, inspired by Damien Harrington, is a breathtaking tribute to the beauty of handmade art and design in the surrounds of the Rose Garden. Created by Fictions Picture Company and directed by Jack Phelan.

Kilkenny Castle Parklands will also be hosting the return of Architects of Air and the highly anticipated Luminarium, Timisien, a giant inflatable structure filled with colour, shape and light, which will delight all ages.

The KAF team have been working with members of the migrant communities based in Kilkenny and John Scott of Irish Modern Dance Theatre, to create Migration Sonata, a moving exploration of our similarities and differences through a rich blend of movement and song which will premiere in the Watergate Theatre.

For the past 50 years, music has been at the forefront of Kilkenny Arts Festival, and this year is no exception. KAF 2023 will see the return of festival stalwarts Irish Chamber Orchestra (ICO) in the majestic St Canice's Cathedral for two concerts. The first features a special collaboration with Philip Selway, the drummer of Radiohead, while the second will feature Thomas Zehetmair performing pieces including Beethoven's iconic fifth symphony, alongside Cork composer Linda Buckley’s ‘Fall Approaches’.

The beautiful St Canice’s Cathedral will also be the setting for Chamber Choir Ireland to perform some deeply spiritual works by Arvo Pärt, an Irish premiere of Rhona Clarke’s Requiem and Caroline Shaw's much-anticipated piece, "How to fold the wind”. The conductor will be Paul Hillier, one of Arvo Pärt’s most celebrated interpreters.

Barry Douglas will also make his eagerly awaited return for a solo piano recital featuring a programme of Schubert and Liszt.

This year the Festival has partnered with the RTÉ Concert Orchestra for a song cycle based on Seamus Heaney’s poem ‘Sweeney Astray’. Composed by Neil Martin and conducted by David Brophy, with vocals from Iarla Ó Lionáird and narration by Ciarán Hinds, Sweeney brings Heaney’s words to life alongside the full orchestra.

Also to mark the 50th anniversary of Seamus Heaney’s first appearance at the festival, Kilkenny Arts Festival will present a three-part series of discussions and readings from some of the poet’s celebrated translations in the Parade Tower.

Outside of the strong classical programme in St Canice’s, audiences can look forward to Grammy Award-winning Malian Wassoulou musician Oumou Sangaré with her 7-piece band, blending Afro-pop, folk rock and blues and the return of the festival finale, led by the inimitable Martin Hayes alongside an array of friends and artists from across the festival programme.

The Carducci Quartet returns to St John's Priory for four lunchtime concerts, featuring compositions by Haydn, Beethoven, Shaw, and other notable composers.

Cuban Viola da gamba virtuoso Lixsania Fernández explores the work of José Marín with musicians Jorge Juan Morata and Eduardo Eguez in a late night show in St John’s Priory. Camerata Kilkenny will be performing two lunchtime concerts, led by soprano, Zoe Brookshaw and featuring the work of Bach and other composers.

Two Kilkenny based companies lead the theatre programme this year. After their award winning show ‘The Big Chapel’ in 2019, Asylum Productions are back to bring us ‘The Local’ - an immersive theatre experience based in a pub in 1992, bringing together local actors, community groups and professional artists.

The renowned Barnstorm Theatre have teamed up with KAF to bring a trilogy of exciting site-specific plays to various benches around Kilkenny, turning the audience into sleuths and spies.

Tink Flaherty will bring their very own bench to Kilkenny, inviting strangers around the town to sit with them and share stories. Tink will then build on these into a multi-sensory show which will be performed in Cleere’s Theatre towards the end of the festival. Tink is a queer, non-binary and neurodivergent artist from the north of England, with Irish Traveller heritage.

Two of Ireland’s leading artists, fiddle player Aoife Ní Bhriain and dancer Colin Dunne will also take up a residency at this year’s Festival, where they’ll work on a brand-new piece mixing music and dance, and you can catch a sneak preview of the artists at work in these open rehearsals.

Crash Ensemble make a welcome return to Kilkenny, and as part of a festival residency will present Andrew Hamilton's "Friendly Piece" twice in the Cathedral Garden, one performance being specially tailored for families in a relaxed environment. Crash Ensemble will also collaborate with Diamanda La Berge Dramm and Sam Amidon, delivering mesmerizing compositions as part of a double bill in the Watergate Theatre, while a Crash quintet will join Japanese virtuoso Ichiko Aoba to perform new arrangements of her delicate, haunting songs.

The Marble City Sessions return with a an exciting line up, including a duo performance by Martin Hayes and Kate Ellis in the Watergate, a solo show from the exciting young Scottish piper Brighde Chaimbeul in Rothe House, to unique collaborations with Iarla O'Lionaird, Cormac McCarthy, and Matthew Berrill in the Set Theatre.

The Rollercoaster Sessions are back with a diverse selection of local & International acts, including the indie-folk melodies of BBC Folk Award Winner Josienne Clarke and the avant-pop sounds of the Scottish band Broken Chanter, both for late night shows in Cleere’s Theatre. Katie Kim and Elaine Howley, two singular voices in the alternative Irish music scene, will deliver individual performances alongside a short film screening by Bob Gallagher. Dónal Dineen will treat us to a late-night DJ set in the Set Theatre and the Rollercoaster Session DJs will take turns spinning vinyl records at the Smithwick's Barrel Yard. A premiere of Dave Holland’s "Wicked Little Atoms in The Fragments of the Long Waves”, a Kilkenny Arts Festival commission, will be performed over two nights in Cleere’s.

KAF 2023 Poet-in-Residence will be the distinguished Kwame Dawes from Ghana (Progeny of Air) whose masterclass will explore the murky waters of voice in language. As well as delivering his own lecture in association with Poetry Ireland, Kwame will also lead a Poetry Masterclass, and will speak at the launch of the latest Kilkenny Poetry Broadsheet with editor Aifric McGlinchey.

Acclaimed journalist Ben Judah (Fragile Empire, This is London, This is Europe) will deliver the 2023 Hubert Butler Lecture and the Hubert Butler Essay Prize will be presented in the Parade Tower alongside an exciting line-up of talks. These will include conversations between Nicole Flattery & Cristín Leach, Liz Nugent & Úna Mannion and a special reading from Fergus Cronin, accompanied by acclaimed musician Kevin Doherty.

Dumbworld wowed audiences at KAF 2021 with their installation in the Abbey Quarter skatepark and will return this year with two installations, including A New Topography of Love, an opera video game played on a bespoke arcade console, and Scorched Earth, a series of three apocalyptic street art operas.

The Butler Gallery in partnership with Kilkenny Arts Festival will present an exhibition featuring a stellar line-up of artists, exploring the relationship between art and sport. The Art of Sport explores how artists have captured the spirit of sport in their work conveyed through disparate mediums such as video, photography, painting, print and sculpture. It will include works by Josh Begley, Charles Brady, Paul Carroll, Vincent Cianni, Michael Craig-Martin, Dorothy Cross, Vanessa Daws, Rineke Dijkstra, Andy Fitz, Jona Frank, Marcus Harvey, Nicolai Howalt, Nevan Lahart, Louis le Brocquy, Jeannette Lowe, Colm MacAthlaoich, Colin Martin, Fearghus Ó Conchúir, Kenneth O’Halloran, Mandy O’Neill, Tony O’Shea, Julian Opie, Martin Parr, Paul Pfeiffer, Luis Alberto Rodriguez, Amelia Stein, Sarah Walker and Elinor Wiltshire.

This year, the Festival Gallery plays host to the work of Cork-artist Deirdre Frost. Big Crush looks at the phenomenon of desire, considering how it shapes the world in which we live.

The Secret Garden Music series will be free events scattered across gardens in special spaces including Rothe House, Butler House and the Heritage Council, with the artists remaining a secret until the show begins. In the Encounters series of intimate concerts, leading artists from across the programme (including the likes of Martin Hayes, Aoife Ní Bhriain and Colin Dunne) will embed themselves in locations around the city, offering mini performances for individuals or small groups of up to 6 people.

Ciara Sugrue, Head of Festivals and Events, Fáilte Ireland commented, ’Festivals and events are a key element of the tourism offering in Ireland, and Fáilte Ireland is pleased to support this year’s Kilkenny Arts Festival, which will showcase the very best of Irish arts, heritage and culture to domestic and international visitors. Developing unique and immersive visitor experiences like Kilkenny Arts Festival plays an important role in the recovery of the tourism sector for the county and the wider Ireland’s Ancient East region. Festivals like Kilkenny Arts Festival create new and compelling reasons for visitors to explore Ireland and experience first-hand our world-famous arts and culture. They have the ability to drive footfall for local businesses, which in turn generates revenue and supports jobs in communities and revenue generation.’

Booking is open online now and by phone and in person from 19 July at:
+353 56 775 2175
The Festival Box Office 76 John Street, Kilkenny

Kilkenny Arts Festival is grateful for the continued support from funders, particularly its principal funder, the Arts Council; Kilkenny County Council and Fáilte Ireland.

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