Galway International Arts Festival attendance figures broke the 200,000 mark for the second year running when it closed on Sunday, with Box Office recording its biggest takings to date.
Galway International Arts Festival highlights: Theatre
The second week of the Festival’s expanded programme included the world premiere of the Kellie Hughes and Galway International Arts Festival co-production 'Death at Intervals', starring Olwen Fouéré and Raymond Scannell, while the Irish premieres of the smash-hits 'Our Ladies of Perpetual Succour' and 'A Simple Space' received repeated standing ovations over the course of their sell-out runs.
Music
Britpop legends Suede, international trad supergroup The Gloaming, two time Ivor Novello-award winners Villagers and Imelda May all rocked the Absolut Big Top.
First Thought talks
First Thought Talks also played to packed houses in week two, with discussions featuring the composer Peadar Ó Riada and acclaimed US author David Berreby.
Visual arts
The Festival’s Visual Arts programme also continued to attract large numbers in week two, as did the Festival’s co-production with Landmark Productions, Enda Walsh’s 'Arlington [a love story]', which received critical acclaim. Theatre publication The Stage praised the story as a “tremendous exploration of the transcending of circumstance” along with Oona Doherty’s dance piece as "visceral." The Guardian hailed it as “...a new form of comprehensive, category-defying theatre”; while RTE Arena and the Sunday Independent also had glowing reviews for the production.
The Festival garnered praise from noted Guardian critic Michael Billington, who described it as a ‘powerhouse of ideas and innovation.’
John Crumlish, Festival CEO commented: “We are delighted with how the festival went this year and I would like to thank all the artists who were involved in the programme and all those who came to events.
“It was our biggest festival to date, with more of our own productions in the programme than ever before, so it is fantastic that people came in such numbers.
“The memory of standing in front of that big screen on Mainguard Street during the Festival when the winner of the Capital of Culture 2020 was announced is one that will live long in the memory.”
To re-live all the Festival moments from 2016, check out our Festival videos.
