Galway International Arts Festival is at the Barbican Centre in London this week where the UK premiere of ROOMS by Enda Walsh, produced by GIAF, has opened to rave reviews. ROOMS forms part of the Barbican's 2019 season and runs until 19 April.
To coincide with GIAF’s visit to London, this First Thought Talk with
John Gerrard will take place at The Embassy of Ireland, Great Britain
as part of a special reception hosted by Ambassador of Ireland, Adrian
O’Neill, to welcome GIAF to London.
John Gerrard is one of Ireland’s most unique and internationally celebrated artists best known for his large-scale and site-specific works. Paul Fahy, GIAF Artistic Director, will join John Gerrard in conversation to discuss Gerrard’s work, and his exciting collaboration with GIAF for Galway 2020
Galway International Arts Festival has commissioned John Gerrard to create two major artworks as part of the programme for Galway 2020 European Capital of Culture.
Ambassador of Ireland, Adrian O’Neill said: “I am delighted to host the First Thought Talk at the Embassy in association with the Galway International Arts Festival and look forward to welcoming John and Paul for what will no doubt be a fascinating conversation. The GIAF plays a hugely important role in profiling Ireland as a vibrant and inclusive cultural destination. It is also encouraging to see exciting cultural collaboration & partnerships between the Festival and organisations here in the UK. I am especially pleased that UK-based artists are taking part in the Festival, and am really looking forward to seeing Rooms at the Barbican later this week.”
Paul Fahy, GIAF Artistic Director said: "I’d like to thank Ambassador Adrian O’Neill for extending such a warm welcome to GIAF during our visit to London with Rooms by Enda Walsh, and for hosting the Festival’s First Thought Talk with Irish artist, John Gerrard. John is one of Ireland’s greatest artists whose work has been installed in some of the most high-profile urban spaces in the world from London to New York, and at the Venice Biennale and the Coachella Valley Desert in California. We first presented his work at the Festival in 2013 and I’m looking forward to talking to John about his work, and about our exciting collaboration for Galway 2020, as part of this First Thought Talk."
First Thought Talks is the Festival’s thought leadership platform, which places a spotlight on issues of the day and showcases thought-provoking discussion on forward-thinking ideas. In its 107 talks to date, the programme has featured everyone from authors to war correspondents, supermodels to CEOs, constitutional lawyers to psychotherapists and playwrights to presidents. It aims to significantly progress the position of culture and creativity in society and make it a central pillar of Irish life. GIAF has also developed its discussion platform outside the Festival and publishes the talks on its website.
GIAF’s First Thought Talk with John Gerrard will be live-streamed from the Embassy of Ireland, Great Britain on the GIAF Facebook page at 6.30pm, Tuesday 16 April.
GIAF’S production of ROOMS by Enda Walsh is on at the Barbican in London from Thursday 11 April until 19 April. The UK premiere is supported by Culture Ireland.
Galway International Arts Festival would like to acknowledge the support of Culture Ireland with the UK premiere of ROOMS. The Festival would also like to acknowledge its principal funding agencies the Arts Council and Fáilte Ireland and Festival Partners Heineken® and NUI Galway.
