Galway International Arts Festival and Róisín Dubh today announced that Patti Smith will take to the stage of the Heineken® Big Top on Wednesday 15 July 2026.
Iconic musician Patti Smith will perform what promises to be an unmissable concert at the Heineken Big Top at Galway International Arts Festival next July.
Tickets available now - click here to book yours!
Born in Chicago and raised in South Jersey, Smith moved to New York City in 1967, where she became a central force in the city’s vibrant arts scene. Her groundbreaking 1975 debut album Horses, now enshrined in the National Recording Registry, announced a fearless new voice, whose influence continues to reverberate across generations. Smith was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2007.
Across her remarkable career, Smith has released a series of acclaimed albums, including Radio Ethiopia, Easter, featuring the classic Because the Night, co-written with Bruce Springsteen, Dream of Life with its anthemic People Have the Power, co-written with her late husband Fred Sonic Smith, Gone Again, Gung Ho, Banga and more.
A four-time Grammy Nominee, she has also received major recognition for her work in film, literature and visual art, including an Emmy nomination for Steven Sebring’s documentary Patti Smith: Dream of Life. Her live performances have been met with widespread critical praise, hailed for their emotional power, spontaneity and enduring artistic vitality.
Smith’s literary achievements are equally celebrated. Her memoir Just Kids, chronicling her deep friendship with photographer Robert Mapplethorpe and the evolution of their work, won the National Book Award [USA] in 2010. It was followed by acclaimed works, including M Train, Year of the Monkey and A Book of Days. Her latest book, Bread of Angels: A Memoir was recently published. Continuing her commitment to humanitarian and environmental causes, she remains a vital cultural voice.
For this special GIAF performance, Smith appears with her longtime band: guitarist Lenny Kaye, who she has collaborated with since 1971, drummer Jay Dee Daugherty, who she has collaborated with since 1975, Tony Shanahan on bass and keyboards, who she has collaborated with since 1996, and her son, guitarist Jackson Smith, who she has collaborated with for over a decade. Patti Smith’s Galway debut promises an electrifying, deeply moving night at the Heineken Big Top!
Tickets €70.70 (incl. booking fee) go on sale at 10am Friday 12 December at giaf.ie / roisindubh.net
Photo Credit: Tom Dumont
Tickets €70.70 (incl. booking fee) available now!
For nearly half a century, Galway International Arts Festival (GIAF) has helped shape Ireland’s cultural landscape- presenting a world-class annual festival that unites Irish and international artists across a vibrant, multidisciplinary programme; commissioning, producing and touring new work; and championing leading ideas through its First Thought series, while increasingly embedding inclusivity and sustainability across its programmes.
As it approaches its 50th anniversary in 2027, GIAF will build on its legacy in Galway to enhance Ireland’s reputation for creativity, innovation and international connection. GIAF 2026 will take place from 13–26 July
Galway International Arts Festival would like to acknowledge the support of its principal funding agencies The Arts Council and Fáilte Ireland; its Drinks Partner Heineken®; and its Education Partner University of Galway.
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