There had been some speculation about whether French post-modernist theorist Jean Baudrillard would actually appear in person at the Galway Arts Festival. This prolific cultural commentator has been preoccupied in recent years with the impossibility of distinguishing what is real from what is simulated. Nevertheless, tickets for his planned public appearance next Monday were tangible enough and sold out rapidly in recent weeks and Baudrillard's many fans will be disappointed to hear that he is now unable to travel to Galway, due to ill health. The festival's director, Rose Parkinson, assures all ticket holders that they will be refunded at the festival box office.

Better news from Galway is that Druid Theatre Company has been given a special grant of £500,000 to refurbish its building in Chapel Lane. The building has been Druid's base since 1979 and in 1996 its owners, Thomas McDonagh and Sons, transferred it to the company. Druid's artistic director Garry Hynes welcomes the grant, which comes directly from the Department of Arts and Heritage. "We have yet to work out our plans and the timescale of the refurbishment programme. We will launch a fundraising campaign in the private sector to supplement the grant, and to fully realise the potential for the theatre." Meanwhile, at Druid Lane this week the impressive Druid Debuts series continues to showcase the work of emerging playwrights, while a distinguished Druid playwright, Vincent Woods, is reunited with Australia-based former Druid director Maol∅osa Stafford, in the first Irish-language production of At The Black Pig's Dyke at An Taibhdhearc. (See review on this page.)

Galway Arts Festival, which kicked off on Tuesday, continues until Sunday July 29th. Booking on 091-566577.