The Baboro International Arts Festival for children will take place in Galway from October 12th to 17th with a line-up that includes theatre, music, dance and a series of workshops and exhibitions.
There will be over 100 events at the festival which is now in its third year and has attracted contributors from England, Scotland, France and the US. The organisers have re-focused the programme this year, with particular emphasis on events for under 12s.
Theatre highlights include Into the West, an adoption of Jim Sheridan's screenplay, performed by Travelling Light Theatre from England. Puca Puppets present a double bill, which includes a new take on the old story of the tortoise and the hare. Meanwhile Compagnie Coatmundi from France tell the story of adventurous Monsieur Lemercier in their play Zany Waves.
There will be readings by popular children's authors Siobhan Parkinson and Gabriel Rosinstock, and an opportunity to see works from the Irish Museum of Modern Art's collection.
A talk by Minnijean Trickey Brown will give visitors the opportunity to hear from an important figure in the US black civil rights movement. Minnijean was one of the Little Rock Nine teenagers who faced angry mobs when the high school was desegregated in 1957. Workshops include the Make a Book project run by artist Simon Spain and Victoria Ryle, a child literacy specialist. The project gives children an insight into the history and variety of books, and hands on experience of the folding, making and printing of books.
The festival will also run an outreach programme, with events visiting children in schools. The programme includes percussion and Latin American dance workshops, and a touring grand piano day which will talk children through performances of well known piano music ranging from Mozart to Elton John.
Tickets for events can be booked by calling the Baboro Information Line on (091) 509702/3. School groups attending the festival can avail of a travel subsidy and claim 50 per cent of their travel costs back (up to £1 per child) through the Baboro bus subsidy scheme.
In conjunction with the festival, Education and Living is offering free tickets for a number of events. Ten pairs of tickets are offered for each of the two performances of Martha by Catherine Wheels at the Galway Arts Centre at Nun's Island on Saturday, October 16th. The performances are at noon and at 3 p.m.
Five pairs of tickets are offered for each of the two performances of Landscapes by Mimika at the CPI Centre, Newcastle, also on Saturday, October 16th. These performances are at 10 a.m. and 12.30 p.m.
Fifteen pairs of tickets are offered for Wind Quintet by Force Five at the Town Hall, also on Saturday 16th at 3 p.m.
To obtain free tickets for these performances, telephone 1550 114 502 (or 0906 698 2220 from Northern Ireland) between noon and 7 p.m. today. Vouchers will be posted to callers selected at random. Calls cost 58p per minute.
