ACCESS TO the arts is imperative for a generation destined to create jobs which “don’t even exist today”, according to the woman in charge of the Baboró International Arts Festival for Children.
Society needs “problem solvers, creative thinkers and innovators” more than ever, and engaging with the arts fosters confidence and prepares children for the challenges ahead, Baboró general manager Teenagh Cunningham has said.
She was commenting before publication yesterday of this year’s programme for the arts festival for children, which runs in Galway from October 11th to 17th in partnership with the Medtronic Foundation.
“Beautiful, outrageous, simple and joyous” is how Ms Cunningham and Lali Morris, Baboró programme director, describe this year’s line-up of dance, percussion, theatre, clowning, puppetry, music, literature and visual art.
Highlights include the Italian Pandemonium Teatro, which will present Il Cubo Magico created by two Italian clowns, and the Scottish Catherine Wheels Theatre which won Edinburgh Fringe First and Total Theatre Awards.
A “silent disco” for young people will be held, while other Irish events include Ciotóg’s See Saw, a dance show for early years, and Gugalaí Gug! Beo by Futa Fata, involving three generations of Connemara voice in Irish music, song, poetry and dance.
Mermaid Theatre of Nova Scotia will perform a version of Eric Carle’s The Very Hungry Caterpillar, and puppeteer Miriam Lambert will present her interpretation of The Gingerbread Man. The French dance percussion company Arcosm will present Echoa, and the German Theater Mummpitz will deal with issues of bullying in The Terrific Adventures of Brave Johanna WoodSword.
Visual arts will include Inscape, a group exhibition exploring ideas of landscape and place, and award-winning children’s book illustrations presented by Garter Lane Arts Centre.
Baboró founding member Patricia Forde will read from her work, as will writer David Donohue.
The festival will tour, and Galway One World Centre will present a global education workshop for primary teachers, while there will also be a forum on the arts for the early years.
The festival website is www.baboro.ie. Tickets go on sale on Thursaday, September 16th, at the Town Hall Theatre in Galway