Ten oak letters ignite the night sky, as a fleet of boats take to the water - a fiery international premiere will announce the opening of the tenth Kinsale Arts Festival in spectacular fashion. One of many large-scale artworks commissioned to mark this special anniversary year, from an underwater sculpture in the harbour, to an immersive theatre show inside the town’s industrial metal perforation factory, it’s the biggest, most ambitious festival to date, running for an extended 10 days.
Taking place in the new month of September, the 2014 programme boasts the first Irish showing of work by Heather and Ivan Morison, Mel Brimfield, Neville Gabie and London architects Something and Son, alongside a new sculptural work by Daphne Wright, commissioned specially for the Charles Fort heritage site. Whilst a new work by artist Ruth Lyons explores the depths of the sea, Pat Collins’ film essay Living in a Coded Land stays firmly on the shore, and the iconic Mill Building will host the first full solo show in five years by internationally renowned Irish artist, Kathy Prendergast.
Running every night of the festival, critically acclaimed theatre pioneers Corcadorca return to fine form with their first large-scale site specific production in six years - the Irish premiere of Enda Walsh’s How These Desperate Men Talk. The supremely talented Elysian Quartet make their Irish debut performing music from De Oscuro’s Macbeth, which premiered at the Royal Opera House last year, and a whole strand of events will explore the artistic side of gastronomy. From The Domestic Godless’ sewage-duct sushi bar, to Breaking Bad inspired chicken in TV Dinner’s feast for the eyes and tongues, there’s something to cater for every appetite, and for those still hungry for a little more, an Olympic style Food Fight will close the festival with UK performance artists Hunt and Darton.
Festival highlights include:
• Corcadorca and Eat My Noise in association with Kinsale Arts Festival present the Irish premiere of How These Desperate Men Talk by Enda Walsh, late night at Graepel’s Metal Perforation Factory
• Elysian Quartet make their Irish debut fresh from the Barbican and Alderburgh Music, performing music from their recent collaborations with composers Conor Linehan and Richard Skelton
• Evelyn, a new work from Daphne Wright (alongside the Irish premiere of film work I know what it’s like) and You Are Lost by Heather and Ivan Morison, both commissioned by Kinsale Arts Festival for the historic Charles and James Fort heritage sites respectively
• The Sweat Oratory, London architecture practice Something and Son’s contemporary sauna by the sea, inspired by the Gallarus Oratory in Kerry
• Quantum Foam, the first solo exhibition in Ireland by Mel Brimfield and international premiere of the title work, in a unique harbour-side gallery built from shipping containers
• The Furthest Place from the Centre of the Earth, a survey of recent works by internationally acclaimed Irish artist Kathy Prendergast
• A series of masterclasses by the exceptional Joseph Walsh Studio offering a unique insight into the practice of this local studio exhibiting at Saatchi Gallery, Roche Court (UK), Cheongju International (Korea) and Spring Masters, New York.
• Playful, intimate auto teatro experience This Is Not My Voice Speaking by Ant Hampton and Britt Hatzius, last seen in Cork as part of Cork Midsummer’s Parallel Cities in 2012
• An impressive contemporary music programme featuring Lisa O’Neill, Chatham Saxophone Quartet and Louis Stewart with Jim Doherty
• The return of Banter with Jim Carroll of the irish times featuring The Gloaming’s Íarla Ó’Lionáird, Chelsea Flower Show winner Mary Reynolds, filmmaker Pat Collins and more
• Words and comedy from David O’Doherty, Tommy Tiernan, Foil, Arms and Hog, Roger McGough, Roy Foster and more
• Robots, coding, space missions and making - events for the whole family across both
weekends exploring science, technology and the environment, many of which are free

Festival Director Marie McPartlin said, “We’re delighted to announce this exciting, unusual series
of commissioned works and premieres from both Irish and international artists to mark the tenth
festival - many of these artists are presenting work in Ireland for the first time. As we explore our
rich history and landscape as a distinctive context for celebrating arts and culture, the 2014
programme aims to unveil a different side to Kinsale - sometimes playful, sometimes dark, always
surprising”.

Festival Trailer
http://vimeo.com/102113294
Password: KAFpress2014
Tickets on sale from Friday 1 August
Online Kinsaleartfestival.com/booking
Phone 021 470 0877
In Person Festival Box Office (opens 1 August – see website for details)