Festival Makers CONNECT - Create

Overview

Festival Makers Connect is a networking event, Day 3 of the Festival Makers Conference 2026. It will feature presentations, workshops, and networking opportunities to support community-led programming and partnership development for festivals. The program has been co-designed with Festival Makers, Producers, and Practitioners from Northern Ireland and the six border counties.

Key Dates and Location

• Date: 23rd May 2026
• Time: 10am - 6pm
• Venue: Hume Hall, ATU Sligo, F91 YW50

Tickets and Admission

• Admission is free.
• Places are limited and must be reserved in advance.
• Only 2 tickets per festival can be reserved.

Program Schedule (Day 3)

• 10 – 11am: Registration, Tea and Coffee with light bites upon arrival.
• 11 – 11.20am: Welcome Address by Damien McGlynn (Create) and Dr. Kerry McCall Magan (British Council).
• 11.25am: Digital Video Presentation “Art Cure” by Dr. Daisy Fancourt, introduced by Sarah Jones (NI Science Festival).
• 12pm – 1pm: Workshop – Why do we do what we do – how can connecting with other festivals help us to do what we do? Facilitated by Festival Makers Connect Co-Design Group.
• 1 – 2pm: Lunch – ATU Canteen.
• 2 – 2.40pm: Guest Speaker – Collaborating cross-border and Accessibility in Festivals by Edel Murphy (University of Atypical and Bounce & Disrupt Festivals).
• 2.45 – 4pm: Panel Discussion, moderated by Damien McGlynn (Create) – Insights for festivals collaborating cross-border.
• 4pm – 4.15pm: Closing Remarks by Damien McGlynn (Create) and Dr. Kerry McCall Magan (British Council).
• 4.15 – 5.30pm: ATU’s YADA Showcase & Exhibition at Yeats Academy of Arts, Design and Architecture Building – Black Box and Various Studios.
• 6pm: Ends – Festivals Connect.

Partnerships

Festival Makers Connect is part of the Festivals Connect programme, led by Create, in partnership with the British Council, in associate partnership with the Arts Council and the Arts Council of Northern Ireland, supported by PEACEPLUS, a programme managed by the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB).