Festival events celebrating 'art in the landscape' to be held in Offaly next weekend

Two days of activities and events in Offaly are planned for next Friday and Saturday, April 5 and 6, as part of a 'Festival of Change' celebrating art within natural surroundings.

Over the two days, events will be held locally at the Esker Arts Centre in Tullamore and in Lough Boora Sculpture Park.

The Festival of Change is a joint initiative between Offaly County Council, Mayo County Council, and Visual Artists Ireland, and is supported by the Arts Council's Invitation to Collaboration Scheme.

All of the events are free to the public, but booking is necessary due to the limited capacity of certain activities.

The events will include the launch of 'Midland: Mother Myth Memory', an exhibition by artist Rita Duffy in Esker Arts Centre on the evening of Friday, April 5, which will be followed by a novel 'Bhangra Céilí', combining the traditional Irish Céilí, with Bhangra dance from the Panjab in South Asia.

On Saturday, meanwhile, Lough Boora Sculpture Park will host 'La na Mona', a curated theatrical experience with interactive performances, music, storytelling and more.

In Offaly, the festival will commence at Esker Arts on the Friday morning with ‘Tionól’, a gathering of selected individuals, groups, and artists who will present their expansive or concise conceptions regarding the potential held by 'art in the landscape' to an intrigued audience. Artists and community groups are invited to be part of the audience.

This will lead into an informal networking session called the 'Conversation Café', providing a platform to further develop ideas from the Tionól or introduce new concepts in a casual and laid-back setting.

Throughout the day, a variety of discussions and activities will ensue, including an illustrated discourse by photographer and filmmaker Tim Smith, accompanied by Hardeep Singh Sahota, with whom he has collaborated for the past decade. Together, they have interwoven words, visuals, music, dance, and "found sounds" to delve into the lives of local communities in the North of England and how this has transpired into their recent endeavours in Offaly.

Ruairí O’Shea, an established folk artist from Offaly will wind the afternoon down with a soulful performance designed to reflect the themes of the day.

The evening will witness the unveiling of 'Midland: Mother Myth Memory', an exhibition by Rita Duffy, followed by the 'Bhangra Céilí' fusion. Comhaltas groups, set dancers, belly dancers – all types of dancers either novices or more established - are invited to this fun event, which is set to be the first of its kind in the Midlands.

On the Saturday, April 6, a poetry workshop facilitated by Eileen Casey will be held at Esker Arts, with additional events occurring at Lough Boora Sculpture Park, such as walks with artist Eileen Hutton, who employs an unconventional photographic process to craft soil portraits on photosensitive paper.

Hardeep Singh Sahota will host a Bhangra Dance workshop in the wonderful surroundings of the Pavillion in Lough Boora.

Also, 'La na Mona', a curated theatrical experience by Rita Duffy and Nuala Hayes, a performer and storyteller, will offer a whimsical journey through Lough Boora Sculpture Park, promising diversion, entertainment, and inspiration for participants.

This surreal and multisensory adventure in the rejuvenated natural setting will feature surprise guests, concluding with tea and turf cake. All events are outdoors in the natural setting, so appropriate attire is required for this immersive day.

The festival will then return to Esker Arts in the evening, culminating with 'Rhythm of Light', an exhibition premiere and commission showcase by Hardeep Singh Sahota & Tim Smith.

For a complete schedule, visit www.offaly.ie/festivals Admission to all festival events is free, but reservations are essential. Due to the restricted capacity of many activities, early booking is highly recommended, given capacity has already been reached for many events.

Book directly for all events in Esker Arts and Lough Boora Sculpture Park via www.eskerarts.ie