Like an ice cream van for the Arts! FESTIVAL IN A VAN brings entertainment outside and makes it mobile
FESTIVAL IN A VAN FÉILE I VEAIN
The Show On The Road
A mobile live arts event, Festival in a Van brings live performance to you. A trad session in the town square, a classical concert on the green, Shakespeare at schools, craic at care homes, and poets proclaiming in parks... Festival in a Van tours nationwide, bringing the magic of live performance to the parts and places other venues cannot reach.
Our van has been transformed as a mini mobile venue. Equipped with sound, lights, a drop down stage and a truly lovely crew, we are popping up in parks, streets, squares, care homes and more. During the lockdowns, we made safe, fun arts experiences part of life again. Now we're back on the road, bringing art to where you are.
Supported by Creative Ireland and by The Arts Council, and led by a team of theatre professionals, Festival in a Van is is available to festivals, community groups, schools, Local Authorities, and absolutely anyone who likes the idea of something wonderful coming their way.
TOUR DATES & INFO
HAPPENING SOON
Saturday 13 July | CO. Dublin
Festival in a Van is thrilled to partner with Mud Island Community Garden and Narrative4 on a story exchange and performance entitled HOPE BLOOMS. Mud Island community members will have the opportunity to take part in an artist-facilitated storytelling workshop in the morning using Narrative4's research-backed model, and later on will tell their neighbour's story from the Van stage.
The performance is open to all! Join us at Mud Island Community Garden at 2pm to hear stories of hope, plus live music from Queen of the Rushes and Aisling Ór Ní Aodha.
This event is made possible through Dublin City Council Arts Office Neighbourhood Grant.
Thursday 18 July | CO. Dublin
To celebrate the end of Festival in a Van's residency at the wonderful Tara Building, we are co-hosting their Rooftop Sessions! Tara members can join us on the night for a flavour of what the Van is all about. (please note: The Van itself will not in fact be backflipping up onto the Tara roof; this will be a sans-Van performance)
Friday 19 July | CO. Kildare
Join Festival in a Van and Creative Places Athy for a free open-air celebration of music, spoken word, and theatre with two stops in Athy.
1pm – 2pm: Castlepark, Athy Co. Kildare
5pm – 6pm: Bert House, Bert, Kilberry, Athy, Co. Kildare
On stage as part of this special visit to Athy will be Rhythm Africana performing traditional songs from all over Africa sure to get you dancing.
The main event is an outing of a short, specially commissioned spoken word theatre piece by acclaimed group WeAreGriot which explores themes of migration and home. All are welcome to this free event which aims to brighten up your day and broaden your horizons with some of the best performers on the scene in Ireland today.
This event is funded by the Arts Council and Kildare Arts Office and made possible through the support of Creative Places Athy.
other Current projects
Songlines
Songlines workshops are taking place throughout March and April 2024 in four care homes in Tipperary and Mayo. These artist-led workshops are focused on engaging people with dementia and cognitive impairment through fun, inclusive discussions of poetry and songs. Songlines will culminate in bespoke live concerts from the Van stage this May for care home clients, staff, friends, and family - we can't wait!
Proud to be funded by the Arts Council with support from Tipperary County Council, Mayo County Council, Réalta, and Poetry Ireland.
The Jukebox Project
Festival in a Van is delighted to bring The Jukebox Project back for a second year to new residences in April 2024 in collaboration with the HSE and Mental Health Ireland with funding from the Arts Council
The Jukebox Project invites clients in community residences who have experienced mental health difficulties to discuss amongst themselves and with staff their favourite poems and songs. This feeds into a collaborative setlist, which is turned into a two-way live performance by talented artists brought straight to our audience's door from the Festival in a Van stage.
Proud to be funded by the Arts Council in partnership with the HSE and Mental Health Ireland.
HOW TO BOOK
Vans can be hired as venues for your own programme, or we can curate and book a line-up of performers for you. Vans can spend the day in one location or make up to three stops in one day, depending on distances and performance duration.
Costs for Festival in a Van are based on a full day’s hire and include crew, fuel and all technical and safety equipment.
Festival in a Van is available for festivals, local authority events, schools, care homes, private hires and more.
If you would like Festival in a Van to visit you, or if you are planning a Festival and would like to hold performances somewhere that there isn't a stage, please contact us for more information
To learn more or to book Festival in a Van to visit your local community, please email Elizabeth Mohen or click below
VANS IN THE WILD
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NICE THINGS PEOPLE HAVE SAID ABOUT FESTIVAL IN A VAN
"We absolutely loved it! The children were so engaged and the whole crew were lovely. Children were walking home dancing!! Thank you so much"
Bríd Brophy, Principal @ St. Mary's Primary School, Dublin 7
(Event: Back to School Celebration with Gomba Educare, September 2022)
"Thank you for bringing Festival in a Van to Mooorehall Lodge Ardee. From when Gemma, the van, crew and Gavan arrived it was like our Residents and staff got a new energy - a new life. The whole event from start to finish was just so uplifting. the Residents watching the crew set up, not knowing what was coming next and then Gavan starting to sing: you could hear a pin drop, just class. Festival in a Van was the topic of conversation at lunch times and for days afterwards with everyone. We, as staff spoke together about the event to try and describe feeling everyone came away with, and we said it was an energy, new beginning, new hope. After 12 months of Covid 19, that feeling that yes, we are going to be fine! It was a lovely feeling".
Frances @ Moorehall (Event: Gavan Ring, Co. Louth, April 2021)
"I just wanted to let you know how impressed everyone was by the Festival in a Van company and production. Everything happened so efficiently (thanks Anthony) without any hiccups and the students (sixth years in particular) were thrilled to see King Lear come alive on the school grounds, with real actors! It was great to see them ask so many questions afterwards! And the actors were very happy to oblige!"
Teacher at Our Lady of Mercy College, Beaumont (Event: King Lear (in a Van), May 2021)
"From the moment the van pulled up this morning you could feel the excitement grow at school today.
Some pupils were hanging out the window to see what was going on and how a normal van was supposed to transform into a magical stage - I nearly didn't know how they did it even though I watched the whole thing unfold in front of my eyes! Magic in itself.
Suddenly we were at a festival - with a stage, a secure area for around the stage - everything you would expect to see at any venue was there - no attention to detail spared.
We got the green light to start at 10am on the dot and by 10:01 there were 73 children and 40 Staff dancing together at a music festival! It was genuinely amazing. Joyce and Steve played together beautifully - his husky voice complemented by her powerful traditional singing. An incredible experience.
Our school community needed a lift like this - it was amazing. Thank you"
Sarah McGinley, Principal, St. Josephs Special School, Galway
"Once again, I wanted to congratulate the team on the incredible work you are doing. It was such an honour to play for the people at Citywest. There was a powerful moment when just after my performance, a little Ukrainian girl of around 9/10 years old walked over to me and handed me a picture she'd drawn of me performing. She didn't have any English but through the help of an adult we had a little chat, and I gave her a CD of mine. It was a moment I won't forget."
KIRRU, Musician
(Event: Shared Music Sessions, November 12th, Citiwest, Dublin)
GET IN TOUCH
Contact us with any queries and to find out more about booking your very own Festival in a Van
Please fill in the contact form
or you can email directly
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