Festival ticket sales beat gloom

by Bernie Ní Fhlatharta

Ticket sales for this year’s Galway Arts Festival are matching last year’s sales despite the recession and one show is already a sell-out.The fesival, which is expected to bring €20 million revenue into the city, looks set to be another success with much enthusiasm for the varied programme.

Divine Comedy at the Big Top is already sold out and many of the other main shows are attracting healthy interest, just barely two weeks before the event kicks off.

John Crumlish, Managing Director of the Galway Arts Festival, said he was particularly pleased with a new initiative of a Family Programme.

The Family Programme provides a selection of shows suitable for the whole family and offering value for money, according to Mr Crumlish, with a ticket (ranging from €26 to €32 depending on the show) that covers two adults and two children.

Two of these family shows are Space Panorama and One Small Step.

“We beleive this is real value for money as we are very conscious this year of the economic landscape. And all things considered our ticket sales at this early stage is on a par with last year and Divine Comedy is already sold out and other shows look like they will be sell-outs too.“The Druid’s Penelope certainly looks well on the way to being a sell-out as does Badly Drawn Boy in the Radisson.

“We are pleased this year, too, that we are spreading out into venues all over the county from Headford to Inisbofin, out and about you could say.”

He also stressed that there were a number of free exhibitions, including the Matisse one in the City Museum, as well as street entertainment.

This year’s Festival Office is located on the ground floor of the Galway Tourist Office at Forster Street and tickets can also be booked online.