It's all systems go backstage as Arts Festival prepares for the big launch

By Judy Murphy

For thousands of people in Galway and further afield, the excitement of the Arts Festival begins next Monday when the event formally kicks off. But for those behind the scenes, the last few weeks have been all go, as they put the final touches to preparations for Galway’s annual arts knees up.

“The past week has been interesting because things like the gallery are being made ready and we are well advanced in the physical building of that,” says Artistic Director Paul Fahy of the new Fairgreen Festival Gallery in the former Habitat Building on the Fairgreen.

“People may not notice, but the level of work that goes into transforming a former shop into a gallery is enormous,” he points out, adding that they had a team in there, including carpenters and electricians, creating a suitable venue to exhibit the works of video artist Bill Viola, Irish printmaker Lynne O’Loughlin (Virtual Eden) and Brian Bourke, whose Polyptych show is one of two festival exhibition from one of Ireland’s leading artists.

“It’s a great space but it needs a lot of work to bring a vision into a place. And then the work begins to arrive – some of Brian Bourke’s pieces have been sent from the Irish Museum of Modern Art (IMMA). When you start the laying out of that, you see how a piece of art can transform a room.”

Last week Paul toured the rehearsal rooms of local theatre companies, including Druid, Decadent and Electric Bridget, talking to the directors, writers and actors about their shows.

“It’s quite amazing how much work has been done . . .and then you realise how close the big day is. . .” he says, referring to next Monday’s opening date.

While he is keeping an overview of artistic matters, new people are joining the festival team’s production and administrative staff on a regular basis during the weeks leading up to the event. “So you are filtering down information to them constantly.”

That information includes regular production specifications, as well as requirements that are particular to this year’s shows.

For instance, earplugs have been ordered for those who want to avail of them for Political Mother, the Irish premiere of one of the world’s top choreographers, Hofesh Shechter.

“It’s more like a rock’n’roll show than a normal dance show,” says Paul adding that it just finished a visit to Asia and Australia where the response has been fantastic, as it was when it premiered in London’s Sadler’s Wells in May.

As for ticket sales, initially there was a general spread across all shows, which was unusual, he observes. “Normally the big shows go first, now it’s becoming more what’s going on over the first few days of the festival.”

Uncle Vanya, produced by Bristol’s Old Vic and Shakespeare at the Tobacco Factory, is selling particularly well now, as is Freefall, from Corn Exchange, which won two Irish Times Theatre awards last year for Best Director and Best New Play.

For more, read this week's Connacht Tribune.