Westside Arts Festival, Galway City

Cities Section: Category Three – Creative Place Initiative

Winner:  Westside Arts Festival, Galway City

Summary:

Westside Arts Festival is an annual community event which promotes and celebrates the spirit and people of Westside through the arts. The Festival brings local people together by showcasing various different art forms alongside a wide range of creative and educational activities. The five day festival takes place in July and is now in its 16th year. The Festival has a strong community focus and all activities take place in local spaces such as the resource centre, library, community garden etc. Westside is a long-established residential neighbourhood and the festival actively promotes the principle of caring for – and catering for – all age groups and all abilities living side-by-side in the community. All events are free of charge. Westside Arts Festival is unique in Galway City and a fine example of collaboration between community groups, agencies and voluntary organisations. The Festival is particularly special because of its grassroots origins and talented mix of professional performers and emerging local talents.

Group Contact: Fiona Coen, [email protected]

Citation:

It was clear to the judges that the winning entry is about a very strong community event, which continues to grow and prosper. It maintains a focus on local artists and involves engendering pride in the creativity of the local community. It is making a significant contribution to Pride of Place in the area.