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The origins of Boyle Arts Festival date back to 1983, when a few local individuals and artists came together to organise a short Festival of Art in the town during the summer. With an emphasis primarily on visual arts, the Cé Arts Festival created an opportunity for many local artists to exhibit and showcase their work, to a wider audience.
By 1985, the Cé Arts Festival had morphed into the Boyle Arts Week, a seven day Festival featuring larger exhibitions, music, street theatre and drama, while still retaining a core of locally based artists. This ran with great success until 1989.
In 1990, the new decade brought a rebranded and relaunched Boyle Arts Festival. The newly formed committee secured Arts Council funding and wider sponsorship, which enabled the Festival to expand to a multi-disciplinary one, attracting national and international artists in almost every genre.
Fergus Ahern and Barry Feely initiated the Boyle Civic Collection, purchasing selected pieces each year from both Exhibitions, to form a permanent display of high quality art in the town.
Boyle Arts Festival became a ten day event, and included classical, jazz, traditional and contemporary music, several exhibitions, children’s events, workshops, drama, comedy, film, poetry and an acclaimed series of lunchtime concerts that continue to this day. The local Open Art exhibition is still a centrepiece and it continued in the Parochial school, while the sports complex at Scoil Críost an Rí was the only place big enough in town to house the main Visual Art Exhibition.
In 2003 the newly restored King House became the permanent home of the main Visual Art Exhibition and one of the central venues for music performances and spoken word presentations.
Over the years, the Festival has been officially opened by presidents, celebrities and government ministers and it is now regarded as one of the finest in the country.
2024 will see Boyle Arts Festival celebrate its 35th year and the current programme of over 50 events has raised the bar even further. The beautifully restored ‘An Ríoga’ venue in Boyle (formerly The Royal Hotel) is now another central hub and will house the BAF office and the renowned Open Art Exhibition.
Boyle native Brendan McGee runs a local jewellery shop and has been involved with Boyle Arts Festival since 2010. He has a keen interest in the Arts, especially film, photography, electronic, indie and ambient music along with spoken word and drama. He writes all of the great press releases for BAF, liases with the press and local media, and also keeps the social media channels up-to-date all year round.
Catriona Fahey brings over 20 years of dedicated experience in working with children and young adults. Born and raised in Boyle, Catriona has a long-standing connection to the community and a passionate commitment to fostering youth involvement in the arts. Her role allows her to combine her love for her home town with her enthusiasm for the creative development of its youngest members, ensuring the festival is a vibrant, inclusive, and inspiring environment for all.
Talented Boyle native Rebecca Wynne joined the Boyle Arts Festival Committee in 2022, having attended the festival each year growing up. She has a passion for creativity in the early years, and enjoys providing open ended experiences for children. She loves crafting, creating and singing along to most kinds of music and brings immense positive energy to the committee.
Rory Nevin has built a dynamic career that bridges his current role at ATU Sligo with a vibrant passion for writing. After 17 years in London, where he immersed himself in the city’s arts scene and worked as a freelance journalist reviewing albums, plays, and movies, Rory returned to Ireland. At ATU, he combines his expertise in administration with his love for storytelling, writing short stories, drama scripts, and plays that reflect his diverse experiences and insights. His work showcases his ability to connect with a wide range of audiences, bringing stories to life in relatable and engaging ways.
Originally a committee member from 2009 to 2015, Sharon Tighe is delighted to re-join BAF this year. With a degree in English literature, Sharon’s love for words seamlessly blends with her passion for music, comedy and exploring multicultural events at festivals around Europe. She channels her creativity and expertise from her role as Marketing Director at Maverick Communications International, into enhancing the festival’s web presence and connecting Boyle with art and culture lovers everywhere.
With over 20 years’ experience in administration and financial management, Julie has worked in a diverse range of industries including multinational, private enterprise, community and start-up. She is actively involved in local community activities – civic, sporting and the arts. A new addition to the committee in 2024, she has a personal interest in music and particularly piano.
Fabulous art collection. Wonderful setting.
Great events, well organised.
Boyle Arts Festival is dedicated to the provision of the best in the performing and visual arts and to present a culturally enriching schedule of visual arts, music, literature, drama and family events, featuring exponents of national and international significance. The festival seeks to make the arts more accessible to a broad range of people, to give prominence to young, emerging Irish artists, both visual and performing, and to link with local arts groups in programming and organising events
