LASTA FESTIVAL 2024 at DUNAMAISE
Dunamaise Arts Centre and its partner venues in the NASC Regional Venue Network have teamed up to present LASTA; a national festival across eight regional theatres - from Letterkenny to Tralee, from Galway to Dun Laoghaire - in June 2024 and programmed by a team of young curators selected through a nationwide open call.
Dunamaise Arts Centre and its partner venues in the NASC Regional Venue Network have teamed up to present LASTA; a national festival across eight regional theatres - from Letterkenny to Tralee, from Galway to Dun Laoghaire - in June 2024 and programmed by a team of young curators selected through a nationwide open call.
- Throughout the year, the Young Curators have had the opportunity to meet up with curators from the other venues across the NASC Network. They received mentoring from industry professionals in marketing, touring and venue management and have been learning about negotiating deals, how to approach artists and companies, and how to manage budgets. They have also visited the Galway International Arts Festival to experience excellent arts programming in the flesh.
- The Young Curators are working towards programming events for a week-long festival which will take place in Summer 2024. The Young Curators Programme, based on a project originally conceived and delivered by Backstage Theatre, Longford in 2020, is targeted at young people between the ages of 18 and 25 who want to gain experience in working in the arts, especially those interested in venue and festival management and programming.
- The curators were selected on the basis that they were from, live in or have a strong connection to Laois and its communities; had a passion for the arts and for attending performance; enjoyed working with a small team; liked organising events and making things happen; and being able to make the commitment to the programme if selected.
- The project is about programming and producing creative work in the performing and visual arts - selecting shows that they may have seen for Dunamaise Art Centre’s programme of events or making a show in collaboration with the young curators in other venues. Curating will include managing the event from the first conversation with the artists to the day of the performance, making sure everything runs smoothly on the day. In this, the young programmers will be supported by the team here at Dunamaise Arts Centre, the young curators at the other participating venues, and the professionals hired to support the programme including project co-ordinator Maisie Lee.
- Established in 2006, the NASC Network is a partnership of eight venues who work together to present touring projects and share marketing and other areas of expertise. The NASC Network Venues are Dunamaise Arts Centre (Portlaoise), An Grianán Theatre (Letterkenny), Backstage (Longford), Glór (Ennis), Lime Tree Theatre (Limerick), The Pavilion (Dun Laoghaire), Siamsa Tíre (Tralee) and Town Hall Theatre(Galway)
- The Young Curators Programme is based on a project originally conceived and delivered by Backstage Theatre, Longford in 2020
- Laois Young Curators have received additional support from Creative Ireland Laois
Aoife Dunne
A Sculpture & Combined Media student from Abbeyleix
An LSAD's Exhibitions Society member, Aoife has an interest in community engagement and is a senior ambassador for Shóna Project. Aoife is a member of Plan International's Youth Advisory Panel. Speaking about and engaging with art is a huge passion, and a goal of Aoife's is for people to feel curious about what they see, and to have a desire to find out more about the artists (and curators!) behind it.
Bill O'Brien
A Portlaoise native studying a Masters of Education and an accomplished musician and music teacher.
Bill’s musical education began with guitar, and at Laois School of Music he garnered an interest in traditional music. He later learned banjo and went on to experiment in bluegrass music, and also jazz and classical guitar. He has performed at many events over the years, including Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann. He has collaborated with other artists and is currently a member of musical trio Bon Étude, performing a range of classical and jazz music. Bill teaches on behalf of Comhaltas and Music Generation.
Ultimately, Bill wants people attending their programme to be left energised, enriched and with a new found or renewed appreciation of the performing arts.
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