'Festival in a Van' set to get the show back on the road in Carlow

This year, Ukraine has undergone what was an unthinkable event for its country and people, but they managed to win the hearts of the rest of the world through music, as they won this year’s Eurovision Song Contest and it hasn’t stopped there.

Last month, celebrated Ukrainian Independence Day (Aug 24) – a hard day for many to be positive if in asylum overseas, but there are many nuggets of hope for refugees in Ireland.

One being, as Festival in a Van, supported by Creative Ireland and Ireland’s Local Authority Network, tour a new international concert series of events, until October.

The Shared Music Sessions now comes to Carlow on Tuesday 20 September, performing in the Ballon Community Centre and Toughers, Dublin Road.

Initially an idea to keep music and theatre alive during Covid, Festival in a Van is now about to tour the country to provide a vital cultural link for Ukrainian and other refugees in Ireland.

With Irish and Ukrainian musicians making a musical marriage, together with musicians from other refugee communities, Festival in a Van’s The Shared Music Sessions tours twenty counties, with twenty six days of sessions, which commenced across the Kingdom County in celebration of Ukrainian Independence Day last month.

Carlow transition year students sign up for free sexual health education programme

7 out of 10 young people from Carlow and across Ireland considering emigration

Festival in a Van’s Gemma Tipton said, “In times of global turmoil, small things can feel like a drop in an angry ocean, and yet it is so important to keep doing those small things. Connecting people through culture and our shared love of music can go way beyond words at the most difficult of times.”

Gemma Tipton set up Festival in a Van in 2020, turning a box van into a mobile stage, as a way of keeping live performance going during Covid. Travelling in a bubble, and armed with oceans of hand sanitiser, the Festival in a Van team were able to visit care homes, schools, residential centres and direct provision centres touring music, theatre and poetry.

Finn Furey Féile in a Van

In 2020 Festival in a Van:

·      Staged more than 60 performances in 11 counties

·      Worked with 48 musicians, singers, poets, artists and performers 

·      with a team of 15 theatre professionals, designers and production artists

·      and reached more than 2,500 people, throughout all levels of lockdown

In 2021 they brought our Words Move Tour across the Island.

When Festival in a Van comes to visit...

Vans arrive to streets, housing estates or apartment blocks. They come to care homes, rural spots, parking lots or village squares. The doors open. In one, an actor delivers a dramatic monologue. In another a musician makes their own kind of magic, a singer sings songs or arias. In another a poet recites, a writer reads.

“For truly Safe Craic: Festival in a Van gets the show back on the road.”

Date/Locations/Times:

• Tuesday 20 September @ 11.00am
  Ballon Community Centre
  Ballykealey Lane
  Carlow
• Tuesday 20 September @ 3.00pm
  Toughers Restaurant
  Dublin Road
  Carlow