Kid Creativity Explodes With Baboró
Update: Baboró was scheduled to run 16-22 October, due to nationwide closures in advance of Storm Ophelia, all Baboró events scheduled for 16 October have been cancelled. Check www.baboro.ie and @BaboroGalway on Twitter for more updates.
Baboró is barrelling into Galway to reclaim art and culture for the most creative (and noisiest) segment of society – children.
Originally part of the Galway Arts Festival, the first Baboró programme hit the west coast city in 1994. Just two years later, it separated from its parent festival to create a multidisciplinary series of events designed exclusively for children.
It sounds like a lot of fun – and it is – but there’s a serious side to this international arts festival too. It strives to uphold Article 31 of the UN Convention on the rights of the Child, which states every child has the right to enjoy arts and culture.
Spanning theatre, puppetry, literature, music and more, there are plenty of different activities to captivate little people from 16-22 October.
French powerhouse Arcosm is bursting onto the stage in a flurry of dance and music with their production Bounce!, while Ireland’s own Theatre Lovett brings adventure-comedy They Called Her Vivaldi to expectant audiences.
The workshops taking place in a range of venues throughout the festival are always a big draw for attendees, and this year is no different.
Artist Judith Bernhardt is running a story making workshop for ages 6-8, The Tweed Project is giving a hands-on history on clothes production for ages 8-10 and Teatro al Vacío from Argentina and Mexico are getting things moving with their dance workshop for 3-6 year olds.
The festival also gives adults the tools to connect with children and uses the arts to unleash their childish side.
From the representation of refugee crises in theatre to workshops on releasing your inner child, there are a wide range of useful talks and workshops taking place throughout the week.
For those aiming to start a creative career in young people’s arts, there are lots of unmissable events. Children’s book author Sarah Webb discusses the nitty-gritty of starting a career as a writer, while visual artist Maeve Clancy talks the audience through her approach to work.
Keeping a firm eye on how to nurture creativity in every child, artist and educator Phillida Eves is giving practical advice on how teachers and special needs assistants can transform their classrooms into multi-sensory wonderlands.
Baboró is supported by Creative Ireland, The Department of Culture, Heritage and The Gaeltacht, The Arts Council, Galway City Council, Galway County Council and Fáilte Ireland.
