RT\u00c9 continues to champion Ireland\u2019s creative life this May, supporting a broad range of festivals, exhibitions and\u00a0performances\u00a0across music, theatre, literature, film and the visual arts, with RT\u00c9 Supporting the Arts showcasing the depth, diversity and vitality of cultural activity engaging artists and audiences locally, nationally and internationally.\u00a0<\/p>\n
This May,\u00a0The\u00a0Dublin Dance Festival\u00a0and\u00a0CISEACH | An Embodied Manifesto\u00a0showcase\u00a0contemporary dance practice from leading Irish and international artists, with performances taking place in Dublin and touring nationally. Theatre audiences can enjoy both political and classic drama through\u00a0The House Must Win, staged in Dublin and Cork, and a new production of\u00a0An Ideal Husband by Oscar Wilde\u00a0at the Gate Theatre, offering a fresh interpretation of the\u00a0much\u2011loved\u00a0work.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Music festivals and concert series continue to thrive across the country.\u00a0Blackwater Valley Opera Festival\u00a0presents\u00a0world\u2011class\u00a0opera and recital performances in historic venues in Waterford, while orchestral and chamber music are celebrated through\u00a0Limerick Summer Proms 2026,\u00a0SCS Killaloe Music Festival,\u00a0Marble City Music Festival, and\u00a0West Wicklow Chamber Music Festival. Milestone anniversaries are marked at the\u00a0Galway Early Music Festival \u2013 30th Anniversary\u00a0and\u00a0Ballydehob\u00a0Jazz Festival 2026\u00a0\u2013\u00a020th Anniversary Edition, reflecting Ireland\u2019s diverse musical traditions. Vocal and choral music is\u00a0showcased\u00a0nationally through\u00a0Chamber Choir Ireland Spring\u2013Summer 2026 Season, alongside major international platforms such as\u00a0Cork International Choral Festival\u00a0and\u00a0Limerick Sings International Choral Festival.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Film and visual culture take focus through a range of nationally significant platforms.\u00a0Fastnet Film Festival\u00a0continues to support emerging and established filmmakers in West Cork, while the\u00a0Taylor Wessing Irish Photo Prize\u00a0at Photo Museum Ireland highlights excellence in contemporary Irish photography. Major exhibitions include\u00a0William Blake: The Age of Romantic Fantasy\u00a0at the National Gallery of Ireland and\u00a0Our,\u00a0\u00d3ir, Ore: Four Millennia of Limerick Silver and Gold\u00a0at the Hunt Museum, offering audiences insight into artistic, literary and craft heritage spanning centuries. Visual art also plays a vital role in social impact initiatives through the\u00a0Mental Health Matters: National Poster Campaign\u00a0and the\u00a0Incognito Art Sale for Jack and Jill, which supports the Jack and Jill Children\u2019s Foundation through an international online platform.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Ireland\u2019s literary landscape\u00a0remains\u00a0vibrant and internationally connected.\u00a0This May\u00a0The\u00a0International Literature Festival Dublin 2026\u00a0brings writers and thinkers from around the world together in the capital, while\u00a0Listowel\u00a0Writers\u2019 Week, celebrating 55 years, continues its\u00a0long\u2011standing\u00a0contribution to Irish literary life. Literary heritage and reflection are central to the\u00a0Achill Heinrich B\u00f6ll Memorial Weekend 2026, while\u00a0Poetry Day Ireland\u00a0invites public participation nationwide through readings,\u00a0broadcasts\u00a0and shared moments.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Regional and\u00a0community\u2011led\u00a0festivals continue to play a vital role in Ireland\u2019s cultural ecosystem.\u00a0Carlow Arts Festival,\u00a0Cavan Arts Festival, and\u00a0Culture Date with Dublin 8\u00a0deliver multidisciplinary\u00a0programmes\u00a0rooted in local engagement, while\u00a0Ball Nights \u2013 A Celebration of West Kerry Music\u00a0honours\u00a0regional musical traditions through a nationwide touring\u00a0programme. The\u00a02026 Arts and Minds Festival, hosted at Maynooth University, explores the intersection of the arts, mental\u00a0health\u00a0and wellbeing, reinforcing the role of creativity in public discourse and social connection.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Nationwide initiatives ensure access to cultural experiences across all ages and communities.\u00a0Bealtaine\u00a0Festival\u00a0celebrates creativity as we age through events across Ireland, reinforcing inclusive participation in the arts.\u00a0<\/p>\n
RT\u00c9 Supporting the Arts is committed to supporting artists,\u00a0audiences\u00a0and cultural\u00a0organisations\u00a0across the country, helping to bring the arts to wider communities.\u00a0May\u2019s extensive\u00a0programme\u00a0reflects the strength,\u00a0imagination\u00a0and diversity of Ireland\u2019s creative sector, and RT\u00c9 Supporting the Arts is proud to help amplify these cultural experiences nationwide.\u00a0<\/p>\n
This\u00a0May,\u00a0RT\u00c9 Supporting the Arts invites you to immerse yourself in Ireland\u2019s vibrant cultural landscape. We encourage everyone to explore, attend, and enjoy the wealth of creativity on offer this month. For more information,\u00a0rte.ie\/culture\u00a0\u00a0<\/a>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n Events supported by the RT\u00c9 Supporting the Arts scheme this\u00a0May:\u202f\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"RT\u00c9 continues to champion Ireland\u2019s creative life this May, supporting a broad range of festivals, exhibitions and\u00a0performances\u00a0across music,…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":420204,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[61,60,43],"class_list":["post-420203","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-ireland","tag-ie","tag-ireland","tag-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/420203","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=420203"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/420203\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/420204"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=420203"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=420203"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=420203"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}