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Irish Independent
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Irish Independent
Final preparations under way for hugely popular Wexford arts festival
Festival organiser Garrett Keogh was inspired by his daughter Rosie to host the doodle event. Rosie owns the events venue Hens Teeth in Dublin and spoke about the origin of the event. She decided to try something fun for the book launch, rather than hosting an ordinary signing. 'We decided to build a Doodle Booth. It's like a photo booth, the kind you sit for a passport, except in this case there's no camera. A person sits into the curtained cubicle, and hidden behind a one-way mirror the artist sketches them. The resulting portrait is then slipped into the out-tray exactly as a photo would,' Rosie said. Garrett said the festival bring the unique and unexpected to Wexford. 'It's a long way from Toronto rap and gangsta music to north Wexford, but that's a part of what we do at the Gap Festival.' This year, award winning, animator and artist and author, Aileen Crossley will join Garrett Keogh at the festival to host the popular cartoon booth. Aileen recently moved to Tinahely and came across the festival and was eager to get involved. Heavily involved in the art scene, Aileen recently published a picture book which included scenes of Wexford, including Cahore Point and pier. Garrett Keogh, organiser of the Gap Arts Festival was just as surprised to hear from Aileen. Last week he said he was about to use equipment and wood from the cartoon booth for their upcoming play Shep but randomly decided not to. 'Then out of the blue, the next morning I had an email from someone I didn't know. She just happened to be Aileen Crossley, she'd seen the website and offered to get involved. 'Call it serendipity, or perhaps there's a touch of 'build it and they will come' from the 1989 film Field of Dreams, but either way the Gap Cartoon Booth and Aileen Crossley will be a further treat for families at the Festival's Grand Finale,' Garrett added. Aileen will be joined by two choirs, from Askamore and Ballyfad, the Gorey Ukes, and the Kindred Folk. Refreshments will also be provided from the Subh Dubh workshop on Sunday, August 10. The Gap Arts Festival is set to kick off on Thursday, August 7 with a wide range of activities for all the family to enjoy.
Irish Independent
11-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Independent
‘Unique festival' returns to Wexford with quirky line-up of exhibitions, circus acts and family fun days
Furthermore, the Music Mentoring and Subh Dubh workshops will take place during June and July. Speaking on this year's festival schedule, festival director Garrett Keogh said, 'We have a long tradition of hands-on workshops. Working side by side with professional artists, young and old have gained skills in writing, performing, making giant puppets, and in painting, photography and film making. 'As a result of these workshops many local writers and musicians had first-time performance and publication opportunities at the festival,' Keogh said. 'Four participants went on to the Institute for Art and Design, two have worked in the arts sector, and some have developed their own arts practices.' Named 'a unique festival' by the European Festivals' Association, the Gap Arts Festival was nominated for the European Rural Inspiration Award 2019 for its Community Portrait Photographic Project. 'With these workshops, and by commissioning local artists in collaborative projects' Keogh said, 'the Gap Festival is not just about bringing the arts here, but about enabling the community to have ownership of the creations,' said Garrett. Subh, Dubh, Agus Cnuasach Na Tíre – Jam, Black, And The Fat Of The Land, will be a great chance for adults to be outdoors, enjoy the weather, learn about local fruits and flowers, and how to make jams, vinegars, relishes and chutneys. Funded and supported by Wexford County Council in partnership with Creative Ireland, artists Garrett Keogh and Caoimhe Dunn will host a series of indoor and outdoor workshops exploring hands-on the traditions, stories and lore of foraging and preserving local wild fruits, the elderflower, bilberry, and blackberry. ''We'll have a local forager and a chef to help. And it doesn't matter how much or how little Irish you have, it'll be fun, a hands-on way for adults to explore, learn and use the language in a friendly, non-school situation,' said Caoimhe. This year's Music Mentoring will feature guitar, bass, drums and singing. Festival directors are also open to other musical interests and will do their best to accommodate them. Anyone who 12 years old and above who is interested in music is encouraged to get involved with the Gap Arts Festival. Places for both series of workshops are limited, so anyone interested should contact the Gap at gapartsfest@
