Galway's two arts festivals get under way tomorrow with a street party in the city centre and an Aran Island debut by artist Hughie O'Donoghue.
The free street party from 4.30pm tomorrow in the Quay Street/High Street/Cross Street area marks the opening of the alternative event, Project 06, by the city's mayor Niall Ó Brolcháin (Green Party).
The official Galway arts festival will be initiated by actor and writer Pauline McGlynn on Monday evening. However, it gathers pace tomorrow when an exhibition entitled The Deep by Irish and international artist Hughie O'Donoghue is unveiled on Áras Éanna on Inis Oírr.
A concurrent exhibition by O'Donoghue in the Fairgreen Gallery, Galway city, will be opened on Tuesday by Irish Times managing editor Gerry Smyth.
O'Donoghue is central to an extensive visual arts dimension to this year's official festival, directed by Paul Fahy.
Five world and four Irish theatre premieres are also promised in a programme involving more than 400 international writers, artists, performers and musicians.
The complementary Project 06, also taking place in the mid-July fortnight, has lined up some 167 acts and performances, and has received €10,000 in arts festival funding.
Activities range from an apocalyptic puppet show entitled Gael Gore, to a live art bus which will collect its audiences along a city route, to a triple bill by Galway Youth Theatre.
The Ukelele Orchestra of Great Britain and artist Pádraic Reaney's eye on the best of Irish art in the Kenny Gallery are among other events.
Macnas is with the official festival and its parade, the Big River takes place on Sunday week, July 23rd, at 3pm, while Project 06's carnival has been planned for the previous evening, July 22nd, in the city.
It is entitled Morning, Noon and Night or 24 hours in the life of a Galway street.
All children's events in Project 06 are set at €5, with workshops on storytelling, yoga, balloon modelling and circus skills.
The Galway Arts Festival runs from July 17th to 30th, its box office in the Eyre Square shopping centre is at 091-566577 or its website www.galwayartsfestival. ie The Project 06 box office is at the Town Hall Theatre, Galway, 091-569777 or www.project06. com
