About Me
Welcome to the Festival of World Cultures
Indigenous to classical, traditional, folk, eclectic and tribal, the Festival of World Cultures offers a kaleidoscopic programme of concerts & club nights, fairs & markets, dance, street events, workshops and so much more. A gigantic feast of arts and culture!
With over 250,000 people attending last year’s event, the Festival of World Cultures is firmly established as one of ’s largest annual events. Most importantly however, it is proud to be an event that celebrates and nurtures the culturally diverse demographic of Ireland. Maintaining its ethos of inclusion and accessibility, the Festival programme remains over 70% free the public, welcoming all ages and walks of life.In 2007 over 800 artists took part in the Festival, with an additional 650 participants and contributors and a staggering 350 volunteers. With over 150 events and performances representing over 80 countries, 40 venues throughout Dun Laoghaire town played host to a myriad of artists hailing from Uzbekistan and Mali to Mexico and Iceland.The 2007 Programme offered the most eclectic range of concerts, performances and events to date. Our programme of international artists featured one of our most prestigious line ups with audiences witnessing, amongst others, the stunning vocals of ’s Portugal's leading Fado singer Mariza, a truly inspiring performance by the hugely talented Natacha Atlas and a rhythmical feast by the kings of Balkan funk Fanfare Ciocarlia. The Festival’s outdoor headline stage, packed to capacity, was an ideal setting for performances by Kila; heroes of contemporary Irish music, Senegal’s Nuru Kane and featured headline artists The Super Rail Band de Bamako; deserved Godfathers of Malian music and the French/Algerian paragon of post –modern funk Rachid Taha; a performance which will be very hard to forget!!Along with the spectacular Global Village in association with Oxfam, the energetic World Dance Plaza and the People’s Park kaleidoscopic programme of performances and workshops for children, the Festival was delighted to introduce new programme highlights in 2007 – Cool Earth an eco-fair in association with the County Council’s Environment Awareness Programme, a visually stunning outdoor projection piece created by artists Emilio and Sebastian Arteaga and the inaugural Dun Laoghaire Mela; the Republic of Ireland’s first ever festival dedicated to the celebration of the arts and culture of South East Asia.Festival of World Cultures 2008, Friday 22nd to Sunday 24th AugustThe full programme of events will be released from early July; however keep an eye on the website for preview details from May!
