Westside Arts Festival 2007

Yes it is that time of the year again! Westside Arts Festival is about to kick off again for what promises to be a mad fun packed weekend of creativity! This year we have lots to entertain young and old alike! The Festival takes place in Westside over the weekend of July 27th - July 29th and will be officially opened by Galway's own Sile Seoige on Friday 27th at 5.30pm in Westside!

This is our blog spot so feel free to browse around and see whats happening over the weekend! click on the 'older posts' at the end of each page to see more info on the different parts of the festival!! We hope to see you over this wonderful wacky weekend!!

To contact us please email us at

westsideartsfestival@hotmail.com

For More information on the groups involved click on the links below
Youth Work Ireland - Galway - Westside

Westside Neighbourhood Youth Project HSE West

Westside Library

WESTSIDE ARTS FESTIVAL PROGRAMME 2007

WESTSIDE ARTS FESTIVAL – PROGRAMME 2007
Events & Workshops
Friday 27 July
17.30 - 18.00 Official Opening of Festival *Com Centre Large Room
18.30 - 20.30 Talent Show *Com Centre Large Room

Saturday 28 July
11.00 - 4.00 Graffiti Art *Outdoors
11.30 - 12.30 Drama Workshop (5-8 yrs) *Resource Centre
11.00 - 12.00
& 2.00 - 4.00 Arts and Crafts *Coffee Shop Library
12.00 - 1.00 Drumming Workshops *Com Centre Small Room
12.00 - 2.00 Stories and Art *Auditorium, Library
1.00 - 2.00 Hip Hop Dance *Com Centre Large Room
2.00 - 4.00 Candle Making *NYP Art Room
2.00 - 4.00 Fun & Games *Pitches
2.00 - 3.00 Breakdance *Com Centre Large Room
2.00 - 3.00 Bellydance Workshop *Resource Centre
2.30 - 3.30 Puppet Show *Auditorium, Library
3.00 - 4.00 Hip Hop Dance *Com Centre Large Room
7.00 – 9.00 Disco *Com Centre Hall

Sunday 29 July
11.00 - 1.00 Candle Making *NYP Art Room
11.00 - 12.00
& 2.00 - 4.00 Arts and Crafts *NYP Art Room 2
12.00 - 4.00 Cinema *Resource Centre
1.00 - 3.30 Circus Skills *Circus Tent
1.00 - 2.00 Hip Hop Dance *Com Centre Large Room
1.30 - 2.30 Storytelling *NYP Living Room
2.00 - 4.00 Candle-Making *NYP Art Room
2.00 - 4.00 Fun & Games *Pitches
2.00 - 3.00 Breakdance/Rap *Com Centre Large Room
3.00 - 4.00 Hip Hop Dance *Com Centre Large Room
3.00 - 4.00 Samba Drumming Workshop*Com Centre Small Room
3.00 - 4.00 Latin Salsa Dance *Auditorium, Library
3.00 - 4.00 Drama workshop (8-12) *Library
4.30 - 6.30 Intercultural Show *Com Centre Large Room

FESTIVAL PRE-EVENTS

FESTIVAL POSTER DESIGN
An art competition was run in the local primary schools and the winning designs will feature as the main poster and catalogue cover for the festival. All the art work will on display during the festival in the Westside Community Centre.

FESTIVAL PRE-EVENTS

RAP / DJ Workshops
As part of the build up to the festival there was local DJ and Rappers workshop held in June and each Tuesday of July to prepare for cultural party at the festival. It will feature the DJing and Raps from a number of Westside performers.

FESTIVAL PRE-EVENTS

ART EXHIBITIONS - YOUTH ART - RED BUS PROJECT
A number of children from Westside in conjunction with LORG Printmakers and Youth Work Ireland – Galway - Westside have being making art which will be on display on the Galway City Red Buses from early July. Don't miss your WESTIDE RED BUS!! Coming to the Festival on Thursday 26th at 2.15pm!!


RED BUS Project Images
For info on the RED BUS project check out the LORG Website by clicking here Westside RED BUS Project

ART EXHIBITIONS - YOUTH ART - CULTURAL BANNERS
Another art workshop was held with 15 young children with Athenry based artist Alison Murphy. Over 5 days the young people explored through art, cultural diversity and depicted their ideas through three different themes, music, cultures and colour, which were painted on three banners. These works are very colourful and gives the young peoples' expression of the theme. This work will be hung in Westside prior to and during the Westside Arts Festival.
Venue: Westside Library

Cultural Diversity Banners made by Young People from Westside

ART EXHIBITIONS - YOUTH ART - YWI - GALWAY - WESTSIDE
As part of the Youth Work Ireland – Galway – Westside Summer Camps the young people attending created jigsaw art depicting what they like to do in their free time. This work is their reflection of what is happening from them here and now! The work will be on display from Friday 27th and will feature as a colourful backdrop to the whole festival!
Venue: Westside Community Centre

WESTSIDE ARTS FESTIVAL BANNER
In the second week of the Summer Programme the young people designed and painted the colourful Westside Arts Festival Banner. This is will be flying high over the weekend! Well done to all the Artists! BE PROUD!!


Putting the finishing touches to the Festival Banner
Tracey, Maria, Deirdre and Celine

ART EXHIBITIONS - YOUTH ART - WESTSIDE NYP
Westside Neighbourhood Youth Project – HSE West have being using art and crafts as a tool to engage with young people for many years to great effect! A number of the art pieces that the young people who avail of their services will be on display in the Library over the festival.
Venue: Westside Library

FESTIVAL PRE-EVENTS

ART EXHIBITIONS - FOR US NOW WOMEN'S GROUP
We are delighted to have art work from Westside’s local women’s group “For Us Now”. This group is very active in Westside for many years engaging in many community initiatives and their artwork displays the wide artistic talent that are in the group! Some of the many arts and crafts that they have learned and enjoyed over the years are: Crochet, Sewing, Patchwork, Decoupage, Card-Making, Dough Craft, Photography, Wood Carving, Creative Writing, D.I.Y. Flower Arranging, Doll and Teddy Bear Making, Cross Stitch, Chicken Scratch Embroidery, and Languages.

In September 2000, the For Us Now group became involved in the "Shoe Box Project" or Operation Christmas Child as it more widely known.
Member each put together a shoebox, filled with small Christmas gifts. These boxes were then sent with many others, to needy children throughout the world. The group have continued with this project each year since then, and always look forward to participating in such a worthwhile event.
Venue: Westside Library

For more info on FOR US NOW check out their website by clicking here For Us Now

ART EXHIBITIONS - WESTSIDE MEN'S GROUP
Westside Men’s Group is community outlet for men from Westside to meet together to share experiences and activities in a social development context. The group is voluntary run and has over the years taken part in many activities which have included video, photography, plays, cooking, baking, woodwork, computers and the arts. The work on display highlights the talented artistic ability of its members!
Venue: Westside Resource Centre

ART EXHIBITIONS - RICHARD HICKEY
Richard Hickey is a local Westside Artist from Inishannagh Park. His work on display are images from the Book of Kells and Viking history. Richard spends many happy hours meticulously colouring in the intricate designs to produce colourful art pieces. Alongside this Richard also enjoys etching and engraving again spending enjoyable time producing wonderful art!
Venue: Westside Library

ART EXHIBITIONS - BREEGE STAUNTON
From voluptuous nudes to violent sea and landscapes of the Connemara coast and vibrant street scenes of her adopted Galway to imaginative and colourful abstracts and eye catching stills, Breege’s art depicts a wide and varied range of natural and human subjects. Art has always been part of Breege’s life and always got encouragement from her father, who also liked to paint.
Venue: Westside Library

ART EXHIBITIONS - CULTURAL ART
In keeping with the theme of cultural diversity we have a number of cultural art pieces on display at the festival. These art works where loaned from various artists to celebrate the cultural variety of art in our community.
Venue: Westside Resource Centre

FESTIVAL PRE-EVENTS

STORYTELLERS CORNER
The storyteller’s tradition continues this year again prior to the festival with readings and open mic from various storytellers, writers and poets to be held in Westside Library. We are delighted to have novelist Fred Johnston and Playwright Gerry McDonnell appearing on Tuesday 24th from 6.30pm to perform and on Wednesday 25th from 6.30pm Storytellers Kevin Higgins and Susan Millar Du Mars recite some poems and tales. Both events are open to the public and enthusiasts are encouraged to read some of their own material.

For More information on Fred Johnston and The Western Writers Centre click here The Western Writers Centre

For more information on Kevin Higgins and Susan Millars Du Mars check out their blog at Over The Edge or Kevin's Web page at Kevin Higgins




The Boy With No Face, has recently been reprinted, having previously sold out. You might like to check this out by going to publisher's website by clicking here The Boy With No Face

Laoise Ní Chomhraí
We are delighted to announce that Laoise Ní Chomhraí a local Westside writer and national school teacher will be reading at the Festival on Tuesday 24th at 11.30 in Westside Library from her new children's book "Ag Taisteal le Tarlach sa tSeapain". We welcome all and encourage young children 8-12 years to attend.



Ag Taisteal le Tarlach sa tSeapain
Leabhar taistil don aos óg. Buailimid le Tarlach agus é ar a shlí chun na Seapáine, chun bualadh le cara cleite atá aige ann. Faighimid léargas breá anseo ar shibhialtacht eile. Chaith an t-údar tréimhse sa t-Seapáin agus cuireann sí go leor den chultúr sin inár láthair – iomrascáil na bhfear ramhar, origami agus, go deimhin, na héadaí traidisiúnta a chaitheann na Seapánaigh agus na bianna éagsúla a itheann siad. Féasta ceart de leabhar!

A junior travel book in which Tarlach goes a-roving – all the way to Japan. This fascinating book will offer young readers a glimpse of another civilization. The author spent a considerable time in Japan and introduces us to many of its strange delights – various forms of martial arts, the unique art of origami and, indeed, a veritable smorgasbord of tastes and sounds!

Ar fáil i Siopaí Leabhar/Available in:
Charlie Byrnes, Hughes & Hughes, Easons, & rl.

Ar fáil sa phost ó:
Cló Iar-Chonnachta, Páirc Gnó Sailearna, Indreabhán, Co. na Gaillimhe. (091) 593307
An Ceathrú Póilí, Cultúrlann Mac Adam-Ó Fiaich, 216 Bóthar na bhFál, Béal Feirste BT12 6AH

To find out more about Westside Library and the Opening times click here Westside Library