Public to be consulted on plans for proposed Inishowen Biennale

Plans are being explored to bring a new international art festival to Inishowen.

Artlink is exploring the feasibility of staging the new festival, the Inishowen Biennale, every two years and is inviting members of the public to attend community consultation sessions on the proposed project.

During the consultation sessions, members of the public will be asked whether a new international art festival, the Inishowen Biennale, would be of interest to the local community and potential visitors. 

Similar multi-day, free art festivals feature large-scale installations, illuminated sculptures, video art, and sound and projection works by a diverse cross-section of local, national and international artists. 

The consultation is taking place from 2pm to 5pm and from 5.30pm to 7pm in St Mary's Hall, Buncrana on Wednesday,  November 2. 

Artlink project co-ordinator Rebecca Strain said: “We’re delighted to be developing proposals for a new art festival that would significantly enhance Inishowen’s tourism and events portfolio, not only helping to promote our wonderfully creative local artistic community but also the peninsula as an exciting and dynamic international cultural destination.  

 “Indeed, we’re hoping that the primary outcome of this project will be to support a community of artistic practitioners that can develop and sustain new cultural experiences across the North West region including our proposed Inishowen Biennale. 

 “Importantly, a large-scale community art festival such as this would provide a great opportunity for local individuals and groups to create, present, and engage in new artworks around a number of wide-ranging themes. 

“I would therefore encourage as many people as possible to come along to our community consultation sessions that will give local residents, schools and the business community an opportunity to share their thoughts on our new proposals, along with potential educational and cultural programming.”  

Artlink project co-ordinator Martha McCulloch added: “Our exciting new project involves the mapping, engagement and connection of artistic individuals, organisations and groups throughout the North West of Ireland and beyond.  This will involve working alongside our funders the Arts Council and Donegal County Council as well as partner organisations Amicitia from County Galway, Consortia from County Cork and the Samhlaigh Collective from  Donegal.  

“However, our first port of call will be to provide a feasibility study for the new international art festival by conducting stakeholder and community engagement, identifying potential facilities and sites, assessing event calendar options, providing festival cost analysis, identifying collaborative partnerships, and creating a comprehensive summary document going forward which will guide our decision-making. 

“We, therefore, want to hear the thoughts, opinions, questions and suggestions of people of all ages from Inishowen. Indeed, it is vital that our local community plays a strong part in the development and delivery of any proposed new art festival, with a view to taking ownership of it.  

“Importantly, the feasibility study will include qualitative responses from the attendees of the community consultation sessions alongside quantitative analysis and tables to assess the potential success, needs and funding required for the proposed new Inishowen Biennale.” 

For further information on the Artlink community consultation sessions and new Inishowen Biennale visit artlink.ie email info@artlink.ie or telephone 0864532428.