Kilkenny Animated - Celebrating the creativity and craft of animation

Kilkenny will be a celebration of all things animation when Kilkenny Animated Festival returns to the city.

The festival, which runs from October 4 to 6, will feature special guests such as Moana co-director John Musker and the legendary Disney animator, Glen Keane, who brought to life iconic characters such as Pocahontas and The Little Mermaid.

Hosted by five-time Oscar nominated animation studio, Cartoon Saloon - whose 25th anniversary celebrations will form part of this year’s programme - BAFTA-winning Lighthouse Studios, and Schweppe Curtis Nunn Events, Kilkenny Animated is a celebration of the creativity and craft of animation, set against the backdrop of medieval Kilkenny. This year’s festival programme is curated to appeal to all who enjoy animation, from the kid who loves cartoons through to those who create them.

The festival kicks off on Friday night with a comedy special featuring Kevin McGahern, Sophia Wren and Bob Hennigan with MC Cian McGarrigle, from Kilkenny’s Comedy Club. The festival weekend will include a number of workshops for kids aged three and upwards, with sketching tours of Kilkenny for ages 12+ led by artists from Cartoon Saloon and Lighthouse Studios.
As part of Cartoon Saloon’s 25th anniversary celebrations, parents and kids alike can enjoy special screenings of the studio’s films , where audiences will get a chance to watch Academy Award nominated works such as Song of the Sea and The Breadwinner in their birthplace of Kilkenny. Audiences will also get a chance to peek behind the scenes during guided tours of Cartoon Saloon Headquarters.

Those who grew up watching Disney movies will be sure to recognise the work of John Musker and Glen Keane. Musker will be discussing the making of his recent short film, I’m Hip, which will be screened as part of the event. Meanwhile, Keane will be holding a masterclass aimed at professionals working in the industry. Both events are sponsored by the Cultural and Creative Industries Skillnet, while RTÉ Jr sponsors Let’s Talk Animation, a panel talk featuring guests from this year’s festival.

Other special guests at this year’s festival include artist and animator, Joanna Quinn, and producer/writer Les Mills who will be discussing the importance of observation in art; producer and writer, Imogen Sutton, who joins the festival as part of the book launch for Adventures in Animation, the long-awaited biography of her husband, the famed Roger Rabbit animator Richard Williams; and podcaster and animation expert, Nick Dorra whose Animation Ireland sponsored panel talk, AI in Practice will close the festival’s Sunday programme.

This year’s festival also features Pathways to Animation, a strand of events specifically aimed at students and recent graduates. Second-level students can partake in taster workshops from education providers across Ireland to try out the techniques taught at third-level. Those in a third-level course and recent graduates can learn what awaits them in the industry and will have the invaluable opportunity to have their portfolios reviewed.

Kilkenny Animated is core funded by Fáilte Ireland and Kilkenny County Council and supported by Coimisiún na Meán.

“Fáilte Ireland is pleased to support this year’s Kilkenny Animated Festival,” said Ciara Sugrue, Head of Festivals and Events at Fáilte Ireland.

“ Festivals and events present an excellent opportunity to showcase the rich heritage and unique culture that Ireland has to offer. They are also important drivers of tourism revenue across the country, particularly in areas that are outside of the traditional tourism hotspots.

“ Developing unique and immersive visitor experiences like Kilkenny Animated Festival plays a key role in motivating both international and domestic visitors to choose a destination, while helping drive the sustainable development of the tourism sector for the county and the wider region,” she added.

For tickets please visit kilkennyanimated.com