Cork Midsummer Festival welcomes 20% funding increase
Cork Midsummer Festival will receive a 20% increase in funding from the Arts Council for its 20th anniversary this year.
A series of cultural events will run over two weekends from 17-19 June, and 24-26 June, and on the summer solstice, June 21st.
This year’s landmark event will see the award-winning Corcadorca theatre company stage their biggest site-specific production since 2008.
Sacrifice at Easter by famed The Butcher Boy author Pat McCabe will take place at Elizabeth Fort on Barrack Street in Cork city.
The Arts Council has increased its funding to €105,000, the Cork City Council’s Arts Office funding is €70,000 and Fáilte Ireland has allocated €18,000.
The programme will include music, dance, performance and art along with a range of free and outdoor events.
Commenting on preparations for the 2016 event, executive director Lorraine Maye said: “We are hugely appreciative to the Arts Council, Cork City Council and Fáilte Ireland for their fantastic show of support.
“Exciting plans for this year’s Festival are already afoot and we can promise that this unique celebration of culture will stretch to all parts of the city, and will offer something creative and entertaining for every taste and budget.”
Ms Maye continued, “One of the Festival highlights is sure to be the spectacular Sacrifice at Easter, written in response to the 1916 centenary.”
Priority booking for Sacrifice at Easter is now open for festival friends and patrons at www.corkmidsummer.com, with tickets going on general sale from March 16.
Corcadorca Theatre Company Manager Fin Flynn described the performance as a creative collaboration between Pat McCabe, director Pat Kiernan and renowned composer Mel Mercier, saying: “Sacrifice at Easter is made possible by the support of Cork City Council and the Ireland 2016 office - a fitting event as the Corcadorca this year celebrates 25 years of making theatre in Cork.”
The Festival’s Artistic Curator Kath Gorman added “We are delighted to have the innovative Corcadorca return for the 2016 Cork Midsummer Festival.
“We are really looking forward to this one-of-a-kind performance, along with the other new, exciting events and the return of well-loved Festival favourites.
“For now though, we are remaining tight-lipped on all other events until we announce the Festival highlights later in March.”
