Carlow Arts Festival is a vibrant, multidisciplinary celebration of creativity, culture and community, held annually in the heart of Carlow Town.
The festival showcases an eclectic mix of art forms including visual arts, music, theatre, dance, literature, film and digital experiences. Its programme blends renowned national and international artists with emerging talent, ensuring a dynamic and diverse line-up that appeals to audiences of all ages.
Key highlights include immersive street performances, thought-provoking art installations, live music concerts and engaging workshops. Carlow Arts Festival prides itself on accessibility and inclusivity, offering many free events to encourage widespread participation.
From family-friendly activities to late-night entertainment, it creates a space where creativity flourishes and connections are forged. Whether you’re an art enthusiast, a curious explorer, or someone looking to be inspired, Carlow Arts Festival promises an unforgettable experience that captures the spirit of innovation and joy.
Have a sneak peek at the first eight shows below:
Camille O’Sullivan: Loveletter
Fri 29 May
€25 / €22 (€2 booking fee applied when at checkout)
A love letter in song, Camille O’Sullivan celebrates dear friends Shane MacGowan, Sinéad O’Connor, David Bowie, Radiohead, Brel, Nick Cave and more. Chameleon-like on stage, each song has a different character with a story to tell.
The multi-award-winning singer has stunned audiences around the world with her five-star sell-out performances, including the Sydney Opera House, Royal Festival Hall, SoHo Theatre and The Roundhouse. Voted ‘Top 25 Performances ever on Later with Jools BBC’ (Daily Telegraph) and ‘queen of the Edinburgh Festival’ (BBC), Camille toured with the Pogues, guested at Yoko Ono’s & Richard Thompson’s RFH Meltdown and original star of Olivier Award-winning “La Clique”.
Book here: https://visualcarlow.ie/whats-on/carlow-arts-festival-2026-camille-osullivan-loveletter
Our Place
Thurs 28 May & Mon 1 June
Our Place continues at VISUAL til 30 Aug
Free
Everyone is welcome in Our Place. Experience an immersive sound and light exhibition that playfully explores themes of human rights, happiness and belonging.
Our Place is a long-term, socially engaged art project that champions the human rights of people living with intellectual disabilities. This project places the ideas, talents and lived experience of people with an intellectual disability at the centre of artmaking and exhibition design.
Book here: Our Place | Carlow Arts Festival | 28 May – 1 June 2026
SexyTadhg Presents…
Fri 29 May, 7pm
Free
Join us for a night of fun, hosted by Local Carlow legend, SexyTadhg. They’ve put together a showcase of music, dance and drag to help us kick off our 2026 festival in style…
Originally forming to play a loud and joyous show at Carlow Arts Festival 2023, Dara Eaton & The Patsy’s went on to record their third album, Jack and The Skag. After taking a haitus in 2025, the band has reformed for one night only. Stating that, “When SexyTadhg calls, you answer.”
Don’t be fooled by the name, Dublin band Ciúnas is far from quiet. United by a shared love of CMAT, The Cranberries, and Fleetwood Mac, Ciúnas blend classic melodic songwriting with a modern indie edge, bringing queer, female-led stories boldly to the forefront of their music.
Cian Kinsella’s wild and joyous Ping Pong Disco is a destination club within a festival — part art space, part club, all dance floor. Push your wild instincts and demented desire in our joyously outrageous, flashy, trashy, paradise.
BLOCK
Thurs 28 May, Fri 29 May & Mon 1 June
Free
Ten years on…BLOCK is back.
Motionhouse presents a new, super-charged reimagining of this iconic show. With its daring physicality, split-second timing and gravity defying dance-circus, BLOCK will once again leave audiences on the edge of their seats.
BLOCK is about life in the city – its contradictions and challenges. Twenty oversized blocks, resembling giant Jenga pieces, form an ever-changing environment as the story of BLOCK unfolds, with split-second timing and thrilling feats.
Created and directed by Kevin Finnan. Original concept, design and production by Ali Williams. Originally produced and developed in collaboration with NoFit State.
Book here: Our Place | Carlow Arts Festival | 28 May – 1 June 2026
Mourning is a Muscle
Sat 30 May – Mon 1 June
€15 (€2 booking fee applied when at checkout)
In the still shock of the 2020 London lockdown, Barry began writing letters to their father. He had died four years earlier. A simple mourning ritual grew and allowed Barry to move again.
Mourning is a Muscle is the culmination of those letters, a denim-drenched journey through grief, connection, queerness, and lineage – part performance, part installation. Focusing on the relationship of a father and queer child, and a story of a derelict farm, it fuses movement, music, design and ritual. Playfully delving into gender, how we carry the landscape of home, and the joy of moving as our true selves.
Book here: Mourning is a Muscle | Carlow Arts Festival | 28 May – 1 June 2026
Miss Mary
Sat 30 May – Sun 31 June
Free
An outdoor celebration of Irish music and dance where the performer, Kristyn Fontanella, recalls and reclaims the lost traditions of the travelling dance masters.
Traveling through parks and fields, embodying the land and its stories, she arrives at a gathering of people, she invites them to exchange and listen.
Aindrias de Staic & The Latchikos
Sat 30 May
Free
The Latchikos storm the Carlow Arts Festival with a high-energy fusion of music and storytelling.
Fronted by fiddler Aindrias de Staic, they mix Irish fiddle, flamenco and gypsy guitar, blues harmonica, and driving world beats into a genre-defying whirlwind.
Join the Visual for an unforgettable night of music, fast-paced stories, fiery instrumentals, and irresistible rhythms that make every performance a full-on sensory experience.
A Teen Odyssey
Sun 31 May & Mon 1 June
€17 / €15 (€2 booking fee applied when at checkout)
A Teen Odyssey is an immersive theatre experience, that blends live physical performance and digital technology to create an unforgettable journey for teenagers and adults. Exploring themes of personal identity, intergenerational connection, and how we find our tribes, the audience joins the performers on a participatory, visually stunning, and sonically captivating adventure.
Central to the experience is the innovative Kalliôpé app, created by Spanish theatre legends La Fura dels Baus – Fundació Èpica, which uses the audience’s mobile phones as the catalyst for interaction.
A Teen Odyssey transcends theatrical boundaries, interweaving audience, performers and technology in surprising and unforgettable ways.
Book here: https://visualcarlow.ie/whats-on/carlow-arts-festival-2026-a-teen-odyssey
Céilí Afro Dabke Ukraine – World music céilí dance
Sun 31 May
Free
Get ready to move! This vibrant world music céilí celebrates the music and dance traditions from around the world including: West African dance, Palestinian Dabke, Ukrainian dance as well as the traditional Irish céilí dances — all to live music.
Featuring a line-up of world-class musicians and dancers, this uplifting event invites everyone from seasoned dancers to complete beginners onto the dancefloor. No experience needed and all ages are welcome — each dance style is taught as you go.
Come with friends, family or on your own. Céilí Afro Dabke Ukraine is an invitation to gather, meet new people, celebrate the richness of world cultures and dance.
Comedy Gala
Sun 31 May, 8pm
€25/€23 (€2 booking fee applied when at checkout)
Hosted by the brilliantly sharp Sharon Mannion, the evening features a stellar lineup of comedic talent. Bernard Casey, known for his hugely popular online sketches and sell- out shows nationwide, delivers his signature blend of relatable, high-energy comedy. Joining him is rising star Sophia Wren, fresh from supporting international heavyweights Finn Taylor and Daniel Sloss, and rapidly establishing herself as one of Ireland’s most exciting new voices.
Headlining the night is the hilarious Andrew Maxwell, a double Edinburgh Comedy Award nominee and one of Ireland’s most acclaimed performers. With over two decades of experience across stage and screen, his credits include Mock the Week, Have I Got News for You, Never Mind the Buzzcocks, QI, Richard Osman’s House of Games, and more. This is a night not to be missed – book your tickets now: Carlow Arts Festival – Comedy Gala
CHOP
Mon 1 June, 3pm
Free
Prepare for CHOP, a dangerously funny, wildly absurd theatre performance written and performed by Cian Kinsella (Lords of Strut). This high-energy one-man show dives into fragile masculinity, social satire, and environmental collapse with sharp humour and physical wit that keeps audiences buzzing long after the curtain falls.
CHOP is presented by VISUAL Carlow as part of Cian Kinsella’s artists’ residency.
Aon Scéal
Mon 1 June, 1:30pm
Free
Crom, a giant brought to life by Macnas, is loose, wild and weary in this world.
He is surrounded by the folklore characters of Carlow – Mad Sweeney, the Scallionater, Labhraidh Loinsigh, the Cailleach, a Seanachaí and the last Wolf of Carlow. Together they will parade through the streets of Carlow. Everyone is invited to come join them on their journey!
Inspired by Carlow Folk Tales, these characters were created as part of The Great Carlow Folklore Resurrection Project with Amie Egan, commissioned by VISUAL and Carlow Arts Office. Maracatu ilha Brilhante will bring the drums and percussion, giving the parade its heartbeat, alongside young musicians from Music Generation Carlow.
Want to join the parade? Come for a drop-in workshop on Saturday or Sunday, 12:30-4pm, or Monday 10am-12:30pm.
