Ready, steady, PLAY!
On Tuesday 5th July, Jimmy Deenihan TD, Minister of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, officially launched PLAY, The Ark’s summer music festival for all the family. The launch was marked with a special performance by Julie Feeney and Fiona Kelleher to an invited audience at The Ark. PLAY commences on 20th July and will run until 21st August with a mix of exciting live performances for young audiences and hands on music workshops. The programme features many well-known musicians including composer / singer Julie Feeney, renowed fiddle player/violinist Zoë Conway, Tarab Ensemble, fiddle playing trio Fidil, the Argos Balkan Gypsy Band, the outrageously entertaining Size2shoes, Brian Irvine and the Grant/Kelly family in concert.
Speaking at the launch, Minister Deenihan said “It is a privilege to be in the company of such diversely talented artists here in the Ark which is such a wonderful resource for children of all ages. Children need to experience the rich possibilities of culture in order to fulfill their potential and it is important to instill a love and appreciation of the arts at an early stage. The Ark’s collaborative and quality driven approach to work demonstrates how the cultural, educational and creative sectors can work together with Government, offering new ways of fostering a creative and productive future for Ireland’s young population.”