The Art of Connection at Cairde Sligo Arts Festival!

The Art of Connection:

Conversations, collaborations and international perspectives

Saturday 11 July | 10am to 1pm

The Model, The Mall, Sligo

FREE – Booking Essential

Are you an artist, producer, or working in the arts in any capacity? Would you like to spend a morning connecting with peers, sharing ideas, and exploring how meaningful relationships can open up new creative opportunities?

Promenade and Cairde invite you to join us for The Art of Connection.

Book Your Free Place Here

Featuring guest speakers from Ireland and abroad, the event will examine the role of collaboration, partnership and international exchange in developing artistic practice and building sustainable careers. Through panel discussions, case studies and informal networking opportunities, participants will gain insight into how creative connections are formed, how projects evolve across borders, and how artists and organisations can work together to create ambitious and impactful work.

Whether you are an emerging artist looking to expand your network, an established practitioner seeking new collaborators, or a producer interested in international perspectives, this event offers a valuable opportunity to exchange ideas, make connections and explore the possibilities that emerge when artists and organisations come together.

The participation of our international guest speakers is supported by Culture Ireland.

Guest Speakers

Lucy Medlycott Director ISACS (Irish Street Arts, Circus, Spectacle Network)

Boomer Stacy Interim Managing Director, PuSh Festival, Canada

Zoe Munn Cultural Programmer, Green Man, Wales

David Berga International Arts Producer

MC

Ciara O’Mahony Promenade

Schedule

10.00 - 10.15 Arrival / Registration

10:15 – 10.30 Welcome and Intro to Event

10.30 – 11.30 Panel talk on theme followed by Q + A

11.30 – 11.40 Short comfort break

11.45 - 12.15 2 x mini Presentations (ca. 10 mins each)

12.15 – 1 Light Lunch & informal networking

1 to 2 Mini Mentoring Sessions

Mini Mentoring Sessions with Promenade & associates

Need advice on your next creative step? Book a free 15-minute mentoring session with the Promenade team and associates. Bring one specific question and leave with practical guidance, an objective outlook and useful next steps.

To book a session email contact@promenade.ie and use the subject line: Mentoring Session Cairde

Bursary Details

Five bursaries are available, each valued at €175. The bursaries can be used to help cover costs such as travel, food, and accommodation for this year’s Cairde Sligo Arts Festival

Eligibility Criteria

To be eligible, you should:

Be interested in learning more about the arts producing world and building meaningful connections.

Be available to attend The Art of Connection: Conversations, collaborations and international perspectives on the 11th of July.

Priority will be given to individuals based outside Sligo, those from underrepresented communities in the arts, and freelancer producers/event organisers or artist/self-producers.

How to Apply for the Bursary

Send a brief email (a few sentences) outlining why you would like to attend and how it will benefit your career development to ciara@promenade.ie with the subject line:

“Promenade Bursaries – Cairde Sligo Arts Festival."

Deadline: Monday 6th of July 5pm

Panel Biographies

Ciara O'Mahony

Ciara O'Mahony is an arts consultant, producer, and accessibility specialist. They have extensive experience working across festivals, venues, local authorities, and cultural organisations in Ireland and internationally. Their work focuses on improving accessibility, audience development, participation, and inclusion within the arts. Ciara is widely recognised for their expertise in developing practical access strategies and supporting organisations to embed inclusive practices across programming, communications, and operations. Through Promenade, they have advised numerous festivals and arts organisations, helping them create more equitable and welcoming experiences for artists, participants, and audiences.

Zoë Munn

Zoë Munn is a senior producer and cultural programmer associated with Green Man Festival, one of the UK's most respected independent arts and music festivals. Her work spans live performance, outdoor arts, artist development, and interdisciplinary programming. At Green Man, she has played a key role in developing opportunities for emerging and established artists across music, theatre, literature, visual arts, and participatory projects. Zoë is particularly interested in creating meaningful connections between artists, audiences, and place, and is recognised for supporting innovative work that combines artistic excellence with strong community engagement and environmental awareness.

Boomer Stacy

Boomer Stacy is an international arts producer and presenter based in Canada and is a senior member of the team at the PuSh International Performing Arts Festival. PuSh is renowned for presenting bold, contemporary performing arts from around the world, including theatre, dance, multimedia performance, and interdisciplinary work. Stacy has extensive experience in international touring, artist support, and global cultural exchange, working with artists and organisations across multiple continents. Through his work with PuSh, he has helped foster international collaborations and create opportunities for artists to reach new audiences while contributing to conversations about the future of contemporary performance.

David Berga

David Berga is a highly respected international producer, curator, and cultural consultant with extensive experience in the fields of outdoor arts, circus, street theatre, and international touring. Based in Catalonia, he has worked with a wide range of festivals, networks, and cultural organisations across Europe and beyond. Berga is particularly known for his expertise in artist mobility, international collaboration, and the development of touring opportunities for outdoor and public-space performance. He frequently serves as a mentor, advisor, and delegate at major international arts gatherings, helping to connect artists and organisations across borders and strengthen international cultural exchange.

Lucy Medlycott

Lucy Medlycott is Chief Executive of ISACS, Ireland's leading advocate for outdoor arts, circus, spectacle, and public-space performance. She has over two decades of experience working nationally and internationally in festival development, cultural policy, artist support, and sector advocacy. Under her leadership, ISACS has become a key organisation supporting artists and producers through training, networking, international partnerships, and professional development opportunities. Lucy is a passionate advocate for the role of outdoor arts in creating vibrant public spaces and fostering cultural participation across diverse communities.

PROMENADE is an Irish arts organisation specialising in accessibility, inclusion, and audience development within the cultural sector. Through consultancy, training, research, and project delivery, Promenade works with festivals, venues, local authorities, and arts organisations to create more welcoming and equitable cultural experiences. The organisation has become a leading voice in Ireland on access and participation, supporting partners to embed accessibility into artistic planning, production, communications, and audience engagement. Promenade also collaborates on national and international initiatives that explore how arts and culture can be more inclusive, representative, and responsive to diverse communities.

This event and the bursaries are supported through Promenade’s Creative Production Supports programme and funded by the Arts Council of Ireland.