9.5.1
Kilkenny is renowned nationally and internationally for its arts and cultural organisations.
It boasts numerous festivals such as the Kilkenny Arts Festival, which has been running for over forty years, Savour Food Festival, Subtitle Film Festival, Kilkenomics, Cats Laugh Comedy festival, Rhythm and Roots Music Festival, AKA Festival and TradFest.
Within Kilkenny city, there is the Butler Gallery, Watergate Theatre, Design and Crafts Council of Ireland, Barnstorm Theatre, Young Irish Filmmakers, Devious Theatre, Lighthouse Studios and Cartoon Saloon.
Across the county, Kilkenny punches above its weight. In the small town of Callan alone, there are three theatre companies, Monkeyshine, Asylum Productions and Equinox Theatre and four arts organisations KCAT, Workhouse Union, Trasna Productions and Fennelly’s as well as the Tony O’Malley Residency managed by the RHA.
Thomastown is a hub for crafts hosting the Grennan Mill Craft School and the School of Food. Castlecomer holds the busy and active craft yard and the artist in the shop window, Graham Carew.
Kilkenny can also lay claim to some fantastic cultural amenities such as Ballykeeffe Amphitheatre and Castalia Hall as well as the use of Nowlan Park in the city for large music events.
Kilkenny’s arts and culture are a central element of the county’s identity. It attracts people to live, work and enjoy Kilkenny. The arts promotes and highlights Kilkenny internationally and is a significant economic driver.