Update: Cúirt International Festival of Literature 2020

Update: Cúirt International Festival of Literature 2020

In light of the current global pandemic, Ireland has imposed restrictions on cultural events in order to decrease the spread of COVID-19 through our population. At Cúirt, we have been undertaking contingency planning for a range of scenarios to ensure the safety of our authors and audiences. In recent days it has become clear that the shutdown period is likely to continue at least until 12 April. This, combined with international travel restrictions, makes it clear that the impact on our festival this year will be large.

After much consideration, we have taken the difficult decision not to proceed with the festival in its physical form this year. It was scheduled to take place from 20-25 April.

To everyone who has put this festival together including our partners, staff and all the authors we were so excited to welcome to Galway this year, we are heartily sorry, but hope you will understand that we must do our part in helping to stop the spread of COVID-19.

Bringing Authors to Audiences

Cúirt will remain committed to bringing authors to audiences. Several of our events will be postponed until later in the year, with details to be confirmed. These include our Creative Europe project activity including World Literature Day, our Eilís Dillon centenary activities and several headline events.

We are currently exploring alternative ways to bring authors voices to audiences, in place of a physical festival. Author events in particular may be possible to replicate in a digital environment and we want to do everything we can to support artists and audiences. Details to be announced in the coming weeks.

Support for Writers

Cúirt feels strongly about continuing to support artists at this time. Given the global situation in which we find ourselves, where many artists are having to deal with a sudden and very challenging loss of income, we have committed to making an honorarium payment to all authors contracted for Cúirt 2020, whose events are cancelled.

Ticket Sales and Refunds

If you have purchased tickets for the festival, please contact the Town Hall Theatre on thtsales@galwaycity.ie Ticket holders may choose to either receive a full refund or alternatively, to donate the value of one or more of your tickets to Cúirt as a gesture of support. This will be a very difficult time for most people in the creative sector. Any ticket prices donated to the festival will go towards the payment of honoraria for our writers.