This May, RTÉ is delighted to support Bealtaine Festival, Fastnet Film Festival, and Dublin Dance Festival, along with 25 other arts and cultural events all over Ireland spanning theatre, film, literature, music, opera, dance, festivals, exhibitions and more.
Bealtaine Festival, Ireland's national celebration of the arts and creativity as we age, is celebrating 30 years with events across the month, while Fastnet Film Festival will focus on the craft of filmmaking, hosting seminars, workshops and masterclasses with industry experts on all aspects of the film industry, and Dublin Dance Festival will feature bold new performances from Irish artists and leading choreographic voices from around the world.
Arts and Minds, Maynooth University’s annual celebration of the best in Irish and international arts and culture events, will include performances by Irish National Opera and movie screenings with acclaimed directors. Writers, artists and poets will congregate in the beautiful heritage town of Listowe in County Kerry for Writers Week Literary Festival, while Cavan Arts Festival will present a diverse range of arts and cultural experiences in the heart of Cavan Town. The annual island-wide celebration of poetry, Poetry Day Ireland, also takes place on Thursday 1st May, with the theme May Day.
A host of music festivals will also take place across the country. In Tipperary, SCS Killaloe Music Festival will take place, in Offaly, Birr Festival of Music will host an array of classical music performances, and Galway Early Music Festival will host concerts, immersive musical journeys, workshops, and a multitude of local and international artists.
West Wicklow Chamber Music Festival and Marble City Music Festival in Kilkenny will present a diverse programme of concerts that is sure to delight audiences, and in Waterford, Blackwater Valley Opera Festival will present A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Music for Wexford's Summer/Autumn Series will commence its annual series of recitals by both Irish and international musicians. Crash Ensemble and Chamber Choir Ireland will present Jóhann Jóhannsson's Drone Mass in Limerick, Letterkenny and Dublin. In Cork, Cork International Choral Festival and Open Ear music festival will take place.
Lovesong by Abi Morgan will take to the stage at The Gate Theatre, and the Dublin International Piano Competition will bring the world’s top young pianists to Ireland to compete. There are also a range of exhibitions taking place, from Mainie Jellett and Evie Hone: The Art of Friendship in Dublin’s National Gallery, to Words on the Wave: Ireland and St. Gallen in Early Medieval Europe, Changing Ireland and Dead Zoo at Large, at the National Museum. Art as Agency also continues this month at IMMA.
For more information about the events we are supporting this month, check out the websites listed below:
DUBLIN: Dublin Dance Festival
DUBLIN: IMMA Collection: Art as Agency
WATERFORD: Blackwater Valley Opera Festival
WICKLOW: West Wicklow Chamber Music Festival
KILKENNY: Marble City Music Festival
DUBLIN: International International Literature Festival Dublin
NATIONWIDE: Bealtaine Festival
Ready for Bealtaine Festival 2025? 🎟 Book events & passes at https://t.co/a1S8bo8SFt or https://t.co/XkSxnzu8o1. Passes, events, pricing & more info available online! Free events may require booking.@age_opp @artscouncil_ie @HSELive @projectarts pic.twitter.com/zbMRTysCmk
— Bealtaine Festival (@BealtaineFest) April 4, 2025
DUBLIN: Mainie Jellett & Evie Hone: The Art of Friendship at NGI
DUBLIN & CORK: Chamber Choir Ireland: Forgotten Peoples
KILDARE: Arts and Minds Festival
NATIONWIDE: Poetry Day Ireland
CORK: Cork International Choral Festival
TIPPERARY: SCS Killaloe Music Festival
OFFALY: Birr Festival of Music
CORK: Open Ear Festival
CAVAN: Cavan Arts Festival
DUBLIN: Dublin International Piano Competition
WEXFORD: Music for Wexford Summer/Autumn Series
KERRY Listowel Writers' Week
GALWAY: Galway Early Music Festival
LIMERICK, LETTERKENNY & DÚN LAOGHAIRE: Crash Ensemble & Chamber Choir Ireland present: Jóhann Jóhannsson: Drone Mass
DUBLIN: Lovesong at The Gate
DUBLIN Words on the Wave: Ireland and St. Gallen in Early Medieval Europe
DUBLIN: Changing Ireland
DUBLIN: Dead Zoo at Large
CORK: Fastnet Film Festival
NATIONWIDE: Irish National Opera
DUBLIN: Abbey Theatre
Every year, RTÉ supports 170 arts and cultural events all over Ireland through the RTÉ Supporting the Arts scheme. Spanning film, music, dance, opera, festivals, literature, theatre and exhibitions, and with dedicated promotion on RTÉ's television, radio and digital services, and extensive support across RTÉ's social channels, the RTÉ Supporting the Arts scheme is a lifeline to Ireland's creative and cultural sectors.
To find out more information about RTÉ Supporting the Arts and to apply visit here
