The internationally renowned Liverpool Irish Festival returns 13-23 October with a new face in charge. Emma Smith, former Executive Director of LOOK, Liverpool’s International Photography Festival and Head of Creative Enterprise at Bluecoat takes the helm of the 10 day cultural festival, bringing Liverpool and Ireland together.
Originally from Leicester, Emma came to Liverpool as a student and stayed, lured by its cultural offer, buildings and civic personality. Since then she’s work with innumerable artists, partners and audiences, building strong relationships and a reputation for excellence. Appointed by the Liverpool Irish Festival board, Emma was selected for her extensive experience in multi-stream programming and project management in festivals and cultural organisations.
John Chandler, Chair of Liverpool Irish Festival’s Board said: “We are delighted to welcome Emma into the role. She has a great range of skills and experience and is ideally suited to lead and help the festival grow and develop”.
The festival returns 13-23 October and in the next two months audiences will see new branding, an improved website, programme announcements and partners brought on board. The connecting theme for this autumn is conviviality. The festival will work harder than ever before in connecting festival friends, creating social space and providing environments for audiences and performers, speakers and artists to interact. We will celebrate traditional (#madfortrad), contemporary (#madfornew) and crossover practices in hospitable and friendly environments, in which everyone is welcomed warmly.
Emma says, “2016 provides a key date in British and Irish history. A centenary on from the Easter Rising, Europe’s shape is set to change again following a turbulent referendum result that raises as many questions as it proposed to answer! A question that keeps surfacing, since joining LIF, is what does it mean to be Irish or Liverpool Irish today? Since the referendum six million people have applied for Irish passports; considered alongside 44 million Irish diaspora, the question has never been more pertinent to such a large population. External communities – new and old – shape, mirror and evolve Irish culture, both on the Island and in the world, affecting families, groups and perceptions. As an EU nation, celebrating its connections in a proud European city, this year’s festival is an opportunity for Liverpool and its Irish inhabitants to consider their heritage and what that of the newest Irish citizens will be”.
Connect with the festival on www.liverpoolirishfestival.com, Facebook/LivIrishFest Twitter @LivIrishFest #madfortrad #madfornew #LivIrishFest
