Ireland's Festival of World Cultures had much to commemorate this July, kicking off with an aerial photo shoot of a giant human-pixel number 10, it celebrated its 10th anniversary festival by adopting the International Charter for Compassion. Its latest initiative, Radio Hemisphere; the festival’s own live internet radio station, was launched to capture the last of an era, as Sunday’s press call bid farewell to its creator and Director Jody Ackland.
Over its 10 year life, the festival has received a Taoiseach Award (Irish Prime Minister Award) for its social integration and environmental policies and has been rated by Songlines Magazine as a ‘Top 25 International Festival. With the moving on of its founding Director, Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council, the festival’s governing body, are to commence a period of strategic development, a process whose outcomes will determine the future of the festival. “So much has been achieved, from collaborations to training models, audience figures have peaked at 250,000 and we attract some of the world’s greatest artists, so of course I hope that this model is sustained, but it is time to hand on the baton. It has been a kaleidoscopic journey and an honour to have been part of this unique and visionary event” says Ackland.
The Festival is currently being administered by the Arts Office of Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council who will announce details of the next Festival of World Cultures in December. See www.festivalofworldcultures.com
This years line up featured over 300 acts including: Rokia Traore, Khaled, Mahala Rai Banda, Calypso Rose, Amiina, Astrid Hadad, Tanya Tagaq, Adjagas, Iarla O Lionaird, Jah Wobble & The Nippon Dub Ensemble, Donal Lunny, Hypnotic Brass Ensemble, Lunasa, Orchestra Poly Rythmo de Cotonou, Ayub Ogada