Dominic Campbell
Dominic Campbell is Artistic Director of Bealtaine, a ground-breaking celebration of creativity in older age (www.bealtaine.com). This nationwide arts festival is built through commission and collaboration; five hundred partnerships with artists, cultural organisation, libraries, health care settings, active retirement groups and individuals created 3000 individual exhibitions, workshops, concerts, performances, debates and displays in 2011. The Festival has become a means for sectors to meet in collaboration. It is having a significant affect on the cultural life of Ireland. It asks " What kind of old do I want to be and what kind of world do I want to grow older in?". Dominic is supporting the development of similar initiatives in Wales, Scotland and Germany.
Self-employed he's programmed public discussions at The Abbey Theatre, explored the future of Irish Festivals with AOIFE, and encouraged articulate dissent through "Angry School" for "Home Of The Bewildered" (www.homeofthebewildered.com). He's built Carnival, directed intimate performance and high profile national celebrations including "The Day Of Welcomes" marking 2004's EU expansion with eleven simultaneous cultural festivals. From 1999 to 2004 he transformed Dublin's St Patrick's Festival. He's interested in stuff. Sometimes he makes stuff. Sometimes he tries to make stuff happen.
Bealtaine Festival asks the question: "What kind of old do I want to be and what kind of world do I want to grow older in?"
Bealtaine festival is unique. It is the first nationwide celebration of creativity in older age in the world and Ireland’s only nationwide arts festival.
In 2011, the 16th Festival, 600 partner organisation created 3000 performances, exhibitions, dances, cinema, workshops, concerts and events attended by 111,000 people across the country. There was even a Bealtaine story line on the national T.V. soap Fair City.
A chance for people to make new and challenging work, to communicate traditions between generations its also where a novice might discover an unexplored talent or dormant interests re-emerge.