Galway International Arts Festival
Galway becomes a place to move between theatre, visual art, music and street spectacle. The International Arts Festival rewards a stay with room for a booked performance and something unexpected discovered during the day.
12 to 25 July 2027
The organiser has announced 12 to 25 July 2027. The 2026 archive remains available, but its artists and performance times are not the 2027 programme.
Sources checked 24 September 2026Choose a route through the programme
The festival brings together theatre, performance, music, visual art and large-scale spectacle. It began in 1978 and has developed into a substantial part of Galway’s cultural year. For a first visit, choose one evening performance as an anchor and use the daytime for exhibitions or other work that catches your interest.
A festival programme, not one admission pass
Read the individual listing before booking: a seated theatre show and an exhibition are different visits. Check the date, duration, venue and admission details together. Avoid placing performances back to back until you know the distance between them and whether the first one has an interval or a fixed finish.
Sources: Galway International Arts Festival
Make a Galway base work for you
Stay close to the venues you plan to use, rather than choosing accommodation from the festival name alone. Save each address with its booking. A citywide programme is easier to enjoy when there is time for a meal, a walk and an unhurried journey to the next performance.
Sources: Galway International Arts Festival · Galway International Arts Festival history
A few useful answers.
When is Galway International Arts Festival 2027?
Sources: Galway International Arts Festival
How do I choose and book Galway Arts Festival events?
Sources: Galway International Arts Festival
When did the festival begin?
Sources & research 24 September 2026
- Galway International Arts Festival
2027 dates and programme announcements
- Galway International Arts Festival history
Festival origins in 1978 and range of art forms