South East Technological University (SETU) officially launched its Sustainability in the Arts Festival 2025 this morning with a dynamic event on its Waterford City campus, celebrating creativity, collaboration, and the university’s growing leadership in sustainability education.

The event brought together students, staff, local partners, and members of the community, with over 100 people in attendance. The festival showcases a wide-ranging programme of multidisciplinary projects and performances that place sustainability at the heart of artistic and academic expression.

Featuring work from undergraduate and postgraduate students across Music, Languages, English, Graphic Art, Visual Art, Culinary Arts, Hospitality, and Internationalisation, the festival includes live music, multi-media exhibitions, research presentations, visual installations, and cooking demonstrations

The initiative aims to embed sustainability not only in the curriculum but in the culture and identity of the university itself.

A highlight of the morning was a special performance from students of Mercy Secondary School, Waterford, who entertained attendees with traditional Irish music.

Students from Mercy Secondary School in Waterford performing at SETU this morning.

Students from Mercy Secondary School in Waterford performed at SETU this morning.

The launch follows a major accolade for the university, which was recently awarded the inaugural SATLE Impact Award in the Education for Sustainable Development category. The award, part of the Strategic Alignment of Teaching and Learning Enhancement initiative, recognises institutions making significant contributions to sustainable education practices in Ireland.

Festival Highlights

Running throughout April, the Sustainability in the Arts Festival offers a range of public events and showcases, including:

  • Musical performances themed around climate, nature, and resilience

  • Visual and graphic art exhibitions exploring environmental and social change

  • Culinary demonstrations focusing on food sustainability, sourcing, and waste reduction

  • Research presentations from students addressing global and local sustainability challenges

  • Multi-media installations that provoke critical thought and encourage public engagement

Ireland’s Sustainability Context

Ireland has committed to achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals by 2030, but challenges remain. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reports that Ireland generated an estimated 1.2 million tonnes of food waste in 2022, while climate-related targets remain a national priority.

Educational initiatives such as SETU’s festival are seen as key to meeting those goals, particularly by encouraging students and the wider community to engage creatively and critically with sustainability topics.

You can hear more from the event on WLR News tomorrow morning and next week’s edition of On The Fringe with Gemma Delaney.

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