Today marks day two of the Imagine Arts Festival, a six-day celebration of theatre, music, dance, visual art, and family-friendly events.

The festival continues its reputation as one of Ireland’s most imaginative and diverse arts festivals, transforming the city into a stage for creativity and connection until Sunday October 26th. 

This year’s programme involves an exciting mix of emerging voices, world-class artists and local voices with the introduction of the brand-new Festival Hub at the former AIB Bank on 42 Michael Street. 

The Festival Hub is a base for the public to meet artists, gather information, and experience exhibitions, installations and workshops in the heart of the City.

The following is a guide to some of the festival highlights:

Theatre and performances

Word Against the Word: Keith Dunphy’s powerful one-man show traces his journey from Waterford to RADA, grappling with dyslexia and the lure of Shakespeare, taking place until Saturday in Garter Lane.

Hero/Banlaoch with Wandering Stories Theatre: Personal stories interwoven with ancient Irish myths in a lyrical storytelling performance taking place on Thursday at 7pm in Phil Grimes’ Pub.

Six Days Work: GasWorks Productions secular reimagining of biblical tales through four monologues at 6pm this evening in Bank Lane.

Residency Showcase: Ksenia Parkhatskaya & David Duffy’s culmination of Imagine’s 2025 Artist Residency, fusing live music, movement, rhythm, and improvisation taking place at 6pm on Saturday in St. Patrick’s Gateway.

Music and dance

Phil Christie (The Bonk) – Commissioned Artist: Experimental new work blending groove, rhythm, and improvisation taking place at 8pm on Sunday in Garter Lane.

Shauna Mullin, Alan Colfer & Damien McGeehan: A trio performance blending traditional and contemporary songs with exquisite arrangements taking place at 8pm on Friday in St. Patrick’s Gateway.

The Legendary Dead: A bold, one-of-a-kind live performance trail across Waterford’s pubs, merging music, theatre, and spectacle taking place on Friday starting at Nicky’s Bar at 8pm moving onto The Tap, The Exchange, The Tavern, Downes’ Bar.

Get involved in workshops!

Dancing the Character is a practical dance workshop with Ksenia Parkhatskaya, exploring rhythm, character, and expressive storytelling, taking place today at 4pm in St. Patrick’s Gateway.

From Silence to Spectacle, a live performance workshop with David Duffy, integrating technology, dramaturgy, and live sound set to kick off tomorrow at 4pm in St. Patrick’s Gateway.

Let’s Create a Story! Niamh Donnellan’s rhyming story workshop for children aged 4–6, blending words and illustration on Friday at 4pm at the Festival Hub.

The Reverie Tree – Éabha Róis: A reflective creative writing and storytelling workshop exploring memory, imagination, and self-expression taking place on Saturday at 2pm in St. Patrick’s Gateway.

Visual Arts and Installations happening all week…

Exhibition of Wool Paintings with Emily A Thompson: Textile landscapes recreated through the ancient craft of needle felting at the Festival Hub.

To Paint a Picture in Your Mind with Molly Buí Hennessy: An intuitive, participatory installation combining painting, poetry, and sound at the Festival Hub.

Where Dreams Are Born by Isa Studio Photography: A photographic journey exploring childhood wonder and imagination at the Festival Hub.

Creative Transparency – Waiting Space: An Installation merging art, sound, and reflection. It explores confession, creativity, and vulnerability at the Medieval Museum.

Retro 40: On a Night Like This with Eoin Ronayne: A photographic retrospective celebrating Waterford’s 1980s emerging arts scene at Jordan’s Bar on the Quay.

Book Swap Exhibition with Anne McDonnell: A visual art project featuring artist-created art books for visitors to explore and exchange taking place on Saturday from 2pm in the Theatre Royal.

The Decoration of Absence with James Hughes: Photographs capturing the silent traces of Irish interiors and shared heritage in the Index Gallery, Central Library during Library Hours.

Lichen by Fern Wright: A new series of abstract oil paintings inspired by the textures of Ireland’s coastline in Tramore Coastguard Cultural Centre during Gallery Hours.

Heritage and community events

Women of Waterford: guided tours uncovering the often-overlooked contributions of women across the city which began yesterday and will continue until Thursday, all happening in various locations.

Booze, Blaas & Banter, the beloved early-morning tradition is returning to Jordan’s Bar with history, song, poetry — and complimentary blaas on Saturday at 9am.

Events for children and young people

Circusful & Waterford Youth Arts – Same Difference: A cross-border collaboration between Belfast’s Circusful and Waterford Youth Arts, showcasing the creativity, energy, and imagination of young performers taking place on Sunday at 11:30am in the Theatre Royal.

Shadow Lands with Cathy Purcell, Niall Crowley, & Nick Kavanagh: A magical theatre piece combining music, shadow puppetry, and myths from Ireland and Indonesia happening on Sunday at the  Medieval Museum at 12pm and 2pm.

Big Blaa Little Blaa All-Stars: A retro-style family gameshow with a Waterford twist — fun, laughter, and local flair! Taking place on Sunday at 6pm in the Tower Hotel.

Festival Director Sinead Dunphy spoke to WLR about the involvement of the community in seeing the festival come to fruition:

“When we talk about looking at what’s around us in Waterford, I feel I was really lucky to grow up here in such an incredible artistic space. It’s generational, I think that is what we need to be encouraging and platforming.

“I love seeing when there’s people from Waterford able to come home to Waterford, whether it’s to perform or have some input.

“There’s a lot there in terms of bringing that homestead, artistic, creative space back in, but also being able to look at what’s beyond us as well. How did we influence other people? Where has our art gone? It’s lovely to bring it home.”

To book tickets and find out more about the Imagine Arts Festival 2025, visit www.imagineartsfestival.com.

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