What is it?
In 2024 Galway City Council launched a new annual climate festival, the first of its kind organised by a local authority in Ireland. ‘Climate Inspirations-Communities in Action’ is an innovative, creative and collaborative festival which aims to change the narrative around climate action to one of positivity. It harnesses Galways creative energy and embraces our theatrical, musical, art, active travel, sport, Gaeilge and food cultures. The festival also delivers on objectives as set out in the recently adopted Galway City Climate Action Plan 2024-2029.
The festival was filmed by the RTE NEWS and broadcast on the 6 and 9 National news:
https://www.rte.ie/news/2024/0914/1470107-galway-climate-festival/
A short video is also available to watch on the Galway City Council you tube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJA6X1wAV78VBbbDSp-S5vA
The full program is available at www.galwayclimatefestival.ie but some of the highlights included:
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Talks and panel discussions at An Taibhdhearc Theatre, Middle Street with various speakers including President Mary Robinson, Philip Boucher Hayes and Ella McSweeney among many others. Talks covered such topics as Sport and Climate Action; Sponge City-how to deal with excess rainfall in Irish towns and Cities; a Carbon Zero by 2030 Business talk and a ‘’What type of youth activist are you’’ for Secondary Schools.
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Field Trips to Galway City Councils climate and biodiversity projects such as the Grattan Beach Dune restoration project, Buaile Bó Cows Project, the Air we Share Creative Ireland Climate Project and the Warmer homes project in the Decarbonisation zone.
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Féasta- A long table pop up feast for 150 people with Michelin star Chef Enda McEvoy’s new social enterprise Hinterland West, Galway City Partnership and Galway community gardens
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A bilingual concert at An Taibhdhearc Theatre with singer songwriter John Spillane
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Middle street, Galway City Centre being pedestrianised and becoming a playful space with lots of art, games and live music including Stomptown Brass band from Dublin
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A new Galway City Council Commissioned Climate Street theatre play with Fregoli Theatre
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A new commission by Galway City Council-‘The sounds of climate change’ with Artist Mark Clare and Ornithologist Séan Royane
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A second-hand market on Middle Street whereby Galwegians could rent a gazebo and sell second hand household clothes and items
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A family cycle ride through the streets of Galway city promoting Galway City Councils new infrastructure
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A festival club with local artists and DJ’s.
How does it promote the work of Galway City Council?
The Climate action team utilised the festival to promote the work of GCC and its many projects including:
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Active travel with a ‘kidical mass’ cycle ride for families over our new and improved active travel infrastructure- ‘Droichead a Dóchais' (The bridge of Hope) and the Eglington Canal
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The playful streets road closure on Middle Street and the potential public realm improvements on the Cross Street Rejuvenation Project (The Public Realm team had a stand on Sunday and engaged with the public)
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Field Trips The Buaile Bo project in Ballyloughane, the Grattan Beach Sand dune restoration project, the Air we Share Creative Ireland project and the Net Zero Cities project in Westside
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Galways circular economy with the 2nd hand market on middle street and the clothes mending workshop
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The nighttime economy with the Feasta at the old Print Works in addition to comedy, storytelling and DJ’s in An Taibhdhearc Theatre and bar
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Promotion of the Irish language via the John Spillane Bilingual concert and the Bilingual Street performance with Fregoli Theatre
Why did we do it?
Galway City Council wants to be at the forefront of Climate Action within Ireland. The Climate Action Team set out to organise an innovative and positive festival which will bring people along with us on the journey to collectively reduce our greenhouse gas emissions and create a fun, healthier and more liveable city whilst we are doing it.
The Elected Members adopted the Galway City Climate Action Plan in February 2024, and within it there are 60 actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 51% by 2030 and for the city to Decarbonise by 2050. Within the Climate Action Plan, Action 19 is to establish an annual climate festival with events across the city including expert speakers, workshops, action demonstrations, incorporating culture and the arts. This is exactly what we did.
The festival is also beneficial as a place marketing project which promotes Galway as a sustainable, climate friendly place to visit.
As this was the first of its kind in Ireland, it is hoped that the festival can be strengthened in 2025 with more talks, creativity and public engagement and we can brand it as the preeminent Climate Festival in the Country.
What was the Impact?
From the post festival surveys, we can see that 46% of respondents rated the overall Experience at the Galway Climate Festival as Excellent and 37% as good.
As concerns sustainable development and the environment, 75% of respondents were inspired to make sustainable actions after the festival and of these 26% felt they could talk about Climate Change more confidently, 22% were more likely to buy locally produced food, 21% are planning to reduce their waste, 15% plan to travel more sustainably, 14% plan to introduce home energy efficiency upgrade.
Other responses included:
‘’Encourage and inspire those in my social circles and workplace, I have since started a Climate Awareness initiative in my workplace!’’
‘’Inspired extremely by the Ahascragh distillery story. It is hard not to become discouraged and tired in being vigilant in your personal changes to combat climate change. But hearing a story that is so inspirational helps to keep on track working towards a sustainable future’’.
80% of respondents felt that the festival was successful in changing the narrative around climate change to that of a positive and 83% felt that it was successful in promoting climate action in the City.