Galway International Arts Festival 2025
- Julia Labedz
- Jul 7
- 3 min read
The 48th Galway International Arts Festival in 2025 will take place from the 14-27th of July and will feature a wealth of theatre, music, comedy, visual art, dance, and literary events from artists from Africa, America, Asia, Australia, Europe, and of course Ireland and Galway!
What's On
Galway International Arts Festival (GIAF) 2025 is set to deliver its most ambitious and wide-ranging programme to date. Over two weeks this July, the city and county of Galway will become a stage for global creativity, showcasing ground-breaking theatre, dazzling circus, world-class music, striking visual arts, thought-provoking talks and unforgettable street spectacle. With 8 new world premieres, major commissions, and collaborations with artists from across the globe, GIAF 2025 promises an unmissable celebration of imagination and talent.
Theatre, Opera, Circus & Dance
At the heart of this year’s performance programme is NoFit State Circus‘s jaw-dropping Sabotage, staged in their iconic Big Top at Nimmo’s Pier. This adrenaline-charged spectacle features acrobatics, live music and stunning imagery.
Druid Theatre celebrates its 50th anniversary with a powerful double bill: J.M. Synge’s Riders to the Sea and Shakespeare’s Macbeth, directed by the legendary Garry Hynes. Meanwhile, Kevin Barry’s pitch-black comedy The Cave returns Tommy Tiernan to the Galway stage in an Abbey Theatre production.
Highlights also include:
Scorched Earth: Luke Murphy’s dance-theatre fusion exploring land and legacy.
Mars: A futuristic new opera from Jennifer Walshe and Irish National Opera.
Oh …: A solo performance by Mikel Murfi staged underwater at Galway Atlantaquaria.
The Genesis: High-flying acrobatics from the multinational Copenhagen Collective.
Dimanche: A poignant look at climate chaos from Belgian duo Focus & Chaliwaté.
New immersive theatre pieces include The Baby’s Room from Enda Walsh and Paul Fahy, and Why the Moon Travels from Moonfish Theatre, developed with an all-Traveller ensemble.
Additional theatrical works span from Simon Stephens’ Blue Water and Cold and Fresh and Sea Wall to Irish-language Beckett works from An Taibhdhearc.
Two musicals in development also premiere:
Dating Amber, based on the acclaimed Irish film.
The House Must Win, from songwriter Mick Flannery and Rosa Productions.

Music
The Heineken® Big Top returns to Fisheries Field with an electrifying line-up featuring:
Artist | Date |
Amble | July 16, 2025 |
Sophie Ellis-Bextor & Natasha Bedingfield | July 17, 2025 |
Block Rockin Beats | July 18, 2025 |
The Mary Wallopers | July 19, 2025 |
Kingfishr | July 20, 2025 |
Picture This | July 21/22, 2025 |
Mogwai | July 24, 2025 |
Mary Coughlan & Guests | July 23, 2025 |
The Stunning | July 26, 2025 |
Elsewhere, venues like the Róisín Dubh and Monroe’s Live will host acts including:
Bernard Butler
Richard Thompson
Villagers
Soda Blonde
Josephine Foster
Biig Piig
Novalima
Maverick Sabre
Gonora Sounds
The Magic Numbers
Traditional music showcases and more
Visual Arts
A major festival highlight is David Mach’s new large-scale installation Burning Down the House at the Festival Gallery. Known for his immersive, often provocative works, Mach’s return follows past hits like The Oligarch’s Nightmare.
Other visual art standouts:
Funeral for Ashes by Conor Maloney & John Conneely
This Too Will Pass featuring Richard Long at Interface
Not Breaking – This Wave Drowns Hate by Kat Austen
Tactile Tunes by Arts Alive and Jane Cassidy
Additional exhibitions include:
Erin Lawlor at Printworks Gallery
Darran McGlynn at 126 Artist-Run Gallery
Hazel O’Sullivan at Outset Gallery
Joan Sugrue at Engage Studios
Druid@50 by Joe O’Shaughnessy at Kenny Gallery
pass the baton by Laura O’Connor and Leann Herlihy at Galway Arts Centre
What Lies Beneath the Rubble by Eman Mohammed
Through the Lens – President Michael D. Higgins retrospective at Galway City Museum
First Thought Talks
The First Thought strand explores urgent issues and big ideas. This year’s speakers include:
Congresswoman Parmila Jayapal
Fintan O’Toole
Lara Marlowe
Róisín Ingle
Eman Mohammed
Máiría Cahill
Phillips P. O’Brien
Diarmaid Ferriter
Catriona Crowe
Topics include political trauma, global conflict, climate crisis, kindness in healthcare, conspiracy culture, and creativity.
Street Spectacle
Galway’s streets will once again come alive with:
Microcosmos by Planet Vapeur – featuring a giant insect roaming the city
Silent Disco Walking Tours with Guru Dudu
Six by Flip Fabrique – a high-energy show in Eyre Square
Festival Garden
The Festival Garden in Eyre Square returns, offering a lively social hub with food, drinks, DJ sets, and live music. Open daily from 11am–10pm.
GIAF Venues
Galway International Arts Festival 2025 will animate the city with performances at venues like the Heineken® Big Top, Town Hall Theatre, An Taibhdhearc, Nun’s Island Theatre, and the Festival Gallery on William Street. Additional events will take place at the University of Galway Aula Maxima, the Festival Garden, and various outdoor locations across Galway and Connemara.
Tickets
Some performances, including the street spectacle are free, but others require advance booking, with prices between €5-€35.
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