Wexford Arts Centre has been shortlisted for the prestigious IMRO rest of Leinster Best Music Venue award.  We need the public vote to help us win.  Last vote date today Tuesday 19th February.  Click on this link to vote and please share - you could win an Apple Ipod too.  Thank you.  http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/imrovenueawards

D'Lush cafe nominated for a Good food best cafe award is delivering the perfect Valentines feast this Thursday 14th February.  A 3 course meal with chocolate in every course including a welcome sparkling wine, tea/Coffee and homemade truffle after.  Served in the historic ambiance of the Pillar Room Gallery in Wexford Arts Centre and including music entertainment from the Featherhead trio and Helena Mulkearns of Cáca Mílis Cabaret and Kate McKenna playing cupid on the harp.  Share the love for yourself, partners and friends in this unique banquet event not to be missed.  Book Now!

Wexford Arts Centre was deeply saddened to hear of the sudden passing away of Dr. Billy Colfer who was buried in Templetown near his home in Fethard on Sea today.  Billy made a great contribution to Wexford Arts Centre in its early days as a board member and chairman.  He will be remembered as an inspiring teacher, historian, author and artist and to his family a loving as well as inspiring father and husband.  We can only take solace in the fact that his inspiring creativity lives on through his family and their contributions to Wexford Arts Centre which include Eoin's writings, Niall's music or Eamonn's movies and from what's to come from the grandchildren. 

We miss Billy also as regular visitor to D'Lush cafe with Noreen to meet with friends for weekly banter catch up.

Rest in peace Billy and thank you for the inspiration, the history and the fond memories.

It may not be spring weather outside but we are spring boarding new writing at Wexford Arts Centre with the upcoming Papa Bear, Baby Bear this Friday 8 and Saturday 9th February.  Dominic Palmer is a Wexford based writer and this stellar new play is directed by Fionnuala McMullin and follows novice security guard Barry (Kris McGuire ) on his first night at Navitec Security who is introduced to his mentor, long-time security guard Paul “Papa Bear” Brady (Dominic Palmer), a man experiencing a slow and increasingly dark breakdown.  This is a well paced dark comedy and at just over an hour and only €10 or 2 for €10 for students - suits 16+ - worth checking out new talent in town - you won't be disappointed!

And from the new to the well established - the  London based Godot Company has visited us before with great Beckett productions.  This year they return with Beckett Publisher and friend John Calder who will deliver after show talks.  Catch Eh Joe & Footfall at 1pm or Eh Joe, Footfalls & The Old Tune at 8pm on Friday 15th February - watch out for coverage on The Works RTE 1 Thursday 7th Feb. 


In between all the good drama - treat yourself to our Valentines chocolate banquet  on Thursday 14th Feb. 7.30pm with D'Lush cafe.  Music entertainment from the Featherhead trio, Helena Mulkearns and Kate McKenna on harp providing some sultry  classics as one feasts at this unique banquet in the ambiance of the pillar room gallery of historic Wexford Arts Centre.  All welcome, singles, couples, and groups for this divine feast.

Enjoy!

Elizabeth

Wexford Arts Centre welcomes Myriad Dance to the Annexe, Wexford Arts Centre on John Gate Street, Wexford.  What we have here is two arts organisations coming together to form a residency partnership in the face of great adversity. The year-on-year cuts in funding of the arts appears as nothing less than the death of the arts by a thousand cuts. Partnerships such as this are the only way that many arts organisations  can survive. Having said that Wexford Arts Centre and Myriad see this coming together as being much more than a survival move. It makes good sense for a number of reasons not least of these being economies of scale,  sharing of skills and ideas, and creative synergies.

‘We are delighted with the partnership which strengthens Wexford Arts Centre’s position as a cultural hub in Wexford,’ Said Elizabeth Whyte, Executive Director of Wexford Arts Centre.  ‘Contemporary Dance was pioneered at Wexford Arts Centre by Cathy O’Kennedy with Barefoot Dance Company back in 1979 and as Wexford heads towards its 40th Anniversary in 2014, as the oldest regional arts centre in Ireland, it is fitting that Myriad Dance should take up residence with Barefoot Youth Dance Company graduate Deirdre Grant at the helm.  We have always enjoyed hosting Myriad Dance events over the years in particular during Sonraigh Youth Dance Festival and look forward to future opportunities of developing a quality contemporary dance within our multi arts programme with Deirdre Grant and her team ‘

Myriad Dance had been searching for a new home since moving from Wexford Opera House last year.  From Deirdre Grant's point of view the opportunity to partner with Wexford Arts Centre by moving into this space was a natural progression for the company.

Deirdre Grant, Artistic Director  of Myriad Dance  - ' With the move to the Wexford Arts Centre, there is a real warm feeling of coming home. As a teenager growing up in the 1980s, I was so lucky that the Wexford Arts Centre offered contemporary dance and introduced me to contemporary arts, I had just amazing artistic experiences in there. It 's lovely to be  linking in with WAC  again and Myriad Dance very much look forward to premiering  new shows  in contemporary dance and expanding some projects in collaboration with them'

Both look forward to future  opportunities  in developing projects in the area of contemporary dance that benefits  the wexford community and future audiences at Wexford Arts Centre.  For more information on Myriad Dance visit www.myriaddance.com.

For full details on resident Picture House Film Club click here.  Full detals on www.accesscinema.ie

Red Moon Theatre-in-Education Company delivering after school drama programmes for children Age 4+ to youths aged 17. Full details under Education

Happy New Year to all our friends and supporters.  Despite being bitten hard by frost and funding cuts, we are still persevering and remain committed to deliver a vibrant arts programme in performance events and visual arts exhibitions and workshops in 2013.   Your support to keep the programme going will be greatly appreciated.  As a charitable organisation all funds go back into the programme development. You can provide added support as a Friend and benefit from discounts and complimentary tickets.

Red Moon after school drama are back in action and Picture House returns tomorrow with great line up of films  starting with Black Thorn a  tense Wild West post script movie set in Bolivia starring Sam Shepherd.  See www.accesscinema.ie for details. We look forward to starting off the year in high spirits with the High Kings   on Friday 18th January featuring offspring from the finest Irish folk legends including Bobby Clancy (Finbar Clancy and Finbar Furey (Martin Furey) and  Brian Dunphy is the son of Sean Dunphy  who was a major star of the showband era in Ireland in the 1960s. Following in his father’s footsteps, Brian has sung all over the world as a featured soloist with Riverdance. He was also one of the Three Irish Tenors. Completing the Kings is Darren Holden who has featured as lead vocalist with Riverdance before landing the lead role of The Piano Man in the Broadway production of the Billy Joel musical Movin’ Out.  This will be a guarranteed night of stellar music performance in the luxury of the Riverbank Hotel. 

For the first time we host Jerry Fish in a unique limited intimate cabaret theatre seating with tapas and wine and artisan beer provision by D'lush cafe on Saturday 19th January.  This will be rock vaudeville at it's best.  Tickets for both events selling well so be sure to book in advance.

You can't help but love David O Doherty whose quirky music/comedy routine is so endearing.  He is a Perrier Award winning Irish stand-up comedian, author, musician, actor and playwright. His stand-up has won two awards at the Edinburgh Fringe, Best Newcomer first and the if.comedy award in 2008 for his show Let's Comedy. Guarranteed light hearted fun to keep the blues away.

For children and family we have great line up of  workshops and also an upcoming Family Short Film Festival and Irish/English puppet theatre with Púca Puppets as well as children's show suitable for schools with Barnstorm Theatre and a stunning show for young adults from the Uk named The Fantasist. 

For theatre lovers, 'Papa Bear, Baby Bear ' is a cutting edge dark comedy by upcoming Wexford based playwright Dominic Palmer on 8th Feb and 9th Feb.  The Godot Theatre return with more 'Beckett short's on Friday 15th Feb 1pm and 8pm accompanied with Beckett publisher and friend John Calder for after show talks. We also have Camross Drama in with 'The loves of Cass McGuire'. We will also be selling tickets for the upcoming Wexford Drama Festival beginning of March and down the line we have 'Are there More of You' - comedy by Archers star Alison Skilbeck and the Broadway hit play 'Tuesdays with Morrie' after successful performances at the Gaiety.

Our upcoming exhibition Field Notes will feature very fine work by Welsh artist Iwan Bala and most published Welsh poet/playwright Dr. Mena Elfin exploring language through text and images supported by the Coracle project part funded by EU Interreg South East Ireland and South West Wales project. Dr. Mena Elfin will also run a FREE writing workshop 'A Sense of Place' on Saturday 19th January. Limited spaces.  Life Like itself exhibition by Wexford based artist Gerda Teljeur will feature alongside also with exquisite pen and ink drawings.

Download the programme on our home page now for all the information.

Here's to a vibrant, creative, inspiring and entertaining new year in 2013!

Best Wishes,

Elizabeth Whyte
Executive Director

Christmas is coming and we have lots of festive fun over the next couple of weeks for young and young at heart. We only have a few places left for our Christmas Cabaret and Dinner on Friday 14th December 8pm featuring sumptuous Xmas feast by Good Food Ireland Best Cafe of 2012 nominated D'lush Cafe and featuring the best of entertainment including some Cáca Mílis Cabaret treats with Helena Mulkearns and the Featherhead Trio, Wexford Comedy Improv, Kate McKenna, Martina Keane, Johnny Stewart, Reka Fodor and  a taste of Christmas in Wales with award winning Welsh singer/songwriter and author Cheryl Beer, Danielle Lewis and poet Suzanne Hughes Owen.    This Saturday Little Artists will be making delightful Christmas decorative pieces and Inklings  features A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens for reading club.  Seinn Youth Ensemble make their debut performance on Sunday and Red Moon Theatre perform some festive theatre with Scrooge Next Door shows for Age 4+ on Tuesday 18th December 10am, 11.30am and on Wednesday 19th December 5pm and Santas Puppet show on Sunday 23rd December at 3pm.  Footworx will be strutting their stuff on Friday 21st Sat 22nd and Sunday 23rd December but Christmas would not be Christmas without our grand finale annual music programme event with the wonderful Christmas spirit of Pierce Turner and his Merry Verry Small Orchestra Saturday 22nd December 8pm.  Book while you can!

Looking ahead we start off the New Year in association with Ennis Promotions with Neil Delamere in Whites hotel Fri 4th Jan, High Kings on Fri 18th Jan and Jerry Fish in intimate cabaret limited seating with us on Sat 19 Jan with D'lush tapas and we welcome back the quirkiness of David o Doherty on Saturday 26th January, 2013.  That should keep the January blues away for a while.

If you are stuck for a gift - our gift vouchers which can be used for both D'Lush Cafe and Wexford Arts Centre events make a nice creative present and supports a local community charitable organisation too providing access to the arts in Wexford.

Thanks to all our Friends and supporters.  We wish you a very Happy Christmas and a peaceful and creative New Year in 2013!