Baboró International Arts Festival for Children kicks off on Friday 10 October with an extraordinary line-up of theatre, dance, music, workshops and community events.
Now in its 29th year, Ireland’s flagship festival for children and families continues to place accessibility, creativity and shared joy at its heart, bringing world-class performances and participatory experiences to audiences of all ages and abilities.
This year’s programme is rich with international artistry and homegrown innovation, inviting children to explore the world through fresh eyes.
For the youngest of us, Be Kind is an intimate circus theatre experience for babies. A sensory performance of sound, colour and movement.
For older children and teens, the timeless wonder of The Little Prince is reimagined for a new generation by spoken word poet Toby Thompson. In a world where grown-ups have forgotten how to see with their hearts, he discovers beauty, wisdom and the importance of human connection.
Matière(s) première(s) by Compagnie par Terre is an unforgettable dance show offering older children and teens a unique insight into the intersection between urban moves and African tribal dances, reflecting the lasting effects of colonisation on a community.
A festival highlight is We Wild, an immersive, hands-on workshop led by designer and educator Lindsay Deely. Exploring Ireland’s wild spaces of the past, children will be encouraged to imagine how we can live together with nature in the future.
Using upcycled materials and their own imaginations, young participants will collaborate to create a miniature green city that honours both the ancient past and our natural environment.
Rooted in sustainability and human-centred design, the workshop demonstrates how looking at the world through children’s eyes can inspire more sustainable and connected futures.
Baboró 2025 also shines a light on inclusive artistic practice with Feel The Beat, a music workshop designed specifically for children who are deaf or hard of hearing.
Led by Palestinian musician and educator Hala Jaber, the workshop uses visual observation, body movement and the natural rhythms we hold within us to create a joyful, accessible exploration of sound and rhythm.
Facilitated in both ISL and spoken English, Feel The Beat opens up new ways of connecting through sound and music.
A highlight of visual art this year is First Impressions, a landmark exhibition created especially for early years audiences by Cork-based visual artist Jane Hayes.
Bringing together a major body of work developed over several years, the exhibition invites young children and their families into a visually rich and imaginative world that reflects how young children encounter art: physically, playfully and with deep curiosity.
Featuring a diverse range of works, including sculpture scaled to toddler height, hand-tufted textiles, photographic works and animation underscored by an evocative soundscape, First Impressions is a celebration of visual art made with and for young children.
Technically accomplished and emotionally attuned, this show honours the intelligence, agency and sensory ways in which young children experience the world.
It will run at Galway Arts Centre throughout the festival and is ideal for children from 8 months old to 7 years old.
At Outset Gallery, A Children’s Guide to Anarchy presents radical child-led work that comprises seven musical animated videos that explore key elements of anarchical thinking, such as autonomy, kindness and human connectivity, from a child’s perspective.
Admission is free, and the exhibition space includes an opportunity for audiences to creatively respond to the work. This is for children 6+.
For 29 years Baboró has championed the right of every child to experience the arts in an atmosphere of wonder, openness and joy.
This year’s festival once again transforms Galway into a city alive with imagination, where children and families are not just audiences but collaborators, creators and explorers.
Baboró International Arts Festival for Children runs from 10–19 October 2025 in Galway. Full programme details are available at www.baboro.ie or follow Baboró on social media.
