WTAF!? is coming. And no, it is not what you think. Or maybe it is. Either way, Galway’s westend is about to be taken over by a bold new festival that refuses to behave.
WTAF!? Westend Theatre & Arts Festival, is the first of its kind, brought to life by Hysteria Theatre Company in partnership with Galway’s westend. Running from 21 to 30 July, it promises a ten-day programme of chaos, creativity and celebration across theatre, music, art, drag, circus, comedy and more.
The catch? There is no catch. Just a boundary-pushing programme of emerging artists, new work and alternative voices in unexpected places. Rooftops, back rooms, basements and bars become stages. Front-of-house is run by the artists themselves. Ticket prices are mostly under €20, with many shows offering a pay-what-you-can option.
WTAF!? is made for the people who never quite fit the mould and never wanted to. For the punk poets, the DIY dramatists, the rogue musicians and the chaotic creators. It is for anyone who has ever been told their work is too strange, too niche or just too much.
From aerial circus in Roisin Dubh to a kayaking choir performance on the canal, from drag storyslam in Taylor’s Bar to micro-theatre in the back of a campervan at Silkes Yard, WTAF!? offers audiences a chance to experience Galway’s underground creative scene up close and unfiltered.
WTAF!? was created for artists who are tired of asking. Who are ready to take up space, say the thing, tell the story, or start the band. As co-directors Emily Aherne and Jess Harkin put it, “WTAF!? was born with the artists in mind who haven’t always gotten a look in, the emerging, the genre-defiant, the ones who are tired of waiting for permission. It’s a space where bold ideas take root and where artists show up on their own terms.”
The festival’s full programme, featuring over 40 events across 10 days, is now live at www.wtafgalway.com.
