Open Call for Westival 2026

Westival Open Call 2026

The Open Call for Westival 2026 is now open and invites artists wishing to be considered for presentation in this year’s festival to submit their proposal.

This year, Westival takes place over Samhain, the traditional marking of the end of Ireland’s harvest season and the beginning of the darker half of the year.

Under the theme:

Samhain: a gathering to celebrate the end of Ireland’s harvest season

We invite artists across all disciplines to propose work that responds to gathering, transition, atmosphere, place, and shared experience.

 

 

Please read the information below before applying:

What We Are Interested In

Westival exists to celebrate the art being created locally and regionally, and artists from Mayo and the North West will be prioritised. We are always keen to hear from artists, producers, collectives, and community groups connected to the region.

We welcome proposals across all art forms, including music, theatre, visual art, performance, food, literature, spoken word, comedy, workshops, discussions, dance, storytelling, design, architecture, circus, cabaret, installations, pop-ups, site specific happenings, and interdisciplinary work.

This list is not exhaustive, and we encourage ambitious, thoughtful, and unexpected ideas.

For 2026, we are particularly interested in:

  • Live and audience centred work
  • Site responsive or location aware projects
  • Intimate or participatory experiences
  • Work suitable for outdoor, low light, or non traditional settings
  • Workshops, community led activity, and family programming
  • Projects that can operate within modest technical and production requirements

We strongly encourage applications from artists currently underrepresented in the arts, including but not limited to artists of colour, artists who identify as LGBTQI+, artists with disabilities, migrants, and members of the Traveller community.

While some funding is available, resources are limited, and projects that can generate income through ticket sales or operate with lean production requirements may be easier to accommodate.


The Theme

Samhain: a gathering to celebrate the end of Ireland’s harvest season

A festival rooted in gathering, atmosphere, transition, and shared experience.

 

What We Consider in Your Assessment

  • Originality, artistic quality, and clarity of vision
  • Feasibility of the project in terms of scale, production, timing, and budget
  • How your proposal enhances the audience experience within the wider festival programme
  • Suitability for the spaces and context of Westival
  • Your intended audience or participant group
  • Your ability to support promotion and audience engagement for your event
  • How your proposal contributes to the overall balance and diversity of the programme

.

 

Budget

Please include an indicative budget for your proposed activity, including artist fees and any additional production costs.

As a general guide, proposed project costs should ideally fall within the range of €100 – €1000.

We may consider a box office split where appropriate. Any budget overspend is the responsibility of the applicant.

 

    Offered to Successful Proposals

    • Your artist's fee. We believe in fair and equitable remuneration of all artists throughout our programme of events.
    • Your event or activity will be marketed and published as part of the overall Westival 2025 programme which will be released in mid Sept 2025.
    • The inclusion of your event/activity in the official printed programme and website.
    • We endeavour to secure media profile for the festival and its artists. Depending on the scale of the event you have proposed, we may require that you be available for interview.
    • Ticketed events will be sold through the Westival box office online. 

     

    Feedback + Selection

    Please be aware that, due to the volume of submissions received, we cannot respond or offer assessment and feedback to every submission individually. We will acknowledge receipt of your proposal once submitted. All submissions will be reviewed and if you are successful we will be in touch.


    How to Apply

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