Baboró International Arts Festival for Children announces 2026 programme
More than 60 arts experiences to take place in Galway as Baboró celebrates its 30th anniversary
Baboró International Arts Festival for Children has today (31.08.26) announced its programme for 2026, which also marks the organisation’s 30th anniversary. Taking place in Galway from 9 – 18 October, the festival will feature more than 60 arts experiences by artists and performers from Ireland and across Europe, including theatre, dance, circus, music, literature, film and visual arts.
Presented in venues across Galway City, this year’s festival will welcome internationally acclaimed artists and companies from countries including England, Belgium, France, Germany and Spain, offering a varied and ambitious programme for children and young people of all ages, from toddlers to teenagers.
Alongside family performances, Baboró’s 2026 programme also includes dedicated events for schools, helping to ensure that as many children as possible can experience high-quality live arts. Four shows, from Ireland and the Netherlands, designed specifically to tour directly into schools, will visit schools throughout the city and county. The festival also features performances for children with additional needs, creative workshops, art exhibitions, free pop-up events and a number of events for adults.
Programme highlights include:
The Fabulous Tale of BasarKus – Compagnie Lamento (France): A dazzling circus performance combining juggling and acrobatics. As the performers realise they are no longer one extraordinary creature but two, they embark on a mischievous journey of self-discovery, exploring identity and the wonder of growing up. (Ages 4+).
A Teen Odyssey – La Mecànica (Spain): An immersive promenade theatre experience combining live physical performance with smartphone technology to explore identity, belonging and what connects us across generations. Created for teenagers and the adults who remember exactly what it felt like to be one. (Ages 12+).
Witch Hunting – Compagnie per Terre / Anne Nguyen Dance Company (France): A captivating contemporary dance performance in which six dancers draw on styles ranging from popping and krumping to coupé-décalé and ndombolo to explore cultural identity, the meaning of community and what connects us as a society. (Ages 10+).
The Sticky Dance – Second Hand Dance (England): A tactile and interactive dance experience inviting young children and their grown-ups to tape, stick, move, play and explore together. Audiences are free to join in the action or simply watch, listen and take it all in. (Ages 2–4).
Kafka’s Doll – Theatre Lovett (Ireland): Inspired by the story of Franz Kafka consoling a little girl who had lost her doll in a Berlin park, this theatre production offers a glimpse into the imagination of one of literature’s most influential figures, telling the story of the rediscovery that love, play and friendship are what we need to be truly alive. (Ages 8+).
Commenting on the announcement of the festival programme, Baboró’s Executive Artistic Director Aislinn Ó hEocha said: “We’re very excited to share the programme for this year’s festival, which brings together some of the world’s leading artists and companies, who will present work across a wide range of genres and themes. Whether through theatre, dance, circus, literature, visual arts or hands-on creative experiences, we hope the programme will spark curiosity, imagination and empathy, while giving audiences a glimpse into a variety of cultures.
“We strive to create a festival that is exciting, welcoming and full of possibility, and we want as many children as possible to be part of it. This is the time of year when children take over the city – when the theatres, galleries and streets belong to them!”
Celebrating 30 years of nurturing children’s creativity and imagination
Founded in 1996, Baboró has grown into one of the oldest and most highly regarded children’s arts festivals in the world. Over the past three decades, it has welcomed more than half a million children and their families, with almost 18,000 now attending the festival annually. Baboró has also evolved beyond its annual October festival into a year-round organisation that supports schools, communities and artists through outreach, engagement and artist development initiatives.
Aislinn Ó hEocha added: “As we celebrate Baboró’s 30th anniversary, we’re incredibly proud of how the festival has grown over the past three decades, always guided by the belief that every child has the right to experience and participate in arts and culture, regardless of background, ability or circumstance. We’re grateful to the many artists, audiences, schools, supporters and partners who have been part of that journey.
“As we look to the future, we’ll continue to nurture children’s creativity and imagination, champion exceptional work for young audiences and ensure that Baboró remains a place where every child feels seen, heard and welcome.”
Baboró International Arts Festival for Children runs from Friday, 9 to Sunday, 18 October 2026 in Galway. The full festival programme is available at baboro.ie, with tickets going on sale from Wednesday, 2 September.
ENDS
Contact: Sebastian Enke, Enkom PR, Tel: 087-3239496 / Email: media@enkom.ie