Inspired by the creative energy of Ireland’s Northwest, Cairde Sligo Arts Festival is a unique coming together of artists and audiences. It is a celebration of imagination and shared experience that welcomes all.
Cairde Sligo Arts Festival works across three main areas:
Festival Programme: We present an 8-day multidisciplinary arts festival each year in July across Sligo town and county in multiple venues, on the streets and in unique site-specific settings. Our next festival will be July 04 to 11, 2026.
Artist Development: We support artists through seed funding, residencies, commissions, and co-productions; the results of which are shared in the festival programme.
Community Engagement: We build long-term collaborations between artists and communities across Sligo where the results of collaborations are shared in the festival programme.
We collaborate with multiple local, national and international partners to transform Sligo into a cultural stage for extraordinary artistic encounters.
Cairde Sligo Arts Festival
What it is Cairde:
An 8-day celebration featuring contemporary music, theatre, dance, visual arts, spoken word, and family-friendly outdoor spectacles.
When it happens:
The Cairde festival takes place annually; the 2026 edition runs from July 4th to July 11th.
Where it happens:
Events are held in a mix of traditional and unexpected venues across Sligo town and county, including streets, theatres, galleries, and scenic landscapes.
The word "cairde" translates to "friends" in Irish. The festival's core mission is to celebrate community, creativity, and shared experiences by hosting highly accessible, inclusive, and engaging events for all ages
To find out whats happening for Cairde Arts Festival 2026 - check it out here
Take a deep breath in and enjoy this clip from Cairde - Cairde Sligo Arts Festival, Ireland | Celebrating Creativity & Culture