by Rose Rushe
Photo: Paul Mullins
ROYAL de Luxe’s 90ft Grandmother, street entertainers, caricaturists, face painters, music, dance, an Urban Horse and a weekend party will guarantee a best ever Roches Street Traders Art Festival in September. Hot shot film maker and comedian Pat Shortt has been secured to launch the festival proper, highlighting the performance art supplement to 2014’s programme.
Supported by retailers in neighbouring Catherine Street, this year’s festival runs from September 8 to 14, overlapping with the Elemental Arts & Culture Festival (12-14).
According to festival chairperson Marion Fitzgibbon of Widdess Pharmacy, for every €100 raised by the sale of art, €25 will go to charity. At least 50 artists are presenting or donating at least one work each, and some are preparing several for display in store/ services windows.
“When the plan to start up the arts festival was laid out years ago, we were looking at bringing art to the every day person. 14 years down the road, we have raised over €100,000 for our respective charities and this year’s beneficiaries are Limerick Marine search and Rescue, and the Mid West Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus Association”.
She also welcomed Roches Street’s Eircom on board as a first time sponsor, crediting a generous donation to them, grooming of social media fanfare and the organisation of August 27’s fundraising table quiz in Jerry Flannery’s Bar.
Catherine Street is dovetailing with its neighbours in creating a happy right angle so that additional festivities can take place for the long run in September.
City of Culture Director Mike Fitzpatrick paid a good humoured tribute to Limerick Marine Search and Rescue for their help in staging “the most outlandish and crazy arts events in relation to eva [exhibition of visual + art]. They are serious supporters of arts and cultural life over the years”.
Tony Cusack of the Search and Rescue Unit said that as they operated on a 24/7 basis, there was a need for constant training and maintenance to keep them properly prepared for their voluntary work.
Speaking on behalf of the Spina Bifida and Hydracephalus Association, Gillian O’Gorman highlighted their binary work, supplying physiotherapy and support services for more than 200 families in the Mid West.
All proceeds from the sale of art works by the traders will go towards both groups while visual art installations, fashions from LSAD, junk kouture exhibits and the Limerick Corridor Art Urban Horse will challenge the city streetscape every bit as much as the Lilliputian-hauled Grandmother.
