This August bank holiday, Culture Ireland will continue its partnership with the Irish Street Arts, Circus and Spectacle Network (ISACS) for Spraoi International Arts Festival in Waterford, where six artists will be supported to present at the PITCH initiative.

Part of the ISACS Pro Programme at Spraoi, PITCH supports emerging street arts and circus artists to present their ready-to-tour shows in a professional environment. The artists are supported and trained in how to present their idea formally before pitching it to an audience of international programmers and bookers during the Spraoi Festival.

The six artists presenting for PITCH in Garter Lane this year are:

• Brigid Ní Dhuinn
• Jenni Nikinmaa
• Kathleen Doherty
• Polina Shapkina
• Tom Meskell
• Matt Szczerek

Spraoi International Street Arts Festival showcases the best of national and international street arts, taking over the streets of Waterford City each August.

It also marks the lead-in to the 2025 edition of FiraTàrrega in September, where Ireland is the focus country and the programme will feature four Irish companies, supported by Culture Ireland.

The Irish Street Arts, Circus & Spectacle Network is an artist led, member organisation which aims to celebrate, advocate, grow and sustain these collective artforms in and of Ireland. ISACS acts as an info hub, resource centre and champion for these artforms building national and international networks locally and globally to support their dissemination and distribution around the world with the support of Culture Ireland and the Arts Council of Ireland among others.

A full programme of Culture Ireland supports for Irish Street Arts can be found here:

Culture Ireland – Irish Street Arts and Circus programme

Image: PITCH at Spraoi 2024