Way with Words was first established and curated in 2018 by curator Nell Regan on behalf of Wicklow County Council’s Arts and Library services. Arts Officer Jenny Sherwin in partnership with Executive Librarians Margaret Birchall and Claire Fullam has curated the line up for 2019. The Festival has been made possible through the Creative Ireland Programme, supported also with investment from Wicklow County Council.
The programme is free with workshops, talks and events during the daytime and in the evening time. There are several opportunities also for schools. Wicklow County Council would like to acknowledge the contribution of all of the library staff involved in presenting these events. With thanks also to Producer Michelle Heming, Valerie Bistany, Irish Writers Centre and Maureen Kennelly, Poetry Ireland.
Winner of the Man Booker Prize, Austrian State Prize for Literature, Kafka Prize & more.
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Prize-winning & widely published dramatist, lecturer and writer.
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Top weaning and feeding expert and the founder of Mummy Cooks.
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The Creative Ireland programme is guided by a vision that every person in Ireland will have the opportunity to realise their full creative potential. The vision is pursued through five pillars. Each local authority has developed a Culture and Creativity Strategy to guide their work through the Creative Ireland Programme until 2022. The first two Creative Ireland pillars have special relevance for Wicklow’s Culture and Creativity Strategy and for Way with Words in particular:
Pillar 1: Enabling the Creative Potential of Every Child
Pillar 2: Enabling Creativity in Every Community
The vision for Creative Wicklow’s programme is to embed creativity into the heart of communities across the county. The aim is to increase the capacity and confidence of all, to bring creativity and innovation to their lives, and so to enrich the social, economic and cultural life of County Wicklow. Creative Wicklow is designed and organised to forge links and collaborations between the arts, film, heritage, libraries and archives, in both non-professional and professional spheres.
Wicklow’s Culture & Creativity Team:
Michael Nicholson, Director of Services
Jenny Sherwin, Arts Officer / Creative Ireland Co-ordinator
Deirdre Burns, Heritage Officer
Brendan Martin, Head of Library Service
Catherine Wright, Archivist
Vibeke Delahunt, Head of LEO
Cllr Tom Fortune
Cllr Christopher Fox
Cllr Pat Kennedy
Cllr Nicola Lawless
Cllr Gráinne McLoughlin
Cllr Gerry Walshe
