Kilkenny Arts Festival is underway but it’s a different affair to previous years.
The major celebration of music, theatre and more has been taking place for decades and annually generates a considerable cash injection for the local economy, while also providing a lively atmosphere across the city and county.
For 2020 though it’s a little different – the spread got underway over the weekend and there’s still plenty to enjoy. However, some of the physical offerings are sold out due to limited capacity, while other events are online – as with the Carlow Arts Festival which continues to the end of the month.
Added to that it means that local artists who use such opportunities to showcase their wares are also doing things differently. South Kilkenny’s Tony Oakey has been exhibiting at the Club House Hotel for close to thirty years. This time around though he’s moved his work to a website in his own name – he’s been telling KCLR News what that’s like:
“Not being able to show what you’ve worked on for the last 12 months is a big blow, emotionally as well as financially. Kilkenny has been the big major showcase for my art for the last quarter of a century, so online viewing doesn’t even come anywhere near to the buzz you get when someone walks into your exhibition and says ‘Wow, that’s different!’ You don’t get that in a virtual world.”
Tony’s work can be found here.
