In Solidarity: An International Celebration of Arts and Human Rights
Friday 13 – Sunday 22 October 2023
“In a world where human rights continue to be under attack, Dublin Arts and Human Rights Festival sets out to celebrate the people who have stood up for them around the world and throughout history, and highlight the role artists can play in promoting a more just society.”
– Kevin Courtney, Irish Times
Smashing Times International Centre for the Arts and Equality and Front Line Defenders, and a range of partners, present the fifth annual, international Dublin Arts and Human Rights Festival from the 13 to 22 October 2023. The festival features exciting and innovative events that promote equality, human rights and diversity through the arts, taking place in Dublin, Kerry, Donegal and Cork, with artists and speakers in attendance from Ireland, Finland, Sweden, Italy, Spain, Portugal, the Netherlands, Greece, Belgium, Cyprus, Romania, Bulgaria and Ukraine. The aim of the festival is to showcase and highlight the extraordinary work of human rights defenders in Ireland and around the world, past and present, and the role of the arts and artists in promoting human rights today.
The artistic curator for the festival is Mary Moynihan, Artistic Director, Smashing Times and the human rights curator is Laura O’Leary, International Events and Promotions Coordinator, Front Line Defenders. The festival is supported by The Arts Council of Ireland and is a hybrid programme delivered over 10 days and hosts an exciting blend of events happening in-person and online, featuring Irish and international artists and guest speakers, reaching audiences locally, nationally, and internationally. There is something for everyone interested in the arts for equality, human rights and diversity.
The festival promotes human rights and justice for all, and the vision of a world where all people are treated equally, with dignity and respect – linking the arts to civil society, active citizenship and politics. The extraordinary work of human rights defenders in Ireland and around the world, past and present, and the role of the arts in promoting human rights will be showcased and highlighted at the festival, aiming to celebrate and unite community connections, artists, human rights organisations and human rights defenders.
The festival showcases world-class and diverse acts, artists and speakers, including up and coming performers. It brings arts and human rights together through interdisciplinary events which include workshops, theatre performances, musical performances, visual arts, exhibitions, film screenings, panel discussions, poetry and literature events, historical memory performances, live art, digital installations, and more.
Join us to illuminate stories of courage and inspiration and to share stories of ordinary people who stand up for human rights. We bear witness to, and remember the past, explore the present and celebrate the future linked to equality, human rights and diversity for all.
Meet the Festival Ambassadors
Click on each image below to learn more
Partners: The Dublin Arts and Human Rights Festival is an annual, international festival organised by Smashing Times International Centre for the Arts and Equality and Front Line Defenders, a Dublin based international organisation working to improve the security and protection of human rights defenders at risk, in partnership with Amnesty International, Fighting Words, Irish Council for Civil Liberties, National Women’s Council of Ireland, Trócaire, GOAL NextGen and Irish PEN. Creative partners include Irish Modern Dance Theatre, dlr Mill Theatre Dundrum, Rathfarnham Castle, Rua Red South Dublin Arts Centre, Unapologetic, Quintessence Theatre Company, Dance Cork Firkin Crane, Capreal Productions, Dublin UNESCO City of Literature, Dublin City Council, EPIC Irish Emigration Museum, Project Arts Centre, Pearse Street Library, dlr Lexicon Library, The Complex, The Old Barracks Cahersiveen, Glebe House Donegal, Fidget Feet, Cashel Arts Festival, and Docudays UA.
As Human Rights throughout the world continue to be under attack, the Dublin Arts and Human Rights Festival launches events throughout Ireland, happening in-person and online, celebrating the people who promote the rights of citizens from all countries and all walks of life.
Multi-disciplinary exhibition featuring photography, poetry and stories highlighting experiences of Human Rights Defenders working to make society a better place for all
Courageous Women is a film installation by Mary Moynihan on display in Rathfarnham Castle, Dublin, from 4 October to 5 November 2023, Wednesday - Sunday only. The film is an imagined re-creation of moments from the lives of women in Irish history from 1916 to 1923
Ireland’s leading Circus Company Fidget Feet Aerial Dance Theatre brings their Bingo? Circus! Extravaganza to Cashel as part of the Cashel Arts Festival this September and Ballyshannon in October
Multi-disciplinary exhibition featuring photography, poetry and stories highlighting experiences of Human Rights Defenders working to make society a better place for all
To coincide with the 2023 Dublin Arts and Human Rights Festival, the Smashing Times online visual art gallery will display a digital rendering of a selection of artworks and stories from the Eternal Rebels exhibition which runs onsite at the Pumphouse, Dublin Port from Friday 13 to Sunday 22 October 2023. Eternal Rebels is a multi-disciplinary exhibition featuring visual art, film, photography and poetry and is a visual and poetic reflection on the stories of change-makers in Irish history from the Decade of Centenaries to today
A multi-disciplinary exhibition by artists Mary Moynihan, Amna Walayat and Hina Khan. The exhibition features visual art, film, photography and poetry and is a visual and poetic reflection on the stories of change-makers in Irish history from the Decade of Centenaries to today
Launch of the 2023 Dublin Arts and Human Rights Festival and the flagship Eternal Rebels Exhibition, followed by a premiere performance of States of Independence, taking place on Friday 13 October 2023, 6pm, at the Pumphouse, Dublin Port. Guest speakers are Olive Moore, interim Director, Front Line Defenders, Mary Moynihan, writer, poet, theatre and film-maker, and Artistic Director of Smashing Times International Centre for the Arts and Equality with guest artist performances
An interview with poet and translator George Szirtes on themes of poetry and human rights accompanied by readings from writer and translator, Csilla Toldy, presented by Irish PEN / PEN na hÉireann in partnership with Smashing Times International Centre for the Arts and Equality.
A Change-Maker Theatre in Palm Festival within a Festival afternoon event featuring a talk, workshop and live performances hosted by Smashing Times International Centre for the Arts and Equality and presented by a range of creative arts organisations from the transnational European wide project Theatre in Palm
A Change-Maker Theatre in Palm Festival within a Festival evening event featuring two live performances and a post-show panel discussion hosted by Smashing Times International Centre for the Arts and Equality and presented by creative arts organisations from the transnational European wide project Theatre in Palm
Live performance of Love the Earth by Mary Moynihan, a Changemaker Storytelling performance for ages 5 to 12 adapted from GOAL’s Global Citizenship Education Resource, presented by GOAL NextGen and Smashing Times International Centre for the Arts and Equality.
Multi-disciplinary exhibition featuring photography, poetry and stories highlighting experiences of Human Rights Defenders working to make society a better place for all
A panel discussion with organisers of Docudays UA, a Ukrainian International Human Rights Documentary Film Festival on presenting a festival while at war, followed by a tribute to Ukrainian writer Victoria Amelina
A live outdoor storytelling performance based on the lives and work of some of the Human Rights Defenders featured at the Memorial monument in the Iveagh Gardens presented by Smashing Times and Front Line Defenders
A film screening depicting the practice of foraging for wild edible plants in Palestine/Israel, followed by a talk with Palestinian activists to explore foraging traditions, alongside resilience to prohibitive laws than ban these customs by the Israeli State. This event is hosted by the Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign and Amnesty International Ireland
Live performance of Tales of Love and Loss celebrating stories of change-makers from Irish history and the Decade of Centenaries and featuring A Beauty That Will Pass, Grace and Joe, and poetry by Eva Gore-Booth, followed by post-show discussion on Women Changemakers from History
A live outdoor storytelling performance based on the lives and work of some of the Human Rights Defenders featured at the Memorial monument in the Iveagh Gardens presented by Smashing Times and Front Line Defenders
Heroes is a powerful Opera/Dance performance, thrillingly delivered by John Scott, choreographer, dancer and operatic tenor, of Irish Modern Dance Theatre and is a visualisation of music, through the physicality of astonishing voice
A workshop titled Write a Protest Song!, where, we will look at the history of protest songs, and draw on these themes to create our own songs relevant to today's (your) generation
A live outdoor storytelling performance based on the lives and work of some of the Human Rights Defenders featured at the Memorial monument in the Iveagh Gardens presented by Smashing Times and Front Line Defenders
A live outdoor storytelling performance based on the lives and work of some of the Human Rights Defenders featured at the Memorial monument in the Iveagh Gardens presented by Smashing Times and Front Line Defenders
Multi-disciplinary exhibition featuring photography, poetry and stories highlighting experiences of Human Rights Defenders working to make society a better place for all
Quintessence Theatre presents their thrilling new historical play titled The Curious Case of Albert Cashier: Lincoln’s ‘Lady’ Soldier, based on the extraordinary true story of the Irish Transgender American War Hero, Albert D.J. Cashier
Multi-disciplinary exhibition featuring photography, poetry and stories highlighting experiences of Human Rights Defenders working to make society a better place for all
Multi-disciplinary exhibition featuring photography, poetry and stories highlighting experiences of Human Rights Defenders working to make society a better place for all
