Welcome to the annual Irish Arts and Human Rights Festival 2025
Smashing Times International Centre for the Arts and Equality and Front Line Defenders, and a range of partners, present the seventh annual Irish Arts and Human Rights Festival from the 10 to 19 October 2025. The festival features exciting and innovative events that promote equality, human rights and diversity throughout Ireland, Northern Ireland and internationally. 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 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, 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, 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 artists and 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 art 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.
At the heart of the festival are a commitment to equality, diversity and human rights, a commitment to human connection and shared experiences and a commitment to building diversity, inclusion, democracy and peace. The aim of the festival to bring together the arts and human rights and to create a dynamic hub both onsite and online building synergies between cutting-edge creative arts practice, activism, human rights, and communities supporting established and emerging voices and innovative ideas for action in relation to the promotion of equality, human rights and diversity. We want to entertain, inspire, challenge, and support action for positive and peaceful social change and to foster an inclusive, multilingual, and culturally diverse environment, creating a space where connections are made, inclusivity and peace are transformed and risk-taking, experimentation and collaboration are promoted. We want to work together to build a sustainable arts infrastructure dedicated to the arts for equality, human rights and diversity, across Ireland, Northern Ireland and internationally.
New Developments and Open Calls
Festival Name: Due to the success and growth of the festival, the name has changed from the Dublin Arts and Human Rights festival to the annual international Irish Arts and Human Rights Festival. The festival has grown in size with events now taking place in a range of counties across Ireland and the new name reflects the fact that this is an all-island festival featuring events from across Ireland, Northern Ireland and internationally. We want to see events happening in every county across the island of Ireland.
Open Calls: As we look ahead to October 2025, the annual international Irish Arts and Human Rights Festival is proud to commit to supporting innovative, high-quality artistic work from conception to production, while continuing our efforts to build a more sustainable and equitable arts infrastructure in Ireland supporting the arts for equality, human rights and diversity.
In 2025 we are conducting our first open calls inviting artists, arts organisations, civil society organisations, NGO’s, community groups and all kinds of bodies, public, private, community, business, environmental, etc, to join us in presenting unique events for the annual arts and human rights festival.
If you or your organisation already have an event, exhibition, workshop, panel discussion, meeting or other kind of activity that you are presenting to the public and is ready to go, and you want this activity to be included in the festival please apply. If you or your organisation want to organise an event, exhibition or other kind of activity open to the public or an invited audience and are looking for guidance or advice please contact us and we can support you to get involved.
What type of Activities and Events we are looking for:
The festival is open to a range of activities covering all types of events and artforms. With regard to artistic programming, the festival’s aim is to provide local and national audiences with a programme of innovative, engaging and diverse creative events of a high artistic and professional standard that celebrate human rights for all. All events to be open and accessible to all communities and diverse cultures. We are looking for creative events that focus on innovation, experimentation, and community outreach.
We are open to all events and artforms as long as there is a creative element involved and that the themes link in some way to human rights. Your event can take place in any kind of venue – an everyday space transformed into a live ‘event’ space, a park, a church, a school, a street, the seaside, an abandoned building, any space where you can bring people together safely and in comfort. The audience size is open from 1 to 500 and more.
Organise a walk or swim and a chat on ocean protection; commission an artist to create an artwork or work with a community; raise awareness of the work you are already doing or discover more about the arts for equality, human rights, diversity, democracy, gender equality and peace; hold a coffee morning or get-together and met an artist or human rights activist.
If you have showings, events, exhibitions or talks or simply an idea you would like to discuss with the Smashing Times team before submitting, please get in touch with the creative producer Ciara Hayes on admin@smashingtimes.ie or call 021 4215104 or 087 2214245
Please note the festival is unable to cover transportation, accommodation or any expenses costs at this present time. All costs to create, produce and present belong to the submitting organisation.
How to Apply: Guidelines and Application
Calls Open: Monday 9 June 2025, Close midnight Friday 1 August 2025
Festival Dates: 10 – 19 October 2025
To apply, please read the documents below and then fill out an online application form.
Please read:
Open Call Guidelines Document – The guidelines are displayed on this page or can be accessed as a Pdf here. The Open Call Guidelines PDF document contains the guidelines plus the list of questions from the application form for you to read before applying online. Note: This document is not the application form. All applications must be made online here.
Open Call Terms and Conditions
Smashing Times Access and Inclusion Policy
Smashing Times Venue Information- Call Two only
If you have any questions, please contact Ciara at admin@smashingtimes.ie or 021 4215104 or 087 2214245.
Access: We are committed to making this call and the festival experience accessible to all. If you require this information in another format or would like to discuss access needs and accessible ways to apply, please get in touch—we’re happy to assist. Contact creative producer Ciara Hayes on admin@smashingtimes.ie or 021 4215104 or 087 2214245
We have three public calls:
CALL ONE: This is a festival call open to organisations/individuals who want to present their own event in their own venue and to have this event included in the official programme.
Deadline: 1 August 2025
This call is open to artists, arts organisations, groups, statutory bodies, local councils, NGO’s, civil society organisations, businesses, environmental groups, communities of place and communities of interest and any organisation who wants to present an event or exhibition either onsite or online or create a piece of digital content that celebrates the spirit of human rights and equality, human rights and diversity in Ireland, Northern Ireland and internationally.
The event or exhibition must be focused on either / or equality, human rights or diversity (this covers a multitude of subject-matter from homelessness to self-care to the right to access the arts) and that there is a creative element involved, ideally with artists engaged in some way. We are looking for events, exhibitions, workshops, talks, panel discussions, a creative-based activity, live showings, readings etc.
For call one we provide support-in-kind as follows:
- Inclusion in online programme. Each organisation or individual will have one page on the programme website online, highlighting the artists, art works or showings to be displayed into the future
- Use of box office ticket sales online if required. If this is required, a 70:30 box office split will be in place, 70% of takings going to the presenting organisation.
- Information on Community Outreach and Engagement
- Early invitation to festival opening and closing ceremonies
CALL TWO: This is a Smashing Times call open to organisations who want to present their own event and are looking for a venue and to be included in the official festival programme.
Deadline: 1 August 2025
Smashing times have a new arts and human rights venue at 30 Sandycove Road, Dublin, A96V9P1. The venue is a gallery by day (afternoons with exhibition on display) with the gallery space then used for live events during morning, lunchtime and evening slots. See information on the venue attached.
We are looking to work with professional artists and arts organisations. If you are an artists, arts organisation or a civil society or other organisation or a community group that is working with an artists or arts organisation, do get in touch. Open to all kinds of groups but must involve one or more professional artists.
When it comes to working with artists, we want to showcase the work of professional artists from Dublin and Ireland and to have a focus on work of a high artistic quality. We want to support both emerging and established artists working in the area of equality, human rights and diversity, and to support the presentation of full-scale productions or works in progress that demonstrates ambition. We are also open to works-in-development once they are ready for public presentation. We are interested in all artforms as well as high-quality, full-scale productions that can tour at national and international level and work that is innovative and experimental in nature, exploring either past or contemporary-relevant subject matter.
We are also open to film presentations and visual art presentations and if you have a film or visual art presentation you think would suit the festival please get in touch.
For call two we provide support-in-kind as follows:
- Use of space for one public event or unique showing onsite at 30 Sandycove Road, Dublin. Get in and tech 3 hours, event time max 2 hours. Times to be allocated by Smashing Times. Please ensure you have read information on the space (available in application form) to ensure your event suits the venue.
- Inclusion in online programme. Each organisation or individual will have one page on the programme website online, highlighting the artists, art works or showings to be displayed into the future. Please not this remains on display indefinitely.
- Opportunity for visual artists to display and sell artworks on evening of event.
- Use of box office ticket sales online with 30:70 split. 70 to artist, 30 per cent commission to Smashing Times to cover costs.
- Information on Community Outreach and Engagement
- Early invitation to festival opening and closing ceremonies
- Participants selected must be willing to work with festival management team and take instructions at all times from festival management team when onsite and in relation to the use of the space
- A selection of artworks may have the opportunity to be displayed on the digital online Smashing Times Visual Art Gallery – to be selected by Smashing Times in consultation with artists
CALL THREE: Specific call for the Eco-Conference – artists, arts organisations and environmental groups.
Deadline: 1 August 2025
Smashing Times International Centre for the Arts and Equality are using a multidisciplinary creative arts approach to celebrate nature, the importance of biodiversity and our connections to trees, forests, skies, seas, mountains and land. As part of The Trees project, the company presents five major happenings in 2025 to support environmental awareness through the arts – two major multidisciplinary exhibitions; a live performance; a Creative Arts Eco-Conference and a unique radio show accompanied by a range of talks and panel discussions.
Join us for the Smashing Times Creative Arts Eco-Conference, a major international gathering that unites the arts and environmental awareness. Taking place at the historic Rathfarnham Castle, Dublin, on Tuesday, 14 October 2025, from 10am to 6pm, this event explores how the performing, visual, and digital arts can inspire action and advocacy around climate change, biodiversity, and marine conservation. All are welcome.
This unique eco-arts conference delves into the powerful role of creativity in shaping a more sustainable world. The gathering explores ways to harness the power of arts and culture to tackle climate change, biodiversity and marine loss and to protect the natural world and make real change for the planet we live on.
For this call, we are looking for passionate artists based in Ireland and Northern Ireland who are making a difference through their work and who want to present on their practise at the major one day conference. We are looking for artists working with the environment, eco-artists and environmentalists to get involved and take a slot at the conference to speak about their work either with a panel of speakers or as a solo presenter, with the opportunity to display their artworks.
Why Environmental Activism?
With the urgency of climate change, environmental activism is essential. Art has a unique power to influence public perception and inspire change. By focusing on environmental activism, our conference and documentary aims to highlight the profound role that art plays in raising awareness, fostering community, and driving the movement for a sustainable future.
We aim to inspire artists like you to share the many ways you weave environmentalism into your art and purpose-driven work. This conference and documentary will highlight how art and storytelling can be engaging and inspire transformation. We also want to explore how the environment shapes artistic practices.
Why Should You Participate?
This is a unique opportunity to meet other artists and to showcase your work nationally and globally and to contribute to a project on environmental activism and awareness raising. It is an opportunity to share your story and amplify your art’s message and to be part of a narrative highlighting how art can drive environmental change.
What are we looking for:
We are looking for all forms of art as long as it is focused on the arts for environmental activism. We are looking for powerful art and compelling stories. As we are looking for artists to present in public and possibly be included in film work, you should be able to present on your work and be comfortable in front of camera, as your story and creative work is central to the process.
For this call, selected artists will be offered a slot at the conference to speak about their work either with a panel of speakers or as a solo presenter, and the opportunity to display their artworks.
In addition we will endeavour to offer all artists space in a short documentary on the conference and on environmental art practices however final inclusion in the documentary will be determined at a later stage based on time limits etc and is at the discretion of the company. The documentary will be distributed globally, with potential screenings at film festivals, on streaming platforms and through other media outlets and will be displayed on the company and other websites, on the company online gallery and through social media and online.
For call three we provide support in kind plus a fee as follows:
- Fee of 100 euro per group presentation. Artists receive a set fee for presentation at the conference and compensation for story rights in the documentary. Actions are:
- Attend minimum one and maximum three one-hour zoom meetings for organisation purposes
- Participate at the conference to showcase and present on work and engage in conference, 14 October 10am-1pm and 2-5pm in Rathfarnham, Dublin with the conference filmed
- Take part in one interview on a date to be confirmed and provide two artwork images or film clip for inclusion in the documentary if required and in consultation with the artist.
- Inclusion in online programmes. Each organisation or individual have a biography and minimum two images displayed in the online programme for the festival and the online programme for the Creative Arts Eco-Conference. The materials are provided by the organisation or individual. Please not these remain on display indefinitely.
- Opportunity to talk about and share work through inclusion and presentation at Creative Eco-Conference – one slot for presentation.
- Opportunity for visual artists to display artworks onsite on day of conference. Sale of artworks may be organised through Smashing Times. Commission Fee of 30% applies.
- Inclusion as an Artist Interview with the Smashing Times Arts and Human Rights Radio Show in partnership with Dublin South FM. On the artist interview, we will chat about your work, how you became an artist, your creative process, what inspires you to create, and how your work as an artist reflects on themes of the environment and human rights.
- Early invitation to festival opening and closing ceremonies
Attachments
For each call please submit
- Minimum three and maximum five examples of the artwork or event – see formats below.
- CV’s of main artists or speakers or key personnel involved.
Where relevant, applicants should include examples of the work using the following formats:
- Images: For example visual art, painting, sculpture, photography, costume design, drawings, etc. Format: jpg or .png format
- Audio-Visual Recordings or Clips: For example film, theatre, dance, movement-based activities, etc. Format: .mp4, .mov format OR submitted via YouTube or Vimeo link. No recordings to exceed 5 minutes.
- Audio (Sound) Recordings or Clips: For example music, poetry, spoken word, sound art etc. Format: .mp3 format OR submitted via Soundcloud or YouTube link. No recordings to exceed 5 minutes.
- Written Work: For example theatre or film scripts, poetry, literature etc in word doc format. Not to exceed 750 words.
- Key Artist CV: A CV in word document 11 or 12 point font, maximum three pages.
Selection Process
- All decisions made by the Selection Team are final.
Step 1: Eligibility Check
- All applications will be reviewed for eligibility. Only applications available to audiences in Ireland, Northern Ireland and Europe during the dates of the Festival will be considered eligible. Your event may run on before or after the festival but must have a minimum of one showing during the period 10 – 19 October 2025. The Festival promotes a human rights agenda above all else. If applications do not promote, raise awareness or otherwise address a human rights issue, the application will be considered ineligible.
- Only applications received by the deadline will be considered. Deadline is midnight, 1 August 2025.
Step 2: Evaluation
- All applicants which have been judged eligible will be evaluated by the Selection Team. Applications will be judged on:
- Originality and Engagement: We are looking for a wide range of events that are innovative and accessible.
- Artistic Merit – The Festival showcases emerging and established artists, and all artworks must be of the highest artistic quality.
- Impact – The Festival promotes equality, human rights and diversity. Applications will be judged on their potential impact to raise awareness of a human rights issue, promote human rights, or engage with a specific community regarding a human rights topic.
- Accessibility – Applications will be judged on their accessibility to a multitude of audiences. All written or spoken words in any language but must be accompanied by an English translation. In the case of film, the translation must be a subtitle or surtitle. Applications will be judged on their accessibility to ethnic minority communities, the Traveller community, migrant or refugee communities, LGBTQ communities, and lower-income communities.
- Programme Fit – Applications will be judged on how they fit in to the overall Festival programme, and how well they align with the Festival theme.
If you have any questions, contact creative producer Ciara Hayes on admin@smashingtimes.ie or 021 4215104 or 087 2214245