The Wonderism Festival

Thursday 30th March 2023 - Cork Opera House

A Cork Opera House Creating Together Production in Association with the Department of Theatre, University College Cork.

The Wonderism Festival is curated by The Canaille Collective, a group of producers emerging from the MA in Arts Management and Creative Producing at University College Cork in partnership with Cork Opera House. Taking place at Cork Opera House, on Thursday March 30th 2023, this one-day festival celebrates the theme of ‘Childlike Wonder’ and comprises an array of multidisciplinary experiences for everyone.

The festival title, Wonderism, is an imagined word which represents a nugget of joy and creativity that is intended to spark a feeling of childlike wonder. The name, The Canaille Collective, refers to the French work ‘Canaille’, meaning ‘Scoundrel’, to suggest a child’s playfulness. The festival programming is aimed towards offering opportunities to local artists whilst inspiring audiences’ creativity.

Three main strands of arts events include Music, Storytelling and Visual Art. The finale concert, A Wondrous Life, interprets the festival theme of Childlike Wonder from a nostalgic angle to evoke the emotions of one's journey in life. The storytelling programme, Behind the Curtain, hopes to share diverse stories in the light of the magic and wonder of childhood in an intimate and unconventional location in the Cork Opera House. Art(y) Part(y) adopts the idea of an immersive art installation experience to transform the foyer of Cork Opera House.