By Lana Sterling
Ireland is buzzing with excitement as the inaugural YES Festival kicks off, shining a spotlight on the creative brilliance of women in the arts. Inspired by the iconic female character Molly Bloom from James Joyce’s Ulysses, the festival is a unique celebration of female talent across the arts.
Over four days, from 14 to 17 June, the YES Festival will host over 40 events featuring more than 30 female artists from around the world. The festival’s central theme, “The Future: A Female Vision,” invites audiences to reflect on the influence of women in society, particularly in the arts, business and politics.
The YES Festival marks the culmination of the ULYSSES European Odyssey (UEO) project, a three-year initiative spanning 18 cities across Europe. Celebrating the centenary of the publication of ‘Ulysses’, the project has created artistic responses to social and cultural issues in public spaces, culminating in this grand finale in Ireland.
It is worth noting that the final day of the YES Festival will be renamed Molly Bloomsday – as 16 June is traditionally known as Bloomsday, the commemoration and celebration of the life of James Joyce.
Shauna Kelpie, Artistic Curator of Arts Over Borders, emphasised the significance of the festival by stating: “Countless words have been written about Ulysses, very often from the male perspective, so we’re really excited that the YES Festival should be created by women and to see how they interpret Joyce’s masterpiece.”
The YES Festival offers a diverse range of artistic experiences including theatre, dance, visual arts, installation, film, writing, photography, textiles, circus and music. The festival also includes a series of discussions on issues relevant to the role of women in society, with prominent speakers including Michelle O’Neill, Emma Little-Pengelly, Shami Chakrabarti, Mary Robinson, Louise Cullen, Aoife Moore and Miriam O’Callaghan.
The YES Festival encourages us to reimagine the future through the lens of female vision and celebrates the unique contribution of women to art and culture.