Galway International Arts Festival puts Spotlight on Sustainability

Greening Events

In light of the harmful effects of human activity on the planet, GIAF aims to take responsibility for its contribution and to reduce this impact.

GIAF aims to make sustainability a major focal point of the organisation by:

• Actively seeking partnerships to promote sustainable solutions across some of our key challenges in this area and across the wider population.

• Working with local businesses to advance a sustainability agenda, becoming a leading partner in facilitating sustainable solutions city-wide.

• Promoting alternatives to private car use during the Festival e.g. working with strategic transportation partners and promoting the city bike scheme as an alternative to driving.

• Prioritising reduction of, and alternatives to, one-off plastic use.

• Strategically segregating and reducing Festival waste in partnership with our waste management partner, Walsh Waste.

• Highlighting sustainability issues in our programming.

We encourage our staff, volunteers, interns, supporters and visitors to help in our sustainability efforts by considering the environmental impact of their activity at the Festival.

Here’s what you can do to become a greener GIAF Festival-goer:

• Plan your Festival with sustainability in mind: If you live in Ireland, can you take a bus, train or carpool to Galway? Can you walk, bike or take public transportation to Festival venues while you’re here?

• Bookmark your must-see Festival events using our brand new website ‘Favourites’ feature. View these events from your mobile phone and waste less time and paper on printing.

• Use the appropriate waste bins at all Festival locations for food, recyclables and general waste.

• Show your support for programmes within the Festival which focus on sustainability, such as First Thought Talks.