Resident Companies

Cork Midsummer Festival is the city’s biggest festival, bringing a vibrant mix of arts and entertainment to venues across the city for two weeks over the summer. The festival brings in ground-breaking shows from across the world as well as providing a platform for work from emerging artists and some of Ireland’s top producers.

Cork Folk Festival is the city’s main festival of traditional music and has taken place annually in September since 1979. The tireless voluntary committee’s mission since then has been to provide an urban platform for the indigenous music, song and dance of the Muskerry Gaeltacht, Sliabh Luachra and West Kerry as well as to attract premier national and international exponents of folk and traditional music to the city.

Cork International Choral festival is one of Europe’s best-loved choral festivals and was founded in 1954. Famous for its high competitive standards and friendly welcome, the festival attracts over 5,000 singers from across the world who come to compete in 10 major competitions and to enjoy the music from some of today’s finest professional choirs in the Gala concert series. There’s plenty of fringe events too and a great festival atmosphere.

Guinness Cork Jazz Festival has been one of Ireland’s most famous cultural events and a key jazz festival worldwide for over 30 years. The local organising committee is based in Civic Trust House.

The Irish Association of Youth Orchestrasis the national support and resource organisation for youth orchestras in Ireland. IAYO represents over 5,000 young musicians in 108 youth orchestras in Ireland and assists in the development of youth orchestras in all parts of the country. Each year the IAYO hosts a festival of youth orchestras when young musicians from across the country perform in the National Concert Hall and have a chance to display their talent and hard work on a national platform.

The Smashing Times International Centre for the Arts and Equality, incorporating Smashing Times Theatre and Film Company and Smashing Times Youth Arts Ensemble, is dedicated to the promotion, study and practice of the arts and equality. Based in Dublin, the company’s Communications department is based in Civic Trust House.

Suishe Inclusive Arts was created by arts practitioners working in the COPE foundation to work with other organisations in Cork to ensure that the Cork arts scene is fully inclusive. Suisha is involved in a number of international projects and networks on an ongoing basis.