Bealtaine, the Irish national festival celebrating creativity in older age, is co-ordinated by Age & Opportunity and includes events organised by hundreds of partner organisations.

The Arts Council

Opening doors

“My generation of 60-year-olds and upwards... we're making our presence felt!"

Contemporary Dancer, Joanna Banks

Age & Opportunity

Bealtaine is coordinated  by Age & Opportunity, the Irish national organisation working to promote greater participation by older people in society. Check out the Age & Opportunity web site.

Links

Age & Opportunity
Bealtaine is an Age & Opportunity initiative. Age & Opportunity is the Irish national organisation working to promote greater participation by older people in society

Bealtaine Investors

The Arts Council
The Arts Council is the government agency for funding and developing the arts in Ireland

Dublin City Council
Dublin City Council's Arts Office provides a wide range of art facilities and services to the people of Dublin and visitors to the city

RTÉ
RTÉ is Ireland's public service broadcaster.

Other supporters

National Library of Ireland
National Concert Hall
The Abbey Theatre
Project Arts Centre
Mayo County Council
Inspiration Station
Donegal County Council
Mayo Education Centre
Castleknock Community College
St Francis Hospice, Raheny

International links

Age-Culture.Net
Age-culture.net aims to recognise, support and enrich the cultural lives and learning of older people in Europe through advocacy, information, education, training and strategic partnership.

Gwanwyn Festival
Gwanwyn aims to get as many older people in Wales as possible involved in artistic and creative activities.

Magic Me
Magic Me is judged by many to be the UK’s leading provider of intergenerational arts projects.

Angus Gold
Angus Gold is about working with the 50+ population of Angus in Scotland in all aspects of our lives.

Wisdom of the Elders
Wisdom of the Elders community recognizes the importance of preserving indigenous knowledge, oral tradition and storytelling.

Recent article from the American Society on Aging on arts programmes
Read "Elder Arts Programs are Thriving from California to the NY Island" by Susan Perlstein.

Elders Share the Arts
Elders Share the Arts affirms the time-honored role of elders as bearers of history and culture by using the power of the arts to transmit their stories and life experiences in diverse communities throughout New York City.

What's new?

Bealtaine 2010 is coming

The closing date has passed for getting your events into our printed Programme for 2010 but you can still send in your registration forms for Bealtaine 2010 and we will put your event up on our website.

Read our invitation to participate

Bealtaine Evaluated

An independent evaluation of Bealtaine has been carried out by the Irish Centre for Social Gerontology, National University of Ireland, Galway and was published during Bealtaine 2009. The report demonstrates the importance and effectiveness of engaging older people with creativity and the arts and shows how Bealtaine has contributed in a unique way to broadening the cultural landscape.

Read the evaluation of Bealtaine