In May 2020, the Western Development Commission circulated a call for a creative partner to develop a Literary Tourism Performance Model for the Wild Atlantic Way, as part of their wider European ‘Spot-Lit.eu Project’. One of the Spot-Lit programme aims is to test models of place-based opportunities in new, innovative, sustainable and creative ways which look beyond the natural landscape and provide appeal based on cultural and literary assets to broaden interest in the region.

Inspired by To the Lighthouse, poet and project curator Dani Gill felt drawn to exploring these outposts around Ireland, their origins, and stories, and how they are beacons, to both those at sea and on land. She decided to focus on mapping inland, the mirrored distance of each lighthouse’s nautical miles to sea, drawing a circle around each one, and creating a ‘zone’, within which, an artistic project would exist.

The Wild Atlantic Way Literary Performance Model will include an impressive list of partners who have signed up to take part in 2021, featuring The Lighthouse Project and a live stage show, as part of their programmes.

Commissioning partners involved with the project include Cairde Arts Festival, (Sligo), Creative Ireland, (Mayo), Meath County Council, Droichead Arts Centre, (Louth) Cúirt International Festival of Literature (Galway), and Earagail Arts Festival (Donegal).

More information can be found here 

Please note that the details of events listed above are provided by the relevant Local Authorities.