The Lit Summer School is Underway this July!

Europe’s first youth-led festival of reading and writing opens its first summer school for young festival makers in the South East

We're so excited to launch our first Summer School for Young Festival Makers in Waterford this July, marking a new phase in our development as a training ground for emerging cultural producers in the

South East.

Supported by the Creative Waterford Creative Communities Grant, the programme will provide intensive, practice-based training for 30 young people selected from across Waterford following a two-month recruitment process. Running across four Saturdays in July, the summer school will operate out of Waterford Libraries for this first-of-its-kind training for young people under 18.

Participants will take part in a series of masterclasses and workshops led by practitioners across literature, film, visual art, performance, activism, and festival programming.

Confirmed contributors include:

• Charlene Lydon (Head of Programming, Galway Fleadh)

• Steve Lally (Storyteller)

• Margaret Anne Suggs (Visual Artist)

• Max Le Cain (Filmmaker)

• Féile na Gréine (DIY Festival from Limerick)

• and more!

Festival Coordinator Alana Daly Mulligan said:

“The long-term goal has always been sustainability in how young people build and shape festivals. This support from Creative Waterford and Waterford Libraries makes it possible to move from participation into structured training, giving young people real tools to think and operate as festival makers.

The project is funded by Creative Ireland / Creative Waterford with additional support from Waterford Libraries, Waterford Council, The Arts Council and our parent organisation Waterford Youth Arts.

Spaces for the workshops are already filled however limited seats remain on a case-by-case basis. Reach out to thelityoungwritersfestival@gmail.com for more information.