Dublin Theater Festival announces Róise Goan as new artistic director – The Irish Times

Róise Goan, the former director of the Dublin Fringe Festival, will succeed Willie White as head of the Dublin Theater Festival. She will become its artistic director and general director in February 2025.

White, who has run the festival since 2012, had announced he would step down once he finished the 2024 festival, which concluded earlier this month.

“It is a great honor for me to return to my hometown to direct the Dublin Theater Festival, which has shaped and inspired my love of theater and my passion for the transformative impact that festivals can have on audiences and the very fabric of a city,” says Goan, who is currently artistic coordinator of art institution Viernulvier in Belgium. She ran the Dublin Fringe Festival between 2008 and 2013. “I look forward to taking over from Willie White and working with a fantastic team and board at DTF in the new year, and starting to working with excellent artists from around the world. world to create the best possible festival for the people of Dublin.

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Una Carmody, chair of the Dublin Theater Festival, says the board “could not be happier that Róise Goan is returning to Dublin and bringing her special blend of intelligent programming and great fun to the festival. We are very excited to see how she will increase the reach and impact of our festival, with her in-depth knowledge of the city, as well as her extensive international experience, and lead the team to achieve even more. The current discussions around Dublin, its character and its nature are an opportune time to introduce its unique voice into the discourse.

Goan, who studied drama and theater at Trinity College Dublin, has worked as an artist, producer, programmer and playwright in the performing arts. She has also written for television, notably for the TG4 Aifric series.