Irish Arts and Human Rights Festival 2025

Irish Arts and Human Rights Festival 

Friday 10 to Sunday 19 October 2025

In Solidarity: An International Celebration of Arts and Human Rights

“In a world where human rights continue to be under attack, Dublin Arts and Human Rights Festival sets out to celebrate the people who have stood up for them around the world and throughout history and highlight the role artists can play in promoting a more just society.”

– Kevin Courtney, Irish Times

Smashing Times International Centre for the Arts and Equality, Front Line Defenders, and a range of partners, present the seventh annual, international Irish Arts and Human Rights Festival  running for ten days from the 10 to 19 October 2025. The festival features exciting and innovative events that promote equality, human rights and diversity through the arts, taking place in a range of counties across the island of Ireland. 

The 2025 festival comprises over sixty events including five multidisciplinary exhibitions with 198 days of viewing;  twelve live theatre shows  with 30 performances; one installation; seven children and youth workshops; three launches with artist talks;  two music shows;  three film screenings; six artist-curator-guest speaker panel talks and discussions; one major international environment eco-conference; two walking tours; two radio shows with Dublin South FM; one unveiling and one online interview. The aim of the festival is to showcase and highlight the extraordinary work of human rights defenders in Ireland and around the world, past and present, and the role of the arts and artists in promoting human rights today.  The artistic curator for the festival is Mary Moynihan, Artistic Director, Smashing Times and the human rights curator is Laura O’Leary, International Events and Promotions Coordinator, Front Line Defenders. 

Flagship events include From the Forest to the Ocean, a major multidisciplinary exhibition by artists Mary Moynihan and Hina Khan, at Rathfarnham Castle; a world premiere of Memorial Monologues: The Path of Memory Part 2 by Mary Moynihan on site at The Iveagh Gardens, Dublin, in partnership with Front Line Defenders, and a range of events taking place at the new Smashing Times centre,  30 Sandycove Road, Dublin, A96V9P1, the first Arts and Human Rights centre in Ireland.

Full event details and booking information here: https://smashingtimes.ie/irish-arts-and-human-rights-festival/