Thomastown Creative Arts Festival boasts eclectic lineup
The festival will take place at locations around Thomastown from August 7 to 16
The Thomastown Creative Arts Festival (TCAF) returns from August 7 to 16, bringing a vibrant, town-wide celebration of contemporary art,
craft and community creativity.
This year’s programme spans art exhibitions, film screenings and hands-on workshops, uniting practitioners from traditional and non- traditional media in an accessible cultural experience for residents and visitors.
Senator Malcolm Noonan will officially launch TCAF 2026 at 2pm Saturday, August 8, at the Watergarden Café & Gardens. Pre-launch music will be provided by Gutterfly. Immediately after the launch, a “trail of openings” will guide attendees to multiple exhibition openings across Thomastown.
Highlights and venues
- Thomastown Library presents three solo exhibitions: Sonja Guenther — ICE AND FIRE
- Lee Shanahan — HALF/LIGHT and Rebekka Tomal — RECOLLECTION.
- The Clifford Room in the Thomastown Community Centre, will host six woodturners, Kilenaspick Women’s Shed and other makers that normally exhibit
at Ormonde College, showcasing art, craft and design.
- The Scouts Den will feature multiple exhibitions, including Debra Bowden’s LIGHT ON THE LANDSCAPE — PART II.
- A series of public workshops across venues will give people the opportunity to engage directly with artists and explore creative practices.
There are also unique events for all ages include the screening of the deeply moving film Born That Way, and the documentary, Living Colour, both followed by a Q & A. Families will be delighted by the Pocketful of Stories workshop for young storytellers, a children’s Comic Book Zine workshop, and a Sketch Me; portrait booth run by a local 8-year-old artist.
Art enthusiasts can enjoy a Perfectly Imperfect sale of unique pottery or relax in adult- focused mandala and floral wreath workshops. Further information
Full event listings, workshop details and the complete programme are available on TCAF social media: Instagram @thomastown_creative and Facebook @ThomastownCreativeArtsFestival. Printed brochures are available around Thomastown and across County Kilkenny.
Support and partners
Thomastown Creative Arts Festival is a key fixture in Kilkenny’s cultural calendar, running concurrently with the Kilkenny Arts Festival and AKA Festival 2026. The festival receives funding from Kilkenny Arts Office and is supported by the Thomastown Community Network, local businesses and community contributors.
Visit Thomastown this August to explore an inspiring and diverse programme of contemporary art, craft and community creativity.