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Call for Creative Proposals: Riverfest Creative Programming 2026 (Ireland)

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Deadline: 19-Mar-2026

Limerick City and County Council is inviting family-friendly creative proposals to help shape the Riverfest 2026 programme. The call seeks high-quality daytime activities and experiences from cultural institutions, creative professionals, community groups, and event organisers that celebrate Limerick’s culture, creativity, and connection to the River Shannon.

About the Open Call

The Council is seeking imaginative and high-quality proposals to enhance the family-friendly programme for Riverfest 2026, one of Limerick’s flagship annual festivals.

Riverfest takes place every May Bank Holiday weekend and is a major cultural celebration that brings the city to life with music, food, entertainment, and public events along the River Shannon.

Why This Opportunity Matters

Riverfest is one of Limerick’s most important public festivals, attracting:

  • Over 140,000 people

  • Around 67,000 visitors to the festival village

  • A four-day programme of music, food, and entertainment

This open call offers creatives and organisers a strong platform to contribute to a high-visibility festival while helping strengthen Limerick’s reputation as a destination city and creative hub.

What the Council Is Looking For

Proposals should be:

  • Family-friendly

  • Focused on daytime activity

  • High-quality and engaging

  • Able to contribute meaningfully to the wider Riverfest 2026 programme

  • Reflective of Limerick’s culture and festival spirit

The call is open to:

  • Cultural institutions

  • Creative professionals

  • Community groups

  • Event organisers

Key Focus Areas

Applications should help support one or more of the following aims:

  • Enhance Riverfest’s core programme of events

  • Promote Limerick’s unique culture

  • Celebrate the city’s connection to the River Shannon

  • Strengthen Limerick’s reputation as a destination city

  • Highlight Limerick as a vibrant urban culture hub on Europe’s Edge

  • Position the city as a Gateway City to the Wild Atlantic Way

  • Showcase creative excellence

  • Provide a platform for local, national, and international artists

Who Should Apply?

This opportunity is suitable for:

  • Arts and cultural organisations

  • Festival producers

  • Creative collectives

  • Community-based groups

  • Independent artists and creative practitioners

  • Event and experience designers

Applicants should be able to propose activities that are inclusive, engaging, and suitable for families, especially during daytime festival hours.

How to Apply / What to Do

To prepare a strong proposal:

  1. Design a family-friendly concept

    • Focus on daytime engagement and accessibility.

  2. Align with Riverfest’s identity

    • Show how your idea reflects Limerick, the River Shannon, and the city’s cultural energy.

  3. Emphasize quality and originality

    • This is a competitive process, so strong creative value matters.

  4. Show audience appeal

    • Explain how your proposal will engage residents, families, and visitors.

  5. Highlight cultural relevance

    • Include local connections while also showing broader creative appeal.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • Submitting ideas that are not family-friendly

  • Proposing activities better suited to night-time programming

  • Failing to connect the idea to Limerick’s culture or Riverfest identity

  • Offering vague concepts without clear audience engagement

  • Ignoring the competitive nature of the call

FAQs

What is this open call for?

It is an open call for creative proposals to help shape the family-friendly programme for Riverfest 2026 in Limerick.

Who can apply?

The call welcomes proposals from cultural institutions, creative professionals, community groups, and event organisers.

What kind of proposals are preferred?

The Council is looking for family-friendly, daytime-focused, high-quality experiences that fit Riverfest’s vibrant atmosphere.

When does Riverfest take place?

Riverfest takes place during the May Bank Holiday weekend.

Is this a competitive process?

Yes. The call is competitive, and significant weighting will be given to the scope and quality of submissions.

What should proposals highlight?

Strong proposals should reflect Limerick’s unique culture, creativity, inclusivity, and connection to the River Shannon.

Final Takeaway

The Riverfest 2026 Open Call is a great opportunity for creatives, community groups, and cultural organisers to contribute to one of Limerick’s flagship festivals. If you can design a family-friendly, daytime experience that celebrates Limerick’s culture, creativity, and festival spirit, this could be a valuable platform to showcase your work as part of a major public event.

For more information, visit Limerick City and County Council.

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