Cúirt International Festival of Literature

What Cúirt International Festival of Literature does

Cúirt International Festival of Literature is an independent nonprofit arts organisation that stages an annual 6-day literary festival in Galway, Ireland. The 2026 edition runs from 21st to 26th April and centres on a multi-venue programme of author conversations, readings, panel discussions, and performances spanning fiction, poetry, non-fiction, and Irish-language literature. The festival also runs workshops and masterclasses (typically €65), the flagship Cúirt Lecture, the Cúirt New Writing Prize with associated Showcase, the Cúirt Poetry Sessions co-presented with Poetry Ireland, and the Frames of Reference professional development series for the publishing industry.

The organisation operates from the Galway Arts Centre at 47 Dominick Street and uses a network of partner venues including Town Hall Theatre (the primary box office and ticketing infrastructure), An Taibhdhearc, Charlie Byrne's Bookshop, the Mick Lally Theatre, and University of Galway venues. It has no proprietary technology platform; its digital infrastructure is built on TicketSolve for ticketing, Google Analytics for web analytics, and standard social media and email newsletter channels. The festival is GDPR compliant and offers hybrid in-person and online attendance for some events.

Revenue is generated through four streams: ticket sales (€5–€22 for standard events, €65 for workshops), public funding from Arts Council of Ireland and Culture Ireland, support from international cultural bodies (Dutch Foundation for Literature, Swedish Arts Council, Welsh Government, Arts Council Northern Ireland), corporate sponsorship (e.g., Dubray Books), and individual donations. The audience comprises literature enthusiasts, writers and emerging authors, and Irish-language speakers and learners, both local and visiting.

Name

Cúirt International Festival of Literature

Legal name

Cúirt International Festival of Literature

Website

https://cuirt.ie

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Cúirt International Festival of Literature is an independent nonprofit that stages an annual 6-day literary festival in Galway, Ireland, featuring author events, workshops, poetry sessions, and panel discussions for literature enthusiasts, writers, and Irish-language audiences.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Literary Festival

NAICS

Other Performing Arts Companies (711190)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYMPAGAEAG

Arts & Culture Community Festivals (Multidisciplinary Arts Weeks)

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Live Entertainment & Events (Concerts, Theater, Festivals)/Cultural Festivals & Community Events

SECONDARYHSACAHAG

Cultural & Heritage Entertainment Booking (Traditional/Folk Acts)

Home & Personal Services/Event & Personal Concierge Services/Entertainment Booking & Talent Management

SECONDARYHSACAHAO

Entertainment Programming & Curation (Lineups, Run-of-Show, Scheduling)

Home & Personal Services/Event & Personal Concierge Services/Entertainment Booking & Talent Management

SECONDARYMPAGAOAK

Virtual Community Festivals & Cultural Events (Online Celebrations)

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Live Entertainment & Events (Concerts, Theater, Festivals)/Virtual & Hybrid Events

Keywords

• Literary festival
• Author events
• Writing workshops
• Poetry readings
• Cultural programming

Headquarters

HQ city

Galway

HQ country

Ireland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Revenue generated from ticket sales for festival events including author readings, workshops, panel discussions, and performances. Ticket prices range from free events to €20-22 for major events.
2. Sponsorships and Funders: The festival receives funding from Arts Council of Ireland, Culture Ireland, and local government bodies. Corporate sponsors also support the festival through sponsorship arrangements.
3. Donations: Festival accepts donations from supporters through website donation functionality.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Cúirt International Festival of Literature is an annual 6-day literary festival held each April in Galway, Ireland. Its core offering is a programme of ticketed and free literary events — author conversations, fiction and non-fiction readings, poetry sessions, panel discussions, and workshops — delivered across multiple city venues. The festival supplements ticketed events with the flagship Cúirt Lecture, a New Writing Prize competition, and targeted Irish-language programming.

Product overview

Cúirt International Festival of Literature is an annual literary festival held in Galway, Ireland (21st-26th April 2026). The core offering consists of the main Events Programme featuring author conversations, panel discussions, readings, and performances across fiction, poetry, non-fiction, and Irish language. Supporting modules include workshops (writing masterclasses, poetry workshops, creative skill sessions), the flagship Cúirt Lecture series, the Cúirt New Writing Prize competition with associated showcase, The Cúirt Poetry Sessions in partnership with Poetry Ireland, and the Frames of Reference professional development series covering publishing industry topics.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Cúirt International Festival of Literature The annual literary festival as a whole, presented over six days in Galway. Comprises the entire public programme of author conversations, panel discussions, readings, performances, workshops, the Cúirt Lecture, and the New Writing Showcase, targeted at literature and arts enthusiasts.
• Cúirt Events Programme The main festival programme of ticketed and free author events, panel discussions, readings, and performances across fiction, non-fiction, and poetry, held at multiple Galway venues. Aimed at general audiences interested in literature.
• Cúirt Workshops Workshop sessions covering writing techniques, poetry, fiction, and creative skills, priced at higher unit rates (e.g., €65). Targeted at aspiring writers and creative learners seeking hands-on instruction.
• The Cúirt Lecture A flagship annual lecture delivered by a prominent speaker, forming a signature event within the festival. Recent editions have been made available online for viewing.
• Cúirt New Writing Prize Annual literary competition recognising emerging writers, with winners featured in the festival's New Writing Showcase events. Open to writers submitting work for the prize.
• New Writing Showcase A festival event featuring emerging writers selected from submissions and winners of the annual Cúirt New Writing Prize, held at the Galway Arts Centre.
• The Cúirt Poetry Sessions A series of poetry readings and sessions presented in association with Poetry Ireland / Éigse Éireann, featuring established and emerging poets. Often free or low-cost events.
• Foraging and Cyanotype Workshop (Language and Light) A bilingual workshop combining foraging walks with cyanotype printmaking, guided by artists Samuel Arnold Keane and Kasia Kaminska, exploring Irish language and native plant life. Priced at €65.
• Frames of Reference Series Professional development events exploring the publishing industry, featuring literary agents, editors, and publishing professionals. Targeted at writers seeking industry knowledge.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Galway Arts CentrecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHome venue for the festival. Located at 47 Dominick Street, Galway. The festival office is based at Galway Arts Centre and many events take place at this venue. Strong collaborative relationship in hosting visual arts and literary programming.
• Town Hall TheatrecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMain box office and venue partner for many festival events. Located at Courthouse Square, Galway. Provides ticketing infrastructure and venue facilities for author events and performances.
• Dutch Foundation for LiteratureminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSupported the New Dutch Writing event featuring Eva Meijer at the festival. Part of international literature promotion initiative.
• An TaibhdhearccoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational Irish Language Theatre and key partner for Irish language literary events. Host venue for poetry sessions, performances, and discussions in the Irish language.
• Poetry IrelandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-presenter of The Cúirt Poetry Sessions series. Partnership brings Poetry Ireland's expertise and audience to the festival programming.
• Charlie Byrne's BookshopcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFestival bookseller with pop-up presence at events. Located at The Cornstore, Middle Street, Galway. Provides book sales and signing opportunities at festival events.
• British LibraryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated on Irish Writers' Weekend London event, bringing Cúirt programming to British Library venue in London.
• Dubray BooksminorGTM or Marketing PartnerEvent sponsor for select author events including Liz Nugent appearance. Provides promotional support.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Hay Festival:

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cuirt

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Cúirt International Festival of Literature