Meet Aislinn Ó hEocha, Executive Artistic Director of Baboró…

I grew up in Galway, the youngest of six children, and graduated from University of Galway (then UCG) with a BA in Italian and Economics in 1994. I’ve had a long association with the University as my dad, Colm, was President for 21 years. He was also Chair of the Arts Council from 1989 to 1993.  

My parents were avid supporters of the arts, so I was lucky enough to grow up surrounded by books and music and to be brought to plays and concerts. Two moments stand out in my mind: seeing Siobhán McKenna in Bailegangaire in Druid Lane and the RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra (NSO) in Leisureland; both performances resonated deeply with me. Growing up in a city of festivals had a profound influence on where my career has taken me. 

Having lived in Scotland, Australia, Dublin, Ennis, and Co. Limerick, I moved back to Galway with my family in 2015 to begin my dream job with Baboró. The move has been really positive for all of us, including my husband, who is a wood artist and musician. I really enjoy living in Newcastle, close to University of Galway and where I grew up, although both my parents are now long gone. Now that our children are in secondary school, I find I have a little more time for hobbies such as reading, swimming, jewellery making, and going to shows and gigs – enjoying all that Galway has to offer. I’m very grateful that my children are growing up in such a vibrant city. 

What does it mean to be Executive Artistic Director at Baboró; what sorts of tasks do you oversee?

I am responsible for the whole organisation, reporting to the Board of Trustees. The position was created in 2015, combining the roles of Artistic Director and General Manager; it’s very busy, but I have a fantastic team to support me. In the past ten years we have grown from three to nine people to deliver an expanded festival and year-round programme.  

While all areas of the role are important, curating the annual international festival is the most significant; it’s the beating heart of Baboró. I travel to festivals throughout Europe and Ireland to find shows I hope audiences will enjoy. It is a balancing act, taking into consideration artistic merit, artform, genre, style, language, age suitability, venue, cost, and more. I love attending festivals myself, taking in lots of performances, exhibitions, street art… perhaps taking a risk on something new. That voyage of discovery is the joy of the festival experience.  

Of course, children have the right to enjoy a smorgasbord of creative experiences, a chance to try something new and develop their taste. That’s what I aim to provide, something for everyone.  

Several arts in education projects and artist support programmes keep us busy all year. One of our strategic priorities is to ensure that every child has an opportunity to participate in the arts, no matter their circumstances. For example, Creative Sensory Sessions is a two-year artists in residence project in Rosedale School, funded by the RTÉ Toy Show Appeal and Rethink Ireland, where specialist artists work with staff and students to design bespoke creative workshops, which are accessible to every child regardless of their physical or intellectual needs. Dr Charlotte McIvor, Associate Professor, Drama and Theatre Studies, is evaluating the project and its impact. This work is very close to my heart – my mum, Daiden, was involved in setting up Galway Association for Mentally Handicapped Children, now Ability West. 

Our Baboró GROW artist programme supports approximately 40 artists per year through residencies, mentoring, and Creative Europe projects. As a charity founded on the UN Rights of the Child, we are constantly fundraising to keep the festival’s global reputation for quality while keeping it accessible to all children. Baboró’s mission is to place creativity at the heart of every childhood. We do this by bringing the festival directly to children in their school or community, subsidising bus transport and keeping ticket prices low or free. Tickets are subsidised by 87%, so our box office income is only 9% of our overall income. The rest we raise through multiple state and local grants, trusts and foundations, and corporate and private giving. 

How did your third-level education factor into your career trajectory?

My time studying in Galway and Aberdeen certainly influenced my career trajectory. Studying Italian language and literature, and spending a year in Italy, allowed me to broaden my geographical and cultural horizons. The friends I made in college and the long discussions about plays, music, books, and films all shaped me. Many of those friendships have continued to this day, for which I’m very thankful. My dad often talked about the ‘university of life’, and this time in my life was certainly that. 

Baboró is celebrating 30 years! Can you speak to the significance of this feat?

As a small city on the western fringes of Europe, Galway is extremely lucky to have an international festival dedicated to children. Borne out of Galway Arts Festival, now GIAF, visionaries Jean Parkinson and Patricia Forde, alongside others, founded Baboró shortly after the Irish State ratified the UN Rights of the Child. The festival was moved to October so that children can access it with their schools, not having to rely on their parents to have the time, money, or interest to bring them. Since its foundation in 1996, the festival and organisation have grown from strength to strength, now serving approximately 18,500 people each year. 

The development of Baboró has taken a great deal of vision, grit, determination, and the generosity of the Galway community. As a non-profit we are completely reliant on grants and donations. University of Galway has been a steadfast strategic partner since the very beginning. The festival uses college venues and in turn brings hundreds of school children and families on campus. Baboró has hosted many volunteers and internships over the years, several of whom went on to join the staff team. Dr Rebecca Bartlett was instrumental in establishing The Value of Arts in the Lives of Children module as part of the BA in Child, Youth and Family Policy and Practice from 2014 to 2019. Baboró also collaborated with the University on BEAST! – Baboró: Environment, Arts, Science & Technology – a three-year project that began in 2012, in conjunction with the Ryan Institute and the Child and Family Research Centre. Baboró enjoys a very supportive relationship with the Drama Department, with Dr Charlotte McIvor currently serving on the Board. And I am a mentor to Dr Michela Dianetti, Department of Philosophy, as part of an Enterprise Fellowship. 

One of the things I love about working at Baboró is that the possibilities are endless! I work with a dynamic team and Board who are open to trying new things and pushing the limits of what we can achieve, and there are artists and producers in our community who are as passionate about the importance of the arts in the lives of children as we are. 

Expanding our team to include year-round roles in fundraising, outreach, schools coordination, and artists-in-residence has been transformative, allowing us to reach more children, more consistently, with real and lasting impact, through co-created programmes that boost self-expression, confidence, and empathy. 

In recent years, our Baboró Children’s Panel, now in its fifth year, ensures that we include the voice and opinions of children in our work. We are constantly learning from this diverse group of 9- to 11-year-olds helping us, and we have so much to learn from their insights and wisdom.  

I believe strongly in the transformative power of the arts and of stories. The collective act of experiencing a live performance or participating in a workshop with your friends and family is hard to beat. Because it’s live, that particular experience is unique, never to be repeated. You don’t have to love the show, but it should impact you in some way. At Baboró, we try to ensure that each child’s experience is as rich, satisfying, and fun as possible. It may be a child’s first and only time to see a live performance, so we want it to be the best it can be, from the minute they step off the bus to the final applause. The arts can help us make sense of this crazy world, develop empathy, unify communities, and expand our world view. Every child, no matter their circumstance, deserves these experiences. 

How does Baboró’s success help shape the Irish and international arts scene, particularly as it’s focused on youth engagement?

Baboró’s success has had significant influence on the development of the performance for young audiences sector in Ireland and further afield. Baboró is one of the oldest and most highly regarded children’s festivals in the world. In the past 30 years, we have seen the sector grow, particularly in the West of Ireland. Influenced by the work he saw in Baboró, Marc Mac Lochlainn set up Branar, the children’s theatre company in 2001. Now in its 25th year, Branar tours all over the world as well as to schools in County Galway. In more recent years, Moonfish Theatre, Brú Theatre, Rosán Sensory Adventures, and others are making fantastic work in Galway, especially for this audience. 

Baboró provides artists with a window to the world by inviting international festival directors to Galway each October. This has in turn resulted in Galway artists bringing their shows to festivals in the UK, Europe, Asia, North America, and even as far away as Australia. This year, for example, a Baboró commission, Antarctica!, by Rosán Sensory Adventures, created with and for children with additional needs, is touring to the Lincoln Centre, New York, and Sydney Opera House. Irish work sits comfortably on the global stage alongside some of the best work in the world, that’s something we in Galway should be very proud of. 

Any words of wisdom for those interested in getting involved in the arts/creative industry?

My broad work experience certainly played a part in laying a good foundation for this role. I learnt many lessons on the job over the years, from waitressing in Italy to project management of international banking projects and setting up an HR function in a software company. The indirect route to your dream job can be an interesting journey! 

I’ve worked in the arts since 2001, and that has taught me resilience and resourcefulness, making magic happen with very little. It’s also given me a chance to have lots of creative experiences (good and bad!) and develop my palate and critical eye. Being open and collaborative in approach is helpful; I usually find two minds are better than one. And personal contacts have been really valuable, especially when I moved back to Galway. You can’t underestimate the value of those. 

The children’s arts sector is wonderful, full of sound people who are genuinely motivated to make a difference in the lives of children and young people. As I say to my team, ‘we’re not in it for the money or the glamour!’ – but the rewards are deep and long-lasting. Seeing a child light up in a theatre or gallery, having a really positive or even transformative experience, is worth its weight in gold. I’m really privileged to get to do that on a regular basis. 

As Baboró looks to its next 30 years, I feel more energised than ever. The arts help us make sense of the world, develop empathy, build communities, and expand our horizons. I am enormously privileged to play a part in making this happen.  

Baboró will be saying a fond farewell to Dr Charlotte McIvor, whose time on the Board of Trustees concludes in June, and a warm welcome to incoming board member Marianne Ní Chinnéide.

Both Charlotte and Marianne are part of the Drama Department at University of Galway.