Well Festival Keynote Event: Why Arts? Dr Gabriel Scally, in conversation

The Well Festival of Arts and Wellbeing partners are thrilled to present the inaugural Well Festival Keynote: Why Arts? and to welcome Dr Gabriel Scally to offer his perspective on the importance of the arts in these challenging times of Covid-19.

A native of Belfast, Dr Gabriel Scally is currently visiting Professor of Public Health at the University of Bristol, and President of the Epidemiology and Public Health section of the Royal Society of Medicine. Dr Scally is also a member of the Independent SAGE, a group of scientists in the UK dedicated to providing open and independent advice on navigating Covid-19. In Ireland, he is well known for his independent report into the CervicalCheck screening programme. Earlier this year, Dr Scally served on an Advisory Group set up by the Arts Council to identify ways for the arts sector to deal with the pandemic.

Dr Scally will be in conversation with Jennifer O’Connell, staff features writer and opinion columnist with The Irish Times, and a reflection will be offered by Anne Woodworth. Anne is a professional singer, choral director, music educator, Chair of the Symphony Club of Waterford and Chair of Waterford Healing Arts Trust.

This Keynote Event is part of the Well Festival of Arts and Wellbeing 2020. Taking place in Waterford from Monday 5 to Saturday 10 October, the festival features an exciting line-up of almost 50 fun, free, inventive and sociable arts events for all ages. In this, its eighth year, the festival presents musicians, artists, poets, theatre makers, filmmakers and dancers, a programme of Wellies, the festival’s events for younger audiences and Renew, a new programme strand for older audiences. The full Festival programme is available from www.wellwaterford.com See also the Well Festival promo trailer below and the Well Festival also on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

The Well Festival of Arts and Wellbeing champions and celebrates the health benefits of participation in the arts by everyone. Due to the evolving Covid-19 situation and in line with public health guidelines, many events will take place online, giving this Waterford-wide festival the opportunity to reach beyond the county borders for the first time and welcome arts fans from near and far. Each day, festival-goers will have the opportunity to witness colourful, beautiful, thought-provoking music, art, theatre, film, dance and literature, and to experience the joy of creativity through a myriad of workshops and interactive opportunities for all ages.

The Well Festival of Arts and Wellbeing is funded by the Arts Council, the HSE and Waterford City and County Council, with generous support from Sanofi. Renew: Arts and Older People, the new programme strand for 2020, is funded by Creative Ireland under their Creativity in Older Age programme. The festival is presented by Waterford Healing Arts Trust, Garter Lane Arts Centre and Waterford City and County Libraries.