Emerging visual and performing arts
About K-FEST
We are K-FEST, Kerry’s infamous independent Arts festival, situated in the quaint, meandering town of Killorglin, county Kerry. Since 2013 the festival has gone from strength to strength and now welcomes some of the most prolific emerging and established Irish/International Artists to this small charismatic town.
Our focus primarily lies on promoting and exhibiting emerging Irish art. We want invited artists to use our festival as a stepping stone for their creative careers. K-FEST is a place to showcase their talents and promote their work, a time to share ideas and interact with like-minded individuals as well as lending their vision and originality to the festival community. We embrace all forms of Art, and equally, all types of people. Nobody gets left behind as the festival caters for a wide audience including adults, teenagers and kids.
The festival origins trace back to an unfortunate but very real Irish recession. A time of empty streets, abandoned buildings and bare concrete walls! However, the K-FEST project saw that grass was greener and imagined something original and unique, engaging and beneficial. Artists and Musicians alike were invited into these unused dwellings, given complete creative control and, in doing so, instilled a much needed glowing pulse back into the empty buildings of Killorglin.
The K-FEST Arts Festival is committed to the principles of fairness, consistency and equality of opportunity. No persons involved as a volunteer, professional performer or audience member will be discriminated against, regardless of their age, colour, disability, ethnicity, gender or gender identity, race, religion or belief and/or sexual orientation.
Killorglin Travel, Accommodation and more
K-FEST is based in the heart of downtown Killorglin, Co. Kerry, located along the Ring of Kerry and the Wild Atlantic Way. The town offers a great selection of traditional Irish pubs and restaurants, plus myriad activities to keep you busy during your stay. Whether it’s hiking in MacGillycuddy’s Reeks, a leisurely walk along the Atlantic Coast, angling, golfing, cycling, or canoeing, Killorglin has it all.
The nearest train station is in Killarney (22km) and you can find times on Irish Rail.
Kerry airport is also close by and is serviced by national and international services, for flight information visit Kerry Airport.
Bus Éireann also offers bus services to Killorglin.
The K-FEST Committee
K-FEST is entirely run and organised by local volunteers. Each year we welcome new members to help create the best festival we can. If you wish to join please contact one of the committee members or use the contact form.
- Festival and Music Director: Tim Clifford
- Art Director: Darragh Kinch
- Drama Director: Mikey Griffin
- Family/Street Director: Joanne Fox
- Crafts Director: Jay Scully
- Community Director and Website: Dave Ryan
- Head of Logistics: Katie Graham
- Treasurer: Enda McGuire
- Photographer: Bartek Witek
- Art subcommittee: Niamh O Brien, Paola Gonazales, Louise O Donnell and Aoife McBride
- Music subcommittee: Chris Byrne, Donal Moroney and Enda McGuire
- Drama subcommittee: Joe Brennan, Colin Mangan and Eric Dennehy
- Family subcommittee: David Brady, Bridget Moriarty and Nina Finn-Kelcey
- Community subcommittee: Sarah Manyame
- Social Media subcommittee: Yuliia Riabova and Annamaria Pozsonyi
Thank you to all our previous committee members and to volunteers past and present.
The Board of Directors
- Colm Kelly (Chairperson & Secretary)
- Ruth McCarthy
- Amano Miura
- Mike Dowd
- Rochelle Lucey