Waterford’s Pride of the Déise has announced the dates for its 2026 festival alongside the launch of a new €1,000 Artist Bursary, marking a significant step forward in its support for visual artists. The volunteer-run LGBTQ+ organisation confirmed that the festival will take place from 27 May to 6 June 2026, funded by the Waterford City and County Council Festival Grant Fund.
Now entering its seventh year, Pride of the Déise has grown steadily since its founding in 2019. Its first festival, held online during the Covid-19 pandemic, laid the groundwork for what has become one of the south-east’s most exciting community celebrations.
The newly launched bursary invites artists from Waterford and beyond to design the festival’s visual identity, including its official poster and the widely recognised fundraising T-shirt.
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In recent years, the organisation has commissioned local creatives following an increase in funding. However, 2026 marks the first time the opportunity has been opened more broadly. The selected artist’s work will be licensed and added to the festival’s permanent artistic legacy.
Chairperson Éadaoin Breathnach described the bursary as “a statement for our times”, highlighting concerns about the growing use of AI-generated imagery. She emphasised the organisation’s commitment to human creativity, saying Pride of the Déise “believes in paying artists for their time, their craft, and their vision”. She went on to explain, “This bursary is something we’ve wanted to do for a while, and we’re finally able to do it properly. I can’t wait to see what our 2026 artist creates.”
PRO and former chairperson Amy O’Riordan echoed this sentiment, noting that art has always been central to the festival’s identity. She said the committee had long hoped to introduce a bursary scheme and expressed excitement about what the 2026 artist will create.
Applications are open until 3 April 2026, and artists are encouraged to submit existing work as part of their application. For those interested in submitting work to Waterford Pride and potentially receiving the artists’ bursary, the application can be found here.
© 2026 GCN (Gay Community News). All rights reserved.
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