Building a new world order

With more than 100 events planned for this weekend, the Festival of World Cultures, in Dún Laoghaire, is larger than ever, its director tells Jim Carroll

This weekend, as thousands converge on Dún Laoghaire for the fourth Festival of World Cultures, spare a thought for one woman in the midst of the crowds. A couple of years ago Jody Ackland had a bright idea about a festival that would perfectly suit the town. Now, with the jamboree home to more than 100 events in 30 venues over three days and nights, she will be watching the hard work, plans and gambles of the past 12 months come whirring to life before her eyes.

The Dún Laoghaire affair is a far cry from most of the other festivals falling like soft drizzle across the country all summer: vibrant, exciting, colourful, challenging and innovative. Whether it's the depth and breadth of the programme or the huge, unprecedented support from Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council, it's a template for how to do things right.

Given Ackland's background, running this festival is something of a logical progression. Born in Manchester, she worked with music promoters on tours and shows in Scotland before moving to Dublin, in 1990. After early attempts to tour world-music acts here, a succession of production jobs and running a music and sound technology course with Rehab led her to Dún Laoghaire.

Having found the local council's arts office very helpful when she had her promoter's hat on, Ackland approached it again, this time with a grander plan in mind. "I wanted to develop the success of those concerts on a much greater scale," she says. "I always wanted to run a festival with an international line-up which integrates communities. At the same time, county manager Derek Brady was having the same idea, and he was thrilled to find someone who was able and eager to put this event together."

But the council's involvement in the festival is more than just paying lip service to the idea. "I've found that the festival's ethical beliefs are becoming part of the county council's fabric, its strategies and systems, and it's an event that is supported at every level," says Ackland.

"The council staff have developed a sense of ownership over the festival, and it's quite fantastic how the staff get geared up each year for the event, taking on more work and dealing with the seasonal pressure of it all. They also volunteer over the weekend, so you'll see management people helping out in the information booths and porters helping organise the craft fair."

Over the three festivals to date Ackland has been able to tick off various objectives and add new ones to her list. While the challenge to change world music's "pan-pipes and tie-dye" image is still present, Ackland can be happier with how the festival has dealt with other issues. "I suppose we wanted people to experience difference in a positive and creative way," she says. "We wanted to provide a platform for Ireland's newer communities to express themselves within an appreciative environment, to expose the richness of their music and to raise awareness of the positive contributions that they have brought into Ireland. We also wanted the festival to be an opportunity for artists to meet, exchange techniques and increase their knowledge."

Placing the spotlight on the new arrivals is something that Ackland admits takes time, energy and a big network of embassies, refugee organisations, community activists and support groups. It's paid off in that this year's festival will feature performances by such Irish-based groups as Bollywood act The Dublin Gurus, Ecuadorian singer Sacha Runa, the Lebanese/Egyptian sounds of The Oriental Band and Afro-Irish rappers The Seas.

"We spend a lot of time meeting people, talking to them about their music, art and their vision for representation, and the level of interest and feedback we get from communities is amazing. People see this event as an opportunity to proudly demonstrate their culture, because their own musical events are not being promoted within the standard media and marketing framework.

"They promote with lower budgets for a start, but that doesn't mean that these events are inaccessible and exclusive. It's natural for communities to stick together, support each other and entertain each other. It's much the same with any immigrant community anywhere in the world, none more so than the Irish."

But however supportive the local council is, the economics of producing and marketing a festival of this size, especially one with so many free events, means seeking corporate sponsorship.

Although Ackland says there are still many companies that have a "shallow understanding of what this festival is about and still view the theme of multi- or intercultural events as almost charitable, not contemporary", others are far more forward thinking. Additional support from the British Council and French embassy has given Ackland the luxury of thinking big when it comes to the programme.

Although some acts inevitably got away, Ackland raves about the ones she snared, including the Palestinian singer Amal Murkus ("one of the most enchanting singers I've ever seen"), Nitin Sawhney, the "seriously cool" Positive Black Soul and Toumani Diabate, an act she first promoted in Scotland, 15 years ago. "I will never forget how outstandingly brilliant this musician is; you come away from his concerts on a different level."

It's enough to make the hassles involved in booking such a festival, especially securing work visas for artists, all the more worthwhile.

Little wonder that Ackland, like many other music promoters, would like to see Ireland sign up to the Schengen agreement, which allows people to move freely through a number of European Union countries.

Ackland sees no reason why a festival like this could not work elsewhere in the country but believes it's Dún Laoghaire's "variety of performance locations, the sea view, the thoroughfares and the freedom of movement from one venue to another" that make for a true festival atmosphere. "Environment has so much to do with it," she says. "Events are not judged on the acts alone; it also the performance locations, venue design, the acoustics, the audience, the crew and so on.

"This festival has become what it is because of a number of factors, but primarily it's the county-council relationship that has made it unique. It was a confident move on their part, and that is what it would take to create a festival like this one."

She certainly doesn't foresee a day when the festival outgrows the town, pointing out that they could always extend the duration of the festival if it comes to it. Given her plans for future years, such a possibility cannot be ruled out.

"I'd like to develop an expo programme, presenting work that is already being produced by artists and organisations in Ireland throughout the year. I'd also like to see other venues and promoters getting involved and a much greater association with communities, giving an opportunity for them to present their own programmes within the festival.

"Ultimately, I'd see it as an organisation that has a greater annual activity of events, with a summer school and exchange programme and a forum for people to give feedback to policy makers and arts funders. This is when great change can happen. When people are enjoying themselves, they're open, barriers come down and views change."

The Festival of World Cultures runs from Friday until Sunday

Five Festival Highlights

Nitin Sawhney: Prophesy Tabla players, Irish trad masters, samba drummers and gospel choir become

part of the Nitin mix, performing a piece devised in a weekend masterclass (Newtownsmith Green, Sunday, 4.30 p.m., free)

Toumani Diabate The kora prince of west Africa (Pavilion Theatre, Sunday, 7.30 p.m., €25)

Amal Murkus Soulful Arabic and Palestinian folk songs (Pavilion Theatre, Saturday, 7.30 p.m., €25)

Da Lata Mesmerising funky Latin grooves from Patrick Forge's eight-piece band (Coast, Saturday 10.30 p.m., €18)

Jazz Jamaica All StarsMento, ska, reggae and jazz shakedown (Newtown- smith Green, Saturday, 5 p.m., free)

You can get more details from www.festivalofworldcultures.com