Feeling a bit jaded?

If life’s got you worn out and weary, the people behind a new one-day festival coming to Cork this month may have just what you need to lighten things up.

The Wonderism Festival will take over Cork Opera House on Thursday, March 30th, 2023, offering an array of all-ages experiences designed to celebrate the theme of ‘Childlike Wonder’.

Curated by The Canaille Collective, a group of producers emerging from the MA in Arts Management and Creative Producing at University College Cork, the three main strands of arts events include music, storytelling, and visual art.

“The finale concert, A Wondrous Life, interprets the festival theme of Childlike Wonder from a nostalgic angle to evoke the emotions of one’s journey in life,” they told us.

“The storytelling programme, Behind the Curtain, hopes to share diverse stories in the light of the magic and wonder of childhood in an intimate and unconventional location in the Cork Opera House. Art(y) Part(y) adopts the idea of an immersive art installation experience to transform the foyer of Cork Opera House.”

Here are three events to check out:

Music A Wondrous Life | Main Stage, Cork Opera House
7.30pm | Ticketed €5 / €10 | Age 5+

In the course of our lives, we encounter countless unique emotions, many of which escape language. Experience moments of loneliness, happiness, contemplation, and love through the fusion of live music and stunning visuals in this one-hour music concert enriched by moving animations on the big screen.

Art(y) Part(y) | Foyer, Cork Opera House
ALL DAY FREE – All Ages

Unleash your curiosity by setting foot into the magically transformed foyer of the Cork Opera House and witness an explosion of imaginative creativity by Cork artists. Art(y) Part(y) is an immersive visual arts installation that brings together the work of both local and regional emerging artists and children from Cork primary schools to present a colourful, collaborative celebration of childhood and wonder.

Storytelling Behind The Curtain | Backstage, Cork Opera House
2:30pm – 5:30pm | Ticketed €3 / €5 | Age 5+

Relish in the magic and wonder of childhood set in an exclusive location. Hosted behind the scenes in the dressing rooms of Cork Opera House, these bitesize storytelling performances capture stories with themes of fantasy, magic, dreams, and memories. Each part of this three-part event is 15 minutes in duration and runs from 2.30pm-5.30pm on the day. This storytelling experience is for those growing up and for grown-ups too!