Age & Opportunity is delighted to announce the appointment of three Citizen Curators for the 2026 Bealtaine Festival. This pilot initiative is part of a broader strategy to increase public participation in the programming of the in-house strand of the festival and to support the creative ambitions of people of 50+. The Citizen Curator panel will contribute to the development of one event in the 2026 programme under the guidance of the festival’s curators.
The Bealtaine Festival is Ireland’s national celebration of creativity as we age. It is coordinated by Age & Opportunity and includes both centrally programmed and locally delivered events. The Citizen Curator initiative supports the festival’s objectives of increasing representation, fostering inclusion, and engaging older people in cultural decision-making.
The appointed Citizen Curators are:
Peter Clarke
Peter Clarke has worked across multiple sectors over six decades, including roles in typesetting, planning, sales, and business psychology. He holds a Master’s degree in Creative Writing (Poetry) from Manchester Metropolitan University. Clarke is active in several writing groups, including the Bealtaine Writers’ Group and the Irish Writing Centre. His debut poetry collection will be published in November.
About his involvement, Peter says:
“Great to be a contributor to the initiative and not a passive recipient of the programme. I always admire how the organisers of the Bealtaine Festival continue to create, grow, develop and stretch the possibilities of the Festival.”
Madge O’Callaghan
Madge O’Callaghan has worked extensively in social justice, including mental health advocacy and domestic and sexual violence services. She founded the Youth Empowerment Service (YES), the first advocacy initiative for adolescents in hospital with mental health issues. O’Callaghan holds an MA in Creative Writing from Dublin City University and is currently pursuing a PhD at the University of Limerick. Her work includes a poetry collection and an award-winning radio documentary.
Madge says of the opportunity:
“I’m delighted to be getting the opportunity to work with such a professional group of people and can’t wait to get stuck in!”
Joe Maguire
Joe Maguire retired from a career in information technology and has since been involved in volunteer work in Galway, including arts-related activities. He has a particular interest in cinema and community engagement.
Joe shares his thoughts on the role:
“I’m looking forward to learning about the organisation of arts events and making a contribution which reflects my age group’s perspective.”
Read more about the citizen curators on our Festival Team Page.
