The Sound of Animation is the theme for this year’s Kilkenny Animated Festival taking place in the heart of Kilkenny City from September 29 - October 1.

Hosted by five-time Oscar-nominated animation studio, Cartoon Saloon, BAFTA-winning Lighthouse Studios, and Schweppe Curtis Nunn events, Kilkenny Animated is a celebration of the creativity and craft of animation set against the backdrop of medieval Kilkenny in the heart of Ireland’s Ancient East.

This year’s theme, The Sound of Animation, will explore the rich soundscapes of animation from sound design to voice acting, composing to foley recording. Audiences of all ages can look forward to an immersive programme of events comprising of workshops, panels, talks, gigs, screenings, sketching tours and more.

Kíla, whose Irish folk music features in several Cartoon Saloon productions, including WolfWalkers and Song of the Sea, will kick festivities off on Friday night with a live gig in the Watergate Theatre that is sure to set the tone for a lively weekend.

Fans of the Star Wars:Visions Vol 2 series are sure to be out in force on Sunday. Audio guru and supervising sound editor for the series, Mac Smith (Skywalker Sound) will join Screecher’s Reach director, Paul Young (Cartoon Saloon), I am Your Mother director Magdalena Osinska (Aardman) and Aau’s Song directors, Daniel Clarke and Nadia Darries (Triggerfish) to discuss the making of the episodes, each of which will be screened as part of the event.

Other events announced so far include special screenings of The Inventor and Philharmonia Fantastique, both presented by director, Jim Capobianco of Ratatouille fame, and a host of workshops including a session where members of the public can try out voiceover work led by casting director Louise Kiely (Normal People, The Banshees of Inisherin).

As well as this there will be talks exploring the creative processes of sound, from aspects of recording with Windmill Lane, Gorilla Post and Leo Pearson, to sound design and direction with animation studios Turnip and Duck, Pink Kong, Aardman and Triggerfish. Irish composers will be well represented over the weekend, including the Screen Composers Guild who will give audiences a rare fly-on-the-wall opportunity to see how composers respond to a creative brief, supported by the Screen Ireland Stakeholder Fund. Plus silent-movie score composer, Neil Brand, will take audiences through a whistle-stop history of animation through music.

For second and third-level students interested in a career in the animation industry, the Pathways to Animation strand will offer a suite of talks, portfolio clinics and workshops in partnership with the National Talent Academy for Animation, South East Technological University (SETU) and Technological University of the Shannon (TUS).

There will be an opportunity to spot new talent with the best of this year’s graduates in Irish animation showcasing their work. Kids and teens will enjoy getting stuck into lots of creative workshops, including sketching tours of Kilkenny, all led by artists from Cartoon Saloon and Lighthouse Studios. Both studios will also open their doors for guided studio tours to give audiences a glimpse of where the magic happens.

Kilkenny Animated is now in its fifth year, and the intimate festival has quickly established itself as one of the key events on the Irish animation calendar. Its charm lies in its ability to cater to audiences of all ages, and while full programme details are yet to be finalised, it promises to be an action-packed weekend for families, students, creative professionals, and the animation-curious!

Keep up to date with all programme announcements over on the Kilkenny Animated website kilkennyanimated.com.

Kilkenny Animated is core funded by Fáilte Ireland and Kilkenny County Council and supported by Animation Ireland, Screen Ireland/Fís Éireann and the Creative and Cultural Industries Skillnet.