A dynamic digital stage for one of Ireland’s most distinctive festivals.
Kilkenny Arts Festival needed a website that matched its ambition: an artist-led, internationally recognised festival with a rich heritage, yet its digital presence didn’t reflect this. The existing experience lacked depth, struggled to engage users beyond ticket purchase, and didn’t fully support emerging priorities like online programming, international reach, and community storytelling.
We addressed three core challenges:
The festival occupies a unique space, blending classical roots with experimental work, and intimacy with global ambition. We restructured the site architecture and content to express this duality, creating a platform that feels both sophisticated and approachable. The visual design of the website aligns with the brand while elevating their visual tone.
Previously, the website functioned mainly as a listings and ticketing tool. We transformed it into a living stage, supporting online events, post-show content, artist stories, and social interaction. This shift increases dwell time, deepens engagement, and positioning the festival as a year-round presence in the international arts community, rather than a seasonal event.
The festival needed to attract international visitors, new artists, and younger audiences while reassuring an existing, older base. We designed a responsive, accessible experience that balances clarity (for ticketing and safety information) with discovery (for programming and artists), ensuring relevance for all user groups.
The result is a scalable, Craft CMS-powered platform that reflects the festival’s ethos, supports its growth ambitions, and strengthens its position on the international stage.
A strategic design consultancy helping organisations untangle complex services and websites so they work better for everyone.
Have a project we could help with?