Poets Meet Painters 2025: A Creative Gift to Kenmare

Each August, the streets of Kenmare come alive, not just with colour and song, but with an atmosphere that feels both timeless and freshly inspired. One of the most distinctive threads woven into this vibrant tapestry is Poets Meet Painters, a unique cross-disciplinary event that brings the written word face to face with the visual arts.

Now in its 15th year, this celebrated initiative, run by Mill Cove Gallery and the Carnegie Arts Centre, is more than a poetry competition. It’s a living, breathing expression of Kenmare’s creative soul.

A Celebration of Local Spirit and Global Talent

This year’s edition saw nearly 200 poets from across Ireland and beyond submit original works in response to a curated selection of Irish visual art. The result? A stunning anthology of 20 poems, each one a personal and poetic reaction to a painting, capturing everything from the quiet melancholy of rural scenes to the wild joy of abstraction.

For Kenmare, this isn’t just about showcasing talent, it’s about inviting conversation, fostering creativity, and connecting people. Visitors are welcomed into the cultural heart of our town, while locals find their own stories reflected in new and surprising ways.

An Evening to Remember

On 10 August 2025, the Carnegie Arts Centre hosted the live readings and awards ceremony. The room was filled with warmth, applause, and curiosity. For many guests, it was their first time experiencing poetry as a performance. For the poets, it was a chance to connect deeply with both audience and artists.

And for Kenmare? It was a powerful reminder of the kind of town we are, open, artistic, and willing to celebrate beauty in all its forms.

Cultural Tourism Done Right

Events like Poets Meet Painters are vital for towns like ours. They draw visitors who are seeking more than just a scenic view, they’re looking for experiences that are authentic, thought-provoking, and rich in meaning.

It encourages longer stays, repeat visits, and deep engagement with our local businesses, cafés, galleries, bookstores, and hotels all benefit from the festival’s gentle ripple effect. But more importantly, it fosters a shared cultural identity—where artists, guests, and residents are all participants in something magical.

Art as Community

The greatest beauty of Poets Meet Painters lies in its accessibility. It’s free to enter, free to attend, and open to everyone, regardless of background or age. Whether you’re a lifelong Kenmare local or a first-time visitor from halfway across the globe, you are welcome. You are part of it.

In a world that sometimes feels too fast and disconnected, events like this allow us to slow down, to notice, and to reflect together.

Looking Forward

As Kenmare continues to grow as a cultural destination, initiatives like Poets Meet Painters set the tone for what’s possible. This isn’t just an event, it’s a movement. One that reminds us that creativity belongs to all of us, and that our small town has a big heart for the arts.

Here’s to another year of poetry, painting, and the enduring power of expression in art.

Kenmare Art Festival