New Festival Director Announced

Sligo Baroque Music Festival are pleased to announce the appointment of their new artistic director, mezzo-soprano Sharon Carty. Sharon will take up the role after this year’s festival, succeeding Nicola Cleary who has been director since 2019. We would like to acknowledge the immense impact of Nicola’s time as artistic director, as well as her unwavering dedication and commitment to enriching the cultural life of Sligo and the region during her tenure, and we are delighted that she will remain on the committee. We look forward to welcoming Sharon and to working closely with her for future festivals. We especially look forward to her Opera After Dark performance for SBMF in conjunction with the Hawk’s Well Theatre for Culture Night on September 20th at 10pm in the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Sligo.

In addition, we are also delighted to announce the establishment of the Sligo Baroque Music Festival Chorus, a choral group which will meet monthly in person and perform centrally in the festival going forward. This project is a pilot scheme with funding provided thanks to Sligo Business Improvement District, through the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media Night Time Economy project budget, of which Sligo is one of 9 pilot towns and cities across Ireland. The chorus will be chosen and directed by Sharon Carty, the incoming artistic director for SBMF.

Speaking about the appointment, Sharon said “I’m honoured and excited to take on this new role with Sligo Baroque Music Festival and spend more time in this beautiful county. It’s particularly special for me as my family roots are here. This festival is a jewel in the music and festival scene of the northwest of Ireland, and I can’t wait to continue to build on the incredible work that has been done by Nicola and her team. I am particularly looking forward to establishing our very own Festival Chorus and working closely with singers in the region in the run up to my first festival in 2025”.

Sharon Carty with Nicola Cleary at the 2024 Festival launch