In The Making Festival | Wednesday April 2nd
In The Making Festival | Wednesday April 2nd
In the Making is a one-day, participatory and multidisciplinary arts festival designed to spotlight and inspire creative exploration and discovery. Taking place in the city’s iconic Cork Opera House on Wednesday, April 2nd, 2025, this packed programme presents a unique opportunity to look inside the imaginations and creative practices of vibrant artists and makers, connecting audiences with some of the distinctive creative processes, inspirations and ideas driving Ireland’s arts scene today. Aspiring to go beyond simply showcasing the ‘hows’ of creativity, In the Making invites audiences to take part and experience firsthand some of the ‘whys’ behind it.
New Work Musical Theatre Showcase
A behind-the-scenes show of exciting, new, homegrown musical theatre in the making!
Welcome to a night of original musical theatre in the making, featuring some of Cork’s finest musical talents. Set in Cork Opera House’s intimate and atmospheric Green Room, this pared-back showcase shines a spotlight on new, Irish-made musical theatre in its infancy. Written by local composers, acts will be followed by talks that reveal the stories and inspirations behind the music, with a distinguished panel of industry professionals providing feedback and guidance about the pieces presented, contributing to the future progress of the work. Unfolding in two parts, the New Work Musical Theatre Showcase promises to be a memorable night full of conversation, music, and storytelling. Highlighting the imagination and skill behind the craft, this event celebrates Cork’s thriving musical theatre scene – and the incredible talent driving it forward.
This event includes a fifteen-minute interval.
Tickets: €12.50
Behind the Drag
A theatrical journey of discovery, revealing the artistry and personality Behind the Drag.
Behind the Drag invites audiences on a theatrical journey of discovery, revealing the artistry and personality behind three of Cork’s most popular drag artists; Lucina Shynning, Abrakedavre, and Mystery. Taking place in Cork Opera House’s Blue Angel at night, artists will demonstrate in real time the creative skills and decisions behind their iconic make-up looks and costumes, sharing character development insights for each of their personas along the way. Witnessing the steps and stages behind the drag process, audiences will gain a nuanced perspective on the craft, with artists breaking down their hows and whys, do’s and don’ts, and the power behind drag as an expressive and personal art form. Richly layered and special, Behind the Drag will leave audiences with a lasting understanding and appreciation for the talent, dedication, and creativity that make this performance style so enjoyable and unforgettable.
Spaces for this event are limited.
Tickets: €15
Tiny Acorns: A Journal Exhibit
A glimpse inside the creative processes of Ireland’s artists.
Tiny Acorns is a multidisciplinary journal exhibition, presenting a curated sample of journals and sketchbooks by artists, creators, and makers from across Ireland in the foyer of Cork Opera House. Shining a light on the generative, exploratory, sometimes messy, and deeply reflective stages of creativity, this exhibition offers a rare glimpse into the personal processes that fuel creative development, revealing the often unseen ‘work behind the work’. Encouraging everyday creative play and contemplation, this event invites viewers to step into artists’ private worlds, exploring unfinished, tender, and intimate ideas, notes, and experiments at their most vulnerable stages – all collected and bound within the pages of a book. The title, taken from the familiar proverb ‘mighty oaks from tiny acorns grow’, highlights the dedication behind individual creative practices. It serves as a reminder of the potential for creative growth and development within us all, nurtured through small, persistent acts of making and thinking.
This exhibition is free to the public.
The Mark-Making Wall
Leave behind your mark on the In the Making festival.
The Mark-Making Wall is an interactive art installation positioned prominently in the foyer of Cork Opera House, capturing and celebrating the creative spirit of the In the Making festival and the experiences of its participants. Embodying both collaboration and personal creative expression, this event invites festival-goers to contribute their thoughts, feelings, and doodles about the creative process and the festival itself throughout the day, responding to thought-provoking prompts, sketches, and comments left behind by some of the event’s talented artists and organisers. Free to engage with and fun for people of all ages, participants will have access to an abundant variety of art supplies provided to inspire creativity, explore texture, and discover new creative materials. Encouraging hands-on engagement and personal reflection, this living artwork will mirror In the Making’s energy, activities, and community in real time, inviting everyone who passes by to immerse themselves in the festival’s atmosphere and leave behind their own unique, creative mark or comment.
This participatory project is free to the public.
Screen-Printing Workshop
Discover and explore the screen printing process, step by step.
In the Making’s Screen-Printing Workshop is a hands-on artistic experience that explores the screen-printing process step-by-step. Taking place in the foyer of Cork Opera House, this free workshop welcomes participants of all backgrounds and skill levels to learn from Waterford print artist, Erina Mooney. A collaborative and inspiring space in the heart of Cork city, this workshop brings participants and artists together to craft meaningful keepsakes that celebrate creativity, community, and Irish heritage, side by side. The perfect platform from which to dive into the process, this workshop offers a safe and supportive environment in which to experiment with printmaking techniques and discover the joy of creating something uniquely yours. Designed to empower personal creative expression, this workshop offers everyone a sense of accomplishment and connection through art-making. By the end, you’ll take home a one-of-a-kind print – and a deeper appreciation for the dynamic artistic process of screen printing.
This event is free to the public.
Perspectives on Interdisciplinary Arts – Panel
Blurring boundaries, sparking ideas – join the conversation.
Perspectives on Interdisciplinary Arts is a discussion panel taking place in the Green Room at Cork Opera House, as part of In the Making – a festival of participation, exploration, and discovery through the arts. Exploring the meaning of the prefix ‘inter’ in the sector, this panel brings together some of Ireland’s innovative artists and arts workers to examine interdisciplinarity through the lens of their own creative practices. Encouraging ongoing reflection through conversation, this panel hopes to present perspectives behind this blended approach to creative expression. Panelists will share personal insights, engage in open dialogue, answer questions, and offer audiences a deeper understanding of what it means to work and create at the intersection of multiple art forms.
This is a free event however registration is required.
Creative Careers: Expanding Work in the Arts – Panel
Join the conversation and discover unique career paths to the arts.
Is being an artist a job? Who is an artist? What does a producer do? Can I work in the arts if I can’t draw or sing? Where do I start? The Creative Careers: Expanding Work in the Arts panel addresses these common questions at the forefront of many young creative minds, exploring overlooked and unconventional career paths within the vibrant and exciting global arts sector. Featuring successful professionals from a range of disciplines, this conversational panel challenges common misconceptions about working in the arts, shedding light on alternative pathways to a career in the industry, and offering insights into the various roles that help shape and sustain the sector – leaving you with this message: If you are interested in a career in the arts, then there is one out there for you. The real question is, how do you want to get there?
Access to this event is by invitation only and therefore, regrettably, unavailable to the general public.
Music Production Workshop
Experiment and unlock the limitless potential of digital music-making to find your sound.
Experience digital music production at In the Making’s step-by-step digital music-making workshop! Whether you’re a complete beginner or looking to refine your skills, the Music Production Workshop will guide you through the process of creating and sharing your own unique sound. Hosted on the Cork Opera House main stage – one of the city’s vital music venues – this hands-on session, delivered by talented music producer Viva Dean, empowers participants to experiment, explore, and unlock their creative potential using insider knowledge and industry-specific technology. Emphasising the limitless potential for creativity and personal expression digital music-making offers, this event invites you to discover and flex your digital music production skills in an energetic, interactive and encouraging environment.
Tickets: €15; €12.50
Instrument Petting Zoo
A menagerie of musical instruments to discover and play.
The world is full of beautiful and exotic musical instruments – not all of which are accessible to everyone. In The Making’s Instrument Petting Zoo offers an opportunity to set that imbalance to rights, believing in the importance of musical expression and knowing that instruments are happiest when being played or heard by as many people as possible. Whether just setting out, or halfway down the path of your musical journey, this free event – set within an enclosure of Cork Opera House dressing rooms – allows for up-close interactions with a variety of instruments, representing a harmonious mix from different musical genres and styles to discover and play. Each ‘pen’ will be populated by different instrument families – strings, woodwinds, percussion, electronic, Irish traditional and all manner of breeds in between. Guided by facilitators, participants are encouraged to select, handle and explore each instrument to their heart’s content.
This is a free event however registration is required, ensuring a comfortable experience for participants and instruments alike.
Film Forum
Sneak a peek at new films in the making – and actively play a role in shaping their development.
Film Forum offers both filmmakers and film lovers a sneak-peek at new films in the making – and actively play a role in shaping their development. Held in the comfortable auditorium of Cork Opera House, this event showcases new works by talented independent creators and student filmmakers. But this is a film screening unlike any other. Between excerpts, digital feedback forms will be made available via QR codes, allowing moviegoers to shape the future creative direction of what they watch. Guided by a series of questions, devised by the filmmakers themselves, attendees are offered the opportunity to provide valuable feedback and offer constructive opinions, with each 5 to 10 minute screening followed by a short window to submit responses and discuss what they have just seen with others. Designed to spark meaningful dialogue between filmmakers and their audience, Film Forum aims to deepen everyone’s understanding and enjoyment of the filmmaking process – promising a one-of-a-kind night at the movies!
Tickets are free, but registration is essential.
Interactive Game Gallery
Step inside the creative process and see how games are made.
Immerse yourself in the world of gaming at the Interactive Game Gallery, a free indie game arcade, complete with creative and technical game design insights! Through this event, audiences will step inside the creative process behind how games are made, exploring and playing new games produced as part of In the Making’s exclusive Game Jam Arcade, hosted online by itch.io. This game jam experience is a celebration of global independent game makers, taking participants on a behind-the-scenes tour of featured games’ creative journeys. With access to game design journals, development blueprints, concept art, and other exciting artifacts of gaming in the making, this interactive event presents audiences with an opportunity to not only play new games, but to look inside the creative minds of game designers – providing valuable user feedback and rating their favourites online as they play! The Interactive Game Gallery on the first floor of Cork Opera House invites participants to think deeply, viewing game narratives, aesthetics and mechanics through both technical and artistic lenses. So play the games, share your opinions, and become a part of the art of game design!
An online version of this event will be made available the week of the In the Making festival, with all submissions free to download and play from April 1st through April 7th.
Spaces are free, registration is not essential.
Character Drawing Workshop
Bring characters from your imagination to life using the power of drawing.
Enter your very own artist’s studio at Cork Opera House through the Character Drawing Workshop – an event designed to help bring imaginations to life using the power of drawing. Guided by an animator, this workshop will teach participants the tips and tricks they need to breathe life into any character. Exploring shape language and developing visual personality through character expressions, emotions, clothing and body language, participants will learn techniques employed by professional animators worldwide. Spanning three sessions, In the Making has invited primary school students as well as adults in collaboration with Age and Opportunity to participate in this event. They will be designing and drawing their own unique characters and encouraging creative expression, exploration, and lifelong learning through the arts. The Character Drawing Workshop equips participants with the tools to become their very own character artist, at home. A close companion to the Character Building Workshop, adult participants will be invited to carry characters from one event to the next, creating a fully rounded experience of characterisation and creativity.
Access to this event is by invitation only and therefore, regrettably, unavailable to the general public.
Character Building Workshop
Write, perform and explore characters to their fullest, straight from your imagination!
With creativity and play at its heart, In the Making presents the Character Building Workshop. Designed to nurture storytelling and performance skills in individuals across demographics, this event invites participants to create, write, perform and explore characters to their fullest. Using props, costumes, elements of playwriting and dramatic performance techniques, this workshop brings characters to life in a fun and accessible way, encouraging self-expression, creative exploration, and conversation on the impressive main stage of the Cork Opera House. With three sessions running throughout the day, In the Making has invited primary school students, and adults in collaboration with Age and Opportunity to participate, offering a tailored experience that unleashes the creativity and excitement of primary school children in the morning, while allowing participants over sixty-five to explore and discuss the narratives and characters they want to write in the afternoon. Sessions have been carefully planned to cater to and complement each participant group, with all sessions including a thirty-minute tea break.
Access to this event is by invitation only and therefore, regrettably, unavailable to the general public.