Mayor Eamonn Maloney on behalf of the Members of South Dublin County Council will officially open the

FUSED - South Dublin County Arts Festival

In County Hall Tallaght on Saturday 15^th July at 8pm

Opening Concert, County Hall, Saturday 15^th July 8pm

Fused is now in its third year as a county wide arts festival, and returns to celebrate the work of a stunningly diverse range of artists and performers, from international capitals to our own backyard. The convergence of traditional and cutting-edge cultures reaches from Clondalkin to Congo and France to Buenos Aires, and from Hungary to Rathfarnham.

FUSED has become a hit amongst Irish summer arts festivals. Its programme of visual arts, dance, literature, music and film grows more adventurous each year, as it explores the cultural and physical landscape within this county.

There are so many highlights of this years festival, including tonights spectacular start featuring some of Irelands finest traditional musicians and a unique sean ns dancer followed by the airborne circus Mobile Homme by Transe Express outside in the Civic Square.

Theres music every night of the week. Hungarian dance-house band The Kerekes will provide a rich blend of Hungarian, Romanian, Serbian and Turkish folk music. There are family events and entertainments. There are fascinating workshops for children and cultural evenings in the libraries.

Writer in Residence, Dermot Bolger, will launch the anthology, County Lines: A Portrait of life in South Dublin County featuring over 30 writers from the county.

On Thursday in ras Chronain in Clondalkin will host SPOTLIGHT ON AFRICA which is a night of music by Motema. The proceeds for this concert will go to South Dublin County Councils Ethiopian Partnership Project.

For the first time for FUSED we have a specially commissioned new work THE BANQUET by Daniel Figgis which will be performed in the Basketball Arena next Saturday, It promises to be a radical promenade performance that re-imagines dance theatre and the spatial dimensions of the National Basketball Arena. It features musical contributions from internationally respected musicians including John Martyn, Roger Doyle, Enda Bates, and others.

Obscured by Architecture, this years visual arts programme which is here in County Hall, Rathfarnham Castle and The Echo newspaper poses the question of ownership of both public artworks and public spaces.

Its a full and ambitious programme by South Dublin County Council and one that couldnt take place without other local partners. The FUSED programme explores mutuality and diversity. It presents challenges as well as entertainment and I would like to ask you all to embrace the spirit of this festival week and join wholeheartedly in participating in order to ensure that the week is a resounding success.