ANN McDERMOTT, FLive Chair

Welcome to the 12th FLive festival – a celebration of the Best in the West; the people, the creativity and the place … writers, artists. musicians and film makers with local connections including John Kelly, Carlo Gébler, Richard Pierce, Clara Tracey, Gaby McArdle, Michael Raphael Donnelly, Gerard McGourty, Samantha Jones, Hambly & Hambly and Siobhan Ferguson. Brian J Falconer will be home to present his first feature film, the award winning, DIG and the festival will premiere The Quiet Shuffling of Feet, a documentary about Enniskillen resident David Bolton. 

Headlining guest groups include Ladies in the Blues from Dublin and from Switzerland, Hillbilly Moon Explosion. The festival kicks off with a festival launch on September 20th, following a visit to selected art exhibitions on the Culture Express train, the festival will be well and truly launched with jazz music from the Bob Quick Quintet, Gerarda McCann and Linley Hamilton, while chef Manu Maricheaux will be dispensing wine and cheese.

FLive is much more than a series of events – it is a combination of the efforts of many individuals and the generous support of local businesses and funders … and we sincerely thank you all. And this is YOUR festival, we depend on you to make it a success, so come along, take part & join in the fun!

 Ann McDermott 

Chair Fermanagh Live Arts Festival 2019

Roisin McDonough, Chief Executive, Arts Council of Northern Ireland

This year the National Lottery celebrates its 25th anniversary, and it is thanks to the Lottery that the Arts Council is able to provide funding support to arts organisations which are bringing entertaining, inspiring and enriching arts experiences to people and communities across Northern Ireland. We are truly delighted to support this year’s FLive and the opportunities it offers for audiences to enjoy this great showcase of arts by the excellent artists and performers of the region.  

Noelle McAloon, Enniskillen BID Ltd

Enniskillen BID are delighted to continue to support F LIVE Arts Festival 2019 .The exciting and action packed programme brings huge benefit to our Enniskillen Town and District. Particularly this year we are looking forward to seeing the performance from the creative collaboration between F live , BID and Big Telly Theatre Company with OUR ISLAND TOWN,FLOATING WORLD Themed Creative Shop will ‘pop up’ on 9th September to oct 6th in Castle Buildings, 1 Paget Square leading into F Live Festival weekend, to entertain, enthuse and Inspire"

Betty Brown President of The Royal Ulster Academy

Congratulations to Fermanagh Live Arts Festival on another inspiring Festival programme of Exhibitions and performances and every success for 2019. Delighted to see fellow artists Julian Friers PPRUA and Rosie Mc Gurran RUA participate this year.A very warm welcome to you all to our Annual Royal Ulster Academy Exhibition at The Ulster Museum, Belfast with our accompanying Talks, Tours, Masterclasses ,Artists spotlights and Events programme suitable for all ages from Oct 18th to Jan 5th 2020.

ADRIAN DUNBAR, Actor and Cultural Champion

”I love the whole idea of the Fermanagh Live Arts Festival ...I know the hard work and effort that goes into making a festival like this and I applaud those lovers of the Arts who feel they can give of themselves so wholeheartedly so that their friends and neighbours might encounter a little beauty in their own home town. Continued success for FLive 2019. Lots of love A x

Prof. MPS Varma OBE

 Shane O Mara-Professor of Experimental Brain Research at TCD has stated that walking “repairs our brains, lowers our blood pressure……..and allows us to be creative and better at problem solving.” I would suggest that involvement with the arts would have much the same effect on the body, and in addition, people who have an interest in the arts are less prone to depression and anxiety, with an increase in positive emotions, and improved wellbeing. It has also been demonstrated that music in particular helps patients with dementia, and it has been shown to boost the immune system, and reduce inflammation, thus aiding healing, and improving medical outcomes.

Lauri McCusker, Director of the Fermanagh Trust

The FLive Arts Festival has been fantastic – engaging and enjoyable with a fantastic range of events and activities for people to participate in. Thanks for opening the heart and mind to possibilities and fueling our imaginations.

John Boyle, Director of Business Development, Waterways Ireland

Waterways Ireland is once again delighted to be associated with the FLive festival.  The Erne waterway, as a central resource within Fermanagh, has so much to offer in terms of recreation, culture, heritage, education and the arts. Over the past number of years FLive has showcased the waterway to a new audience and opened it up to an increasingly diverse range of participants.  We look forward to even greater numbers participating in the 2019 programme and also to hosting some of the events of the festival in our headquarters.  We wish the festival every success.