I would like to congratulate this year’s graduating students and wish them every success with their future creative endeavours. This showcase is a celebration and an important testimony of what they have achieved already.

It is an exciting time for ATU Sligo since we became a Technological University last year. As we integrate with ATU Galway-Mayo and ATU Donegal and incorporate St Angela’s, our vision is that the Creative & Cultural Arts, which are so central in the West and Northwest of Ireland will play a pivotal role in this new university.  Our Yeats Academy of Arts, Design & Architecture (YAADA), which will soon see the completion of refurbishing buildings in the creative hub on the Northern campus, will be a key player in these formative university times.

Sincere thanks to our Yeats Academy staff who provided such a rich educational experience. They encouraged each of our students to develop their unique imagination and creativity to help them acquire the knowledge, skills and experience needed to find their distinctive voice as an actor, architect, artist, designer or writer. I am very proud of what the Yeats Academy, both students and staff, have achieved.

An end-of-year show would not happen without a great team of people on board. A special thank you to our Yeats Academy academic and technical staff who supported the students, our ATU Sligo administration, marketing, communications and estates teams, the award sponsors, our event manager Oli Melia and the YAADA Head of Department Emmet O’Doherty and acting Head of Department Dara Burke. Congratulations to the students on their remarkable achievements and wishing them every success in their future creative endeavours.