← All events
family · Tuesday 7 July 2026 · 9:30am 
Performing Arts Camp at Watergate Theatre Kilkenny
At Watergate Theatre · Parliament Street, Kilkenny City, Co. Kilkenny
At Watergate Theatre · Parliament Street, Kilkenny City, Co. Kilkenny
A week-long performing arts camp at one of Leinster’s best-loved regional theatres is a strong choice for a child aged 8 to 13 with any spark of creative curiosity. The Watergate Theatre on Parliament Street runs this multi-disciplinary programme across a full week, with five professional tutors guiding young people through dance, movement, music, drama, and a range of other creative activities. It suits children who are already involved in the arts and equally those who have never set foot on a stage but are ready to find out what it feels like.
The camp is designed to be jam-packed rather than passive. Over the week, participants try different disciplines in rotation - so a child drawn to music will also get time in movement sessions, and a natural performer might find they enjoy the creative craft side just as much. The tutors are professional artists working across the disciplines, not just supervisors, which means the guidance is specific and grounded in real practice.
The Watergate Theatre itself is Kilkenny’s main producing and presenting venue, a registered arts charity that runs a full season of theatre, music, film, and comedy alongside its community and education work. The building has a proper auditorium, a gallery, and all the atmosphere of a working theatre - children spend the week in a space that takes the arts seriously, which makes a difference.
The camp starts at 9:30am on Tuesday 8 July. Contact the box office to confirm the daily finish time, the full week’s schedule, and to secure a place.
Kilkenny city sits roughly 120km south of Dublin on the M9 motorway, about 90 minutes by car. From Cork, it is around 90 minutes via the M8 and N8. Bus Eireann runs regular services from Dublin Busaras and Cork, stopping at Kilkenny bus station on Dublin Road, which is a short walk or quick taxi ride from Parliament Street. The theatre is right in the city centre. Street parking is available nearby on John Street and the Bateman Quay area; the city also has several pay car parks a short walk away on Ormond Road and at the Ormonde Hotel.
Parliament Street itself is worth a wander during drop-off or pick-up - the medieval streetscape, Kilkenny Castle, and the Design Centre are all within easy reach of the theatre. There is more to see in Kilkenny and across Co. Kilkenny.
Heading to Watergate Theatre in Kilkenny? Kilkenny has plenty more to see. Read the Kilkenny area guide, find what else is on, and explore the towns and villages nearby.