While the countdown to Wexford Festival Opera (WFO) 2022 is well underway, the Festival and Datapac have been bringing a small taste of the magic that is Wexford Festival Opera to residents in care homes throughout Wexford this summer. The initiative is part of the Festival’s outreach programme, Synapses.
With the support of technology partner Datapac, the team at Wexford Festival Opera have been screening a documentary film featuring highlights from the 2021 Festival in a number of nursing homes throughout the county, including Wygram, Kerlogue, and Castlebridge Manor Nursing Homes.
By bringing some of the world-class performances from last autumn’s festival to local care homes, Synapses has helped to build deeper connections with the community, giving residents the chance to share their own memories and lived experiences. As technology partner, Datapac is enabling these screenings by providing the technology needed to make it happen, as well as funding and on-the-ground engineering support.
Wexford Festival Opera was founded in 1951 by a group of local opera enthusiasts and to this day volunteers play a vital role in the festival’s continued growth and success. Ever further building those connections in lots of different ways is a key priority for the festival team.
These visits are just the start of the relationship the Festival is building with these local care homes. From the connections made, and with support from Datapac, the Festival will continue to engage with the residents through further activities, visits, performances, and invitations to events in the lead up to Wexford Festival Opera 2022, which runs from 21 October – 6 November.
Datapac is a long-standing partner of both Wexford Festival Opera and the National Opera House.
Speaking of the initiative, WFO Executive Director Randall Shannon said: “As a major partner in our outreach programme, Datapac works collaboratively with us to find new and innovative ways to stay connected to our community. This is an important part of our work and I have enjoyed giving residents a glimpse of last year’s Festival and hearing their own memories.”
Dan Kickham, Chairman, Datapac said: “With our roots in Wexford spanning forty years, Datapac is proud to support Wexford Festival Opera’s wonderful outreach programme as the Official Technology Partner. By harnessing the power of technology, Synapses plays an important role in helping to strengthen the links between communities and the world-renowned cultural icon that is Wexford Festival Opera. We’re delighted to deepen our own connection with both the Festival and the National Opera House and we’re looking forward to another fantastic programme of events in 2022.”
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