The Cork Midsummer Festival group describes their event by saying:
Established in 1997, Cork Midsummer Festival is one of Ireland’s leading international multi-disciplinary arts festivals. It is an annual festival which transforms the city of Cork every June with a programme full of local, national and international events including theatre, dance, opera, music, visual arts and outdoor arts, as well as ambitious participatory projects and an extensive programme of free events.

The Festival presents and produces ground-breaking new work by artists across all art forms. It has developed an international reputation for presenting work in unusual and surprising locations, as well as in the city’s many well-appointed arts venues. Over the past 15 years it has become a catalyst for the development of emerging arts practice in th city, presented a wide range of ambitious and acclaimed arts events across disciplines, and developed pioneering projects involving collaborations between Irish and international artists and organisations.

We are proud to acknowledge that Festival Director Tom Creed and the City of Cork were nominated for the Judges’ Special Award at the Irish Times Irish Theatre Awards for 2012, “for the original and dynamic use of local spaces during the Cork Midsummer Festival”. Cork Midsummer Festival is smart and startling, and captivates a growing audience of all ages. We bring the Festival to people and parts of the city that might be hard to reach. We bring the world to Cork – and show Cork to the world.