Meet the Festival Team

Festival Director

Jess Harkin

Jess is a Galway-based theatre maker and creative producer. As a producer, she champions emerging artists and is passionate about building sustainable opportunities for theatre-makers in the West of Ireland. She is also Co-Artistic Director of WTAF!? Festival and HystERia Productions. With Hysteria, she produces bold, new and innovative works made by local and national artists. Alongside producing, Jess creates her own theatre work, often using voice, movement, immersive and digital to explore identity, memory, belonging and grief.

Festival Producer

Tonya Lenhart

Tonya is a Galway-based theatre artist and anthropologist whose work focuses on collaborative and devised performances, playwrighting, producing, and stage managing. Her anthropological curiosities have manifested into a craft of working with, and relating to, others through cultural connection, specifically storytelling to explore humanity through a dramatic lens. Over the years, Tonya has worked for numerous companies across Ireland and the UK such as Baboró, Blue Teapot, and Rosán Sensory Adventures. She is the Lead Producer at Circus250 which is dedicated to creating high calibre circus work of meaning for their collaborators, audiences, and participants. Tonya received her BA in Sociocultural Anthropology (2016) and her MA in Theatre Practice and Production from University Galway (2020)

Production Manager

Marie Hegarty

Marie Hegarty is an experienced theatre worker with a background in technical theatre and event coordination. She holds a Postgraduate Diploma in Event Management and a BA in Drama, Theatre, and Performance Arts. Marie has worked in-house as a Venue Technician at Project Arts Centre, and Deputy Technical Manager at Mermaid Arts Centre, overseeing logistics, technical operations, and artist support. She has provided cover for Galway Theatre Festival's previous Production Manager and was Production Assistant for Dublin's Saint Patrick's Festival.

Finance Manager

Trish O'Malley

From Dublin with family origins in the West Over 20 years of experience in Office Management, Administration and Accounts Passionate about the Arts Involved in the Event Industry for 10 years and working with West of Ireland Arts Festivals for the past 5 years

Marketing Manager

Noel Minogue

Noel is a theatre practitioner and arts marketer based in Galway, currently working as marketing manager for Galway Theatre Festival. In addition to his work with GTF, Noel is also the Marketing Manager for Branar and the Co-Director of Púca Productions, a Galway-based theatre and events company. Noel attained a Masters in Drama and Theatre Studies from the University of Galway in 2021 and a Bachelors inComputer Science and Information and Technology degree from the University of Galway in 2020. He was a young curator for the 2024 edition of the Lasta Festival for the Town Hall Theatre, Galway.

Box Office & Volunteer Manager

Mars Duignan

Mars Duignan is a facilitator, artist, poet and writer, working across a variety of festivals in Galway City. They are a co-producer and founder of The Oil Slick, Scéalarious and FuseBox Comedy.