Ireland’s dedicated street arts and spectacle event, Spraoi International Street Arts Festival, has announced its new public fundraising drive. The creators of Waterford’s premiere summer event are inviting festival audiences to become stakeholders by donating to Spraoi.
The annual Spraoi Weekend attracts local, national and international audiences. Joyous mayhem is unleashed by a cast of international street performers presenting hundreds of free performances over three days, August 2nd, 3rd, 4th.
Festival Director T.V. Honan says, “During the festival SPRAOI will offer people opportunities to become stakeholders by donating via QR codes on signs throughout the city centre on the weekend. In addition – from today onwatds, people will be able to donate at anytime on Spraoi.com.
We have noticed that since COVID-19, the way people donate to events and causes has changed. We are a much more ‘tap’ and ‘online’ society. Spraoi is adapting to this and we are saying to people “If you are enjoying the festival donate via our website: Spraoi.com”.
Our collectors will also be on the streets where you can donate cash or tap, but donating online is the best way to secure Spraoi Festival’s future.”
For over 30 years SPRAOI has been central to the arts scene in Waterford. The festival has created outstanding original parade productions and it showcases street artists from around the world. Spraoi attracts cross-generational audiences that flood Waterford streets with a weekend feel-good street party atmosphere.
T.V. adds, “SPRAOI is a not-for-profit organisation. This year’s festival will cost €375,000 to present. We guarantee every single Euro donated by the public will end up delivering entertainment on the streets. Donations enable us to present world-class arts for all – it is a celebration of creativity, community and culture which is made accessible to everyone – and if you think about what it costs families to attend other attractions – a donation to Spraoi represents brilliant value for money.
The festival is delivered by way of funding, sponsorship and through public fundraising support like ‘DONATE to SPRAOI’ and it is also delivered so spectacularly because we have a great alliance of volunteers who help the paid artists, who are marshals, who take to the streets with fundraising buckets and more, and we are grateful to them.
So, for SPRAOI to continue to deliver this world-class festival the ask is simple, it is asking the people of Waterford and all of those who love SPRAOI to ‘DONATE to SPRAOI’ – they can do this online at www.spraoi.com at any time or during the festival weekend in Waterford City.”
