South East Technological University (SETU) presents Sustainability in the Arts Festival 2026
The SETU Sustainability in the Arts Festival is a unique platform that harnesses the power of creative practice to explore and communicate the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Bringing together students from a wide range of disciplines across the university, the festival places sustainability at the very heart of academic and artistic life.
“Actively striving to overcome political inertia and to empower and motivate our students — the future leaders — the festival uses creativity to help communicate the urgency of the crisis.”
The 2026 theme, “Drift: Journeys Across Water and Time”, invites students and audiences to reflect on water as a source of life, resilience, memory, and ecological fragility. From the tidal estuaries of Waterford Harbour to the river landscapes of Carlow and the coastal communities of Wexford, water shapes the identity of our island — and our collective future.
The festival is funded by SATLE (Strategic Alignment of Teaching and Learning Enhancement) and has grown exponentially since its launch — embedding sustainability not just in the curriculum, but in the culture and identity of SETU itself.
Timeline of the Festival to date
2023 — Pilot Year
A one-day event on a single Waterford campus. A proof of concept showing the power of interdisciplinary collaboration.
2024 — Multi-Campus Expansion
A three-day festival across Waterford, Carlow, and Wexford, with N-TUTORR co-funding and new international partners.
2025 — EU-CONEXUS & SATLE Award
Theme: “Land, People, Culture.” EU-CONEXUS partnerships and winner of the inaugural SATLE Impact Award.
2026 — Broadening the Reach
“Drift – Journeys Across Water and Time.” Three campuses, with deeper community roots and new creative dialogues.
EU-CONEXUS Partnership 2026 Festival
This year, EU-CONEXUS is participating in the festival, integrating itself into the festival theme. The Digital Photography Exhibition – Memories, History and Heritage of Coastal Cities showcases the 26 winning photographs from the EU-CONEXUS photo contest of the same name, launched in autumn 2025. Bringing together contributions from across the nine countries of the EU-CONEXUS Alliance — France, Greece, Spain, Lithuania, Croatia, Romania, Ireland, Germany, and Cyprus — the exhibition highlights the rich maritime history and cultural heritage of coastal cities. Participants were invited to creatively capture locations and objects such as lighthouses, bunkers, shipyards, and historic ports, with the aim of raising public awareness of these important sites. The event takes place at the Canteen, College Street Campus, Waterford. All are welcome, and entry is free. The exhibition will also be displayed at the launch of the Sustainability Strategy on the Cork Road Campus.
EU-CONEXUS Partnership 2026 Festival
This year, EU-CONEXUS is participating in the festival, integrating itself into the festival theme. The Digital Photography Exhibition – Memories, History and Heritage of Coastal Cities showcases the 26 winning photographs from the EU-CONEXUS photo contest of the same name, launched in autumn 2025. Bringing together contributions from across the nine countries of the EU-CONEXUS Alliance — France, Greece, Spain, Lithuania, Croatia, Romania, Ireland, Germany, and Cyprus — the exhibition highlights the rich maritime history and cultural heritage of coastal cities. Participants were invited to creatively capture locations and objects such as lighthouses, bunkers, shipyards, and historic ports, with the aim of raising public awareness of these important sites. The event takes place at the Canteen, College Street Campus, Waterford. All are welcome, and entry is free. The exhibition will also be displayed at the launch of the Sustainability Strategy on the Cork Road Campus.
For the full festival schedule and further information, please see here.
Images from 2025 festival
