The 27th Annual Westport Arts Festival will run from Thursday to Sunday. The usual week-long programme has been condensed to four days because of serious financial constraints.
Faced with mounting debts and a lack of funding , this year's festival is a "watershed", according to joint-secretary Ms Caroline Loftus.
"We have managed to reduce our debt by fund-raising events throughout the winter, and we've also controlled our spending by shortening the festival," says Ms Loftus.
"The problem is that if we had decided to cancel, some of our grants would have been reduced next year since many sponsors base their grant on the previous year's budget."
Ms Loftus stresses that the picture was not entirely gloomy. Ireland West Tourism had allocated money under an extension of the tourism season programme, which would help the committee devise a marketing plan. This grant had also enabled the committee to set up a website. The core committee was already working on a three-year plan.
"Another recurring headache is that many of the town's hotels, which we rely on to host events, are booked up to two years in advance for weddings and other functions."
She confirmed that, while financial support from local businesses was generous in some cases, a general lack of interest in supporting the festival was a problem.
Despite the problems, the 2002 festival offers a packed pot-pourri of entertainment.
A world premiere entitled "Portraits and People", (daily at the Andrew Stone Gallery, Bridge Street) is an exhibition drawn from the collection of the late artist Derek Hill.
The Bewley's Theatre group's production of Her Big Chance will be preceded by a Galway Youth Theatre presentation of Alien Nations.
The Big Black Magic Band, a 22-piece swing and jazz multi-race band, will challenge the town's dancers at Knockranny House Hotel on Friday.
Over the past two years, a weekly salsa club has become one of the most popular events in Westport. It's no surprise then that the local salseros will be programming a salsa workshop.
Further information and bookings at: www.westportartsfestival.com or phone the box office on: 098-29511