From digital beginnings to live stages: The evolution of a festival
Since its founding in 2019, Now and Then Media (NATM) has grown into a cornerstone of Ireland’s early music and film scene, producing live events, audio recordings, and video documentation of music and dance performances. Over the last five years, NATM has expanded its portfolio, producing an impressive range of narrative films and documentaries. At the heart of this evolution is the Limerick Early Music Festival, which co-founders Vlad Smishkewych and Yonit Kosovske have nurtured into a thriving annual event celebrating the timeless beauty of early music.
A festival built on passion and precision
Organising the Limerick Early Music Festival is no small feat. According to Smishkewych, preparations begin at least a year and a half in advance. “We always are working about a year and a half to two years ahead,” he explains. “We want to make sure we’re prepared for everything in the right way, that there are no last-minute snafus.”
Beyond logistics, securing funding is a crucial part of the process. “We’re very grateful to the Arts Council, Limerick City and County Council, and the Limerick Arts Office for their support this year,” he says. The festival has also welcomed new funders, such as Acción Cultural Española, in response to its growing international reach. This year, Spanish artists will take the stage, adding a multicultural dimension to the event.
From booking hotels for performers well in advance to ensuring seamless event execution, the festival operates like a well-oiled machine. “By the week before, it’s already like a train that’s gathering speed. You don’t get in its way, but you make sure there’s nothing on the tracks,” Smishkewych notes.
Storytelling from the past and present, from across Europe
Limerick City’s festival of music from ages past returns for the week after St. Patrick’s Day from March 18 – 23.
Now in its fifth year, this year´s Limerick Early Music Festival is ‘Scéalta – Stories’. Stories as in the magical stuff of history as well as the core of current events. Read more >>
From a pandemic-era dream to a Limerick institution
The festival’s origins can be traced back to the launch of NATM and its H.I.P.S.T.E.R. (Historically Informed Performance Series, Teaching, Education, and Research) initiative. Initially, there were no concrete plans for a festival in Limerick, as early music events already existed in Galway and East Cork. However, COVID-19 forced a shift in approach. “We were about to launch our series in March 2020, but then everything shut down,” Smishkewych recalls. “We had to cancel our performances, so we asked artists to record videos instead.”
That pivot towards digital performances laid the groundwork for what would become the Limerick Early Music Festival. With restrictions still in place, the 2021 edition took place entirely online. By 2022, the festival held its first live edition, met with overwhelming enthusiasm. “People loved it,” says Smishkewych. “They said, ‘Oh my gosh, you’ve brought something that we wanted for so long.’”
Since then, the festival has gone from strength to strength, marking its fifth year in 2025. With the continued support of early music enthusiasts and local musicians, Smishkewych and Kosovske have carved out a unique cultural space in Limerick.
What’s in store for 2025?
For this year’s festival, one highlight is set to be the closing concert, featuring Carlos Núñez, a globally celebrated Galician bagpiper. “He’s kind of the Jimi Hendrix of bagpiping,” Smishkewych says with a laugh. “He’s performed in massive venues, but he also has a deep love for medieval music.” Núñez’s strong connection to Ireland—he previously played with The Chieftains—makes this a particularly special event for festival-goers.
Another highly anticipated performance will blend early instruments with contemporary music, featuring harpsichord, baroque violin, and even an egg slicer. “Clavichord and egg slicer—watch out for that one!” Smishkewych jokes.
Building an audience for the future
One of the key challenges of early music festivals worldwide is ensuring their longevity by attracting younger audiences. While early music has traditionally appealed to an older demographic, Smishkewych is passionate about making the genre accessible to all. “Who would we like to come? Everybody,” he says.
He points out that young people have responded enthusiastically in other parts of the world. “I’ve seen teenagers sit in the aisles, completely enraptured by the sound of a viola da gamba,” he shares. “That’s the spirit we love.”
The festival actively seeks to engage diverse communities, incorporating elements like puppet-making for children, a Baroque n Roll concert for younger audiences, and collaborations with Ukrainian and Polish musicians. “We hope that everybody feels very welcomed—because they are,” Smishkewych emphasises.
Looking ahead
Despite already marking five years, Smishkewych and Kosovske are only just getting started. “Some festivals in Ireland have been around for 30 years,” he notes. “We’re halfway into a decade, and we plan to keep growing.”
One of their key ambitions is to decentralise early music in Ireland, ensuring that events aren’t solely Dublin-based. “We love Dublin, but sometimes people think everything happens there,” he says. “We live here in the West, and we’re happy to make it happen here.”