Our Top Free Picks For IMMA’s Earth Rising
It’s that time of year again, IMMA’s Earth Rising Festival is returning to Kilmainham from September 12 to 14, 2025. Taking over the grounds of the Royal Hospital, the festival brings together artists, activists, and curious minds for a weekend of climate-focused talks, performances, installations and workshops. With over 50 free events on the lineup, and a strong emphasis on creativity, community and collective action, this year’s edition promises to be its most ambitious yet. Here are a few of our top picks from the programme. Find the full programme here.
05 The Court for Intergenerational Climate Crimes
WHEN: All weekend,
WHERE: Great Hall, 10am-7pm
One of the most powerful moments at Earth Rising this year is the Court for Intergenerational Climate Crimes. For the first time in Ireland, IMMA’s Great Hall will become a climate tribunal, where the British East India Company is put on trial for its colonial legacy of environmental destruction. It’s part art, part activism, and one you have to see. Catch the live talk with creators Radha D’Souza and Jonas Staal on Saturday, September 13.
04: Breaking Down the Fashion Industry to Grow Something New:
WHEN: Saturday 13, Booking Required, 11.30am
WHERE: The Chapel
This panel digs into the fashion industry’s waste problem and reimagines it through compost, creativity, and circular design. Hosted by DJ and columnist Fionnuala Moran, the panel brings together designer Sarah O’Neill (ZeroWaster), Caitríona Rogerson from Textile Mountain, Zeda of The Art of Styling, and Mark Sweeney from Oxfam, for a deep and practical look at reuse, upcycling, and slow fashion.
There will also be a live mini fashion show curated by Zeda, featuring head-to-toe thrifted looks. If you’re into sustainable fashion, climate action, or just want to rethink how you get dressed in the morning, this is the talk for you .
03: The Wind Laboratory – Alex Cecchetti
WHEN: Saturday 13, 11am and 3pm
WHERE: Meeting Point is IMMA Reception
Looking for something slower, softer, and a little off the beaten path at Earth Rising? The Wind Laboratory is a nomadic natural dyeing workshop that invites you to step outside, get your hands in the soil, and spend time with plants in a completely different way. During the workshop, participants will work together preparing dyes, gathering herbs, dyeing, and laying fabrics out to dry in the open air. This is one for the whimsical.
02: Black Butterflies Premiere
WHEN: Friday September 12, 6.30pm
WHERE: Outdoor Screenings on Living Canvas
One of the most powerful screenings at this year’s Earth Rising is Black Butterflies. This is a moving animated feature by director David Baute is being presented in collaboration with the Dublin International Film Festival and follows the stories of three women from the Caribbean, India, and Kenya. The film traces how their lives are slowly unraveled by the effects of climate change, forcing them to leave everything behind.
01: Change Clothes, Clothes Swap + Upcycling Station
WHEN: Saturday 13, 12pm-7pm
WHERE: People’s Pavilion
Change Clothes is hosting a relaxed Swap & Upcycling Station at Earth Rising, and it’s as straightforward as it sounds. Bring up to five good-quality items, and take what you need. No tokens, no price tags, just clothing being swapped. You can also drop into the upcycling station, where you’ll find tools, materials, and a bit of guidance if you want to repair or rework something. Whether it’s fixing a seam, adding a detail, or trying something new with an old piece, it’s a simple way to make clothes last, and keep them out of landfill.
