NAVIGATOR Artist in Residence Kasia Eliasz announced for Courthouse Arts Centre, Tinahely, this May 2026

IMC’s Navigator Jazz Residency programme was established in 2021. Since then 27 musicians have enjoyed bespoke residencies through venue partners Ballina Arts Centre, The Source Arts Centre Thurles, An Grianán Theatre in Letterkenny, Riverbank Arts Centre Newbridge, Courthouse Arts Tinahely, Garter Lane, Waterford and the Crescent Arts Centre, Belfast. For the 2026 edition, we welcome the esteemed Triskel Arts Centre, Cork into the fold.

NAVIGATOR offers jazz and improvising musicians professionally remunerated time and space to develop and perform work, while building creative and professional relationships in new locations.

Kasia Eliasz is an award-winning musician and performance director with a practice spanning theatre, multisensory performance, and sound. Her work integrates live performance, music, storytelling, creative movement, and visual arts to create inclusive and culturally diverse projects. Ahead of her Navigator residency, Kasia said:

“I’m delighted to take part in the Navigator residency and to use this time to develop a new interactive project for children inspired by the roots of jazz and blues. My work explores how live music, storytelling and participation can create meaningful connections, and this residency gives me valuable space to deepen that practice. At this stage in my artistic journey, it feels especially important to create work that is musically rich, accessible and engaging for young audiences.“

Kieran O’Toole, Artistic Director at the Courthouse Arts Centre, Tinahely said;

“We’re looking forward to welcoming Kasia Eliasz to the Courthouse Arts Centre for this year’s collaboration with IMC. Allowing artists the freedom to develop creatively and personally within our space and the wider Tinahely community is very much part of the vision of The Courthouse. Working with IMC to facilitate this residency is a unique example of how venue, promoter, and artist can come together to further shared creative goals.”

The NAVIGATOR residency programme is part of IMC's commitment to further develop the national scene for jazz and improvised music, improve artist touring mobility, develop audiences nationwide, and develop creative opportunities and fruitful new relationships for musicians.

Further NAVIGATOR artist residencies will be announced in due course.

Kasia Eliasz: kasiaeliasz.com
An Grianán: courthousearts.ie