In partnership with the Irish Aerial Dance Festival, ISACS offered Jessica Leong a bursary to attend Week 1 (13th-18th July) of IADF 2026.
The bursary included a fully funded festival pass, accommodation and €300 towards transport and living costs.
Hear what Jessica had to say about their experience.
I really enjoyed my first IADF experience and it really exceeded my expectations. It was so nice to be a student again and have the opportunity to immerse myself in a full week of learning. I met so many wonderful people and made new friends and connections from all over the world. Being surrounded by full-time artists was incredibly inspiring, especially as I make the transition to self-employment. It gave me the chance to have honest conversations with people who have built sustainable careers in the arts, ask questions about their experiences, and see first-hand that there are many different ways to make this path work. As someone at the beginning of that journey, it made becoming a full-time artist feel much more realistic and achievable, and gave me greater confidence in taking that next step.
I also had the chance to try apparatuses I wouldn’t normally have access to, including the cyr wheel and I discovered that I would like to explore more of dance trapeze. The festival gave me the opportunity to step outside my comfort zone, develop new skills, and connect with an incredibly supportive community. The organisation of the entire event was excellent as well. The application process and overall experience was easy and incredibly generous and I cannot be more thankful and grateful to have gotten this Bursary!
