Yvonne Coughlan
✨ "Art is an open invitation, an ongoing conversation between creators and audiences, professionals and participants, that inspires all to greater things; whether it be excellence in art, or, more notably, better life choices." Yvonne Coughlan.
Writer | Director | Creative Producer | Lecturer | Performer
Creating theatre, film and multidisciplinary experiences that connect people, stories and communities.
About Yvonne
Yvonne Coughlan is an award-winning writer, director and creative producer from Kinsale, Co. Cork, whose practice spans theatre, film, live events, participatory arts, voice, music and interdisciplinary performance.
She is the founder and Artistic Director of RSVP (Red Sandstone Varied Productions), established in 2006, through which she has created and produced work in Ireland and internationally. Her practice includes site-specific and promenade theatre, musical theatre, short and experimental film, documentary, music video, arts participation projects, festivals, community events and live performance.
Yvonne holds an MA in Drama & Theatre Studies from University College Cork and has developed a career that moves fluidly between creative practice, producing, education and arts leadership. She is particularly interested in the meeting point between professional artistic practice and meaningful public participation, creating work in which audiences and communities are not simply spectators, but become part of the artistic experience.
Her work is grounded in a belief that creative participation can build connection, confidence, belonging and positive change.
Current Practice
Yvonne's work has increasingly focused on creative producing, inclusive practice, participation and the development of new work, alongside her continuing career as a writer, director and performer.
She is a Lecturer in Arts Management and Creative Producing at University College Cork, where she works with emerging arts professionals and producers. In 2026 she was involved in the development and production of Retrospect Arts Festival, a free multidisciplinary festival created by students on the MA in Arts Management & Creative Producing at UCC in partnership with Cork Opera House.
Her current creative work continues to combine artistic ambition with community participation, often bringing professional artists and members of the public together within the same artistic framework.
RSVP (Red Sandstone Varied Productions)
Founded by Yvonne in 2006, RSVP is a Cork-based theatrical and creative production company working across:
Theatre and promenade performance
Film and screen production
Participatory and community arts
Festivals and live events
Music and interdisciplinary performance
Workshops and creative development
Voice-over, presenting and performance
RSVP's philosophy is simple:
We are all connected.
The company creates work that bridges communities, sparks curiosity and invites participation. Projects can take place in theatres, streets, festivals, unusual spaces, film locations or community settings.
Yvonne's international work has included projects and collaborations connected with Ireland, England, Scotland, Greece, Norway, Poland, Germany, the USA and Australia, working with artists and creative collaborators across borders.
Recent & Notable Work
An tAthrú (The Changeover) – Kinsale Arts Weekend 2026
Writer | Director | Creative Producer
In July 2026, Yvonne created An tAthrú (The Changeover), a new 50-minute promenade dance performance presented as part of Kinsale Arts Weekend.
Inspired by the ancient Irish Immrama- journeys of transformation -the work turned Kinsale itself into a theatrical journey, bringing professional dancers, musicians, spoken word and community participants together in a moving performance through the town.
The project included two free public workshops, inviting people from different cultural and linguistic backgrounds to contribute movement, voice, rhythm and personal experience.
The professional ensemble included dancers and musicians working across contemporary, ballet and Irish dance traditions, with live fiddle, accordion, percussion and spoken word.
An tAthrú reflects Yvonne's continuing interest in creating work where professional performance and community participation meet, and where audiences can move from watching a performance to becoming part of it.
Hear the Queer Appear – 2026
Creative Producer | RSVP
Yvonne is Creative Producer for artist Yvon Bonenfant's participatory project Hear the Queer Appear.
The 2026 project builds on the earlier The Opposite of Queer Trauma and explores ways for members of Cork's LGBTQIA+ community to be represented in public space without requiring participants to place their own bodies at the centre of the artwork.
The project has appeared in public spaces including Bell's Field, Bishop Lucey Park and Atlantic Pond, creating a visual and participatory constellation representing hundreds of members of Cork's queer community.
The project is supported by the Arts Council / An Chomhairle Ealaíon, with support from Gay Project, Circus Factory, University College Cork and Cork City Council.
The Opposite of Queer Trauma – Cork Midsummer Festival 2025
Creative Producer
Yvonne was Creative Producer for Yvon Bonenfant's participatory vocal art project The Opposite of Queer Trauma, presented during Cork Midsummer Festival 2025.
The project brought professional and community performers together through voice, sound and participatory performance, exploring the possibilities of collective expression and healing.
The production was presented at Dance Cork Firkin Crane and involved a large collaborative creative team spanning professional performers, community participants, sound, lighting, accessibility and production.
Retrospect Arts Festival – Cork Opera House, 2026
Lecturer | Creative Producer / Mentor
In March 2026, Yvonne worked with students from UCC's MA in Arts Management & Creative Producing on Retrospect Arts Festival, a free, one-day multidisciplinary festival at Cork Opera House.
The festival brought together performance, music, storytelling and participatory experiences around themes of memory, identity, connection and community.
Developed from the ground up by 23 postgraduate students, the project provided a practical arts-management experience spanning programming, producing, marketing, audience engagement and event delivery.
Film
Yvonne continues to develop work for screen alongside her theatre and live-event practice.
Two Films, One Vision
Her current film project, developed with filmmaker Maurice Supple, explores two short films created from the same casting process but through radically different creative approaches.
One film, Regret, is a scripted short film centred on forgiveness and has already received multiple festival awards for its screenplay.
The second film develops experimentally from the same casting process, using devised performance and the dynamics between performers to explore another dimension of forgiveness.
The project reflects Yvonne's continuing interest in the relationship between scripted and devised storytelling, performance and filmmaking.
An Étude in Art
Yvonne wrote, directed and produced the experimental silent short film An Étude in Art, which has received multiple international awards, including recognition for directing.
Her screen work also includes documentary, art film, promotional film, music video and participatory filmmaking.
Inclusive Dance Cork
Yvonne is a founding member of Inclusive Dance Cork (IDC) and served as Chairperson of Dance Cork Firkin Crane during the development of the programme.
Originally conceived by Yvonne, Inclusive Dance Cork was developed through collaboration between Dance Cork Firkin Crane, University College Cork, Cork Education and Training Board and Suisha Inclusive Arts / Cope Foundation.
The programme provides training in inclusive dance practice for people with and without disabilities and has become a significant initiative in accessible arts education.
In 2024, the programme received the Community Foundation Ireland Creative Access Award at the Business to Arts Awards, recognising its pioneering partnership and contribution to accessibility and inclusion in the arts.
Yvonne remains committed to creating arts environments in which every body, every voice and every background has a place.
Dance Cork Firkin Crane
Yvonne is Chairperson of the Board of Dance Cork Firkin Crane, Cork's dedicated dance centre.
Through this role she contributes to the organisation's strategic development and its work supporting artists, audiences, education, participation and the development of dance in Cork and beyond.
Her leadership has included a particular focus on access, participation and creating opportunities for people who may traditionally experience barriers to engagement with the arts.
The Lord Mayor's Gala Christmas Concert
Director/ Creative Producer | 2023–present
Yvonne has directed the Lord Mayor's Gala Christmas Concert at Cork City Hall since 2023.
The long-running charity concert brings together professional performers, choirs, musicians, young artists and community groups for a major annual celebration of music and performance.
The 2024 programme, for example, brought together soloists, the Cork Concert Orchestra, youth and community choirs, dance artists and performers from across Cork.
Yvonne's role involves creative direction, programming and bringing together a diverse artistic team for one of Cork's established annual cultural events.
Kinsale Halloween & An Tulca
Festival Producer | Creative Director
Yvonne has been producing Kinsale's Halloween festivities since 2014, developing large-scale participatory celebrations combining theatre, music, spectacle, storytelling, performance and community involvement.
The work subsequently expanded through An Tulca Festival, bringing further participatory arts activity to Kinsale and contributing to the town's distinctive cultural identity.
The projects have involved local artists, community groups, businesses, volunteers and national partners, demonstrating Yvonne's long-standing ability to develop ambitious cultural experiences from within a local community.
Kinsale Youth Theatre Project
Founding Chairperson
Yvonne is a founding member and Chairperson of the Kinsale Youth Theatre Project, supporting young people to explore theatre, performance and creative collaboration.
The project provides opportunities for young people to develop confidence and creative skills through drama, dance, singing, circus and improvisation.
The initiative has been supported through the Creative Ireland Programme and Youth Theatre Ireland.
Performer, Voice & Presenter
Although much of Yvonne's recent work has focused on directing and producing, she also continues to work as a performer, singer, presenter, MC and voice-over artist.
She has worked across stage and screen and is a resident voice-over artist for VisitorFlix Media Group, producing travel and destination video content.
Her performance experience informs her approach to directing: she places particular value on the actor, performer and human relationship at the centre of the creative process.
Selected Earlier Work
Yvonne's body of work extends across more than two decades and includes:
The Haunted History Tour – her first professional production with RSVP, launched in 2006.
A Night on the Town – musical theatre, written and directed by Yvonne.
Irish heArts – a multidisciplinary promenade arts project exploring Irish identity, community and place.
Connections – Make a Film in 4 Days – international participatory filmmaking project.
Captain Wagtail – directed by Yvonne and produced by RSVP, with performances and touring including Kinsale, Greystones, Inis Mór and West Cork.
Before We Say Goodbye – written and directed by Yvonne and presented as a drive-in theatre experience during the Covid restrictions.
Changemakers – short documentary drama created for Kinsale Arts Weekend.
The Easter Trail – Fota House & Gardens – immersive family theatre.
The Magic of Santa – A Victorian Christmas Carol – immersive seasonal theatre at Fota House.
Alongside these projects, Yvonne has directed numerous promenade and site-specific performances, community productions, short films, music videos, documentaries and live events.
Arts Leadership & Advocacy
Yvonne's arts leadership extends beyond her own creative practice.
Chairperson – Dance Cork Firkin Crane
Founding member – Inclusive Dance Cork
Founding Chairperson – Kinsale Youth Theatre Project
Coordinator – National Campaign for the Arts, Cork South West
Lecturer – Arts Management & Creative Producing, University College Cork
Across these roles, she advocates for accessible arts practice, artist development, youth participation, community engagement and the value of creativity in building stronger communities.
Creative Philosophy
At the heart of Yvonne's work is a belief that creativity should be both ambitious and accessible.
She is interested in what happens when professional artists, communities and audiences meet on equal creative ground; when an unusual space becomes a theatre; when a street becomes a stage; when a voice becomes an artwork; or when someone who has never considered themselves an artist discovers that they have something worth contributing.
✨ "Art comes in at the heart." Yvonne Coughlan.
Yvonne's goal is to create work that sparks connection, creativity and courage – artistic experiences in which people feel seen, heard, valued and invited to participate.
Let's Collaborate
Yvonne welcomes conversations with artists, producers, organisations, educators, festivals, community groups and creative partners interested in developing ambitious, inclusive and participatory work.
Whether the project is theatre, film, performance, education, festival production or something that doesn't yet have a name, RSVP is open to creative collaboration.
Yvonne Coughlan
Writer | Director | Creative Producer | Lecturer | Performer
RSVP – Red Sandstone Varied Productions
📧 Email: rsvpireland@gmail.com
📞 Phone: 00353-(0)86-0479228
Media & Gallery
📸 Behind the Scenes & Productions
(Click to explore photo highlights from RSVP previous work!
🎥 Watch: (Videos of past productions and project highlights.)
✨ "My goal is to spark connection, creativity, and courage in communities through inclusive, joy-filled artistic experiences, so that every voice feels seen, heard, and valued.”
Yvonne Coughlan
Promo pics from The Haunted History Tour 2007, A Night on The Town 2018.
Halloween Parade magic in action.
Behind the scenes film making.
Community projects, Seasonal family promenades.
Performance shot We all Mourn, part of Irish heArts 2013.
Photo Credit John Allen Images.
