Because the Bliss project is relatively new, the first event was in February 2012, & sexuality can be a scary topic, people often have many questions about what to expect at an event, so, to help you get a more complete picture of what we're all about we've answered some frequently asked questions here.
If you have any questions that are not answered below then please feel free to email them to BlissFestival@gmail.com & we'll include the answer here.
What's the purpose of Bliss events?
To create spaces & events that offer a holistic exploration of adult sexuality, & to build a community of like minded people in Ireland, & further afield.
Bliss events vary a lot, depending on the event, they may include information & performance, visual arts & workshops, food, experiences & the teaching of techniques, practices & ways of holistically exploring sexuality and much more..... it is our intention to offer all of this in a supportive, open minded atmosphere that is drug & alcohol free, in a beautiful venue/location where we can meet, explore, celebrate, play, talk, share & connect & express ourselves with like-minded adults.
Each event will have more specific information about its unique texture & flavour - no one event is the same as any other, each is entirely unique, even the Summer Festivals have each been quite different to each other!
Bliss events vary a lot, depending on the event, they may include information & performance, visual arts & workshops, food, experiences & the teaching of techniques, practices & ways of holistically exploring sexuality and much more..... it is our intention to offer all of this in a supportive, open minded atmosphere that is drug & alcohol free, in a beautiful venue/location where we can meet, explore, celebrate, play, talk, share & connect & express ourselves with like-minded adults.
Each event will have more specific information about its unique texture & flavour - no one event is the same as any other, each is entirely unique, even the Summer Festivals have each been quite different to each other!
Who's behind Bliss?
Bliss was brought to life with a laptop, an internet connection & 27 years of personal & professional experience in the sexuality, personal & community development fields by Beth Wallace. Beth's experience includes graduate & post graduate training & qualifications, in counselling, psychology, therapy, personal & community development in several countries, mostly in the field of sexual health & reproductive rights, as well as sexual pleasure, through Tantric, Taoist & other practices, she is also a published writer of erotic fiction & regular contributor in the Irish media on the subject of sexuality.
In September 2011 Beth began Bliss, a not-for-profit initiative, with the aim to create events that offer space to explore & celebrate human experience of sexuality in all its' facets & aspects from a truly holistic, embodied & fully integrated perspective - equally valuing freedom, health & pleasure & also the mind, body &, what some call, spirit. The first event was February 2012.
Beth collaborates with many supportive, trained & experienced professional colleagues from many countries around the world, who share the vision, in one way or another, who come together collectively to make the vision of sexual health, freedom & pleasure in mind, body & spirit for all, an embodied reality. To see who else is currently working on the project see the contact page.
What makes Bliss events different to other sexuality events?
There are now, thankfully, many sexuality related events & services of all sorts available in Ireland, from tantra workshops to women's Red Tents, from men's retreats to Jade Egg workshops, from Sexological Bodyworkers to tantra massage practitioners and much more. While it's great that all these events & services are available, many of them focus on just one, or two, aspects of human sexuality, and many of the practitioners offering these events & services are trained in only one aspect of human sexuality, for example just the spiritual aspect, or just the physical, or they perhaps require a set of beliefs that not everyone shares.
What we aim to offer through Bliss events & online resources is a spacious & expansive container for human sexual exploration & expression, one that is as broad and as wide and as deep as human experience itself - this includes the physical, psychological, & spiritual.
Because all Bliss events are curated by Beth Wallace they reflect her very unique, nearly 30 year, experience of formal education, training, & professional & personal practice in the field of sexuality - Beth is undoubtedly one of the most experienced sexuality professionals in Europe. This includes sexual health, psychology & therapy, & several spiritual paths travelled over decades that have sexuality as part of their core explorations & expressions. You can find out more about Beth, her background, experience, & perspective by clicking here. By attending a Bliss event you can be sure that every aspect of who and how you are as a human being has been considered & cared for in some way, and if you don't feel it has been then please, do let us know!
Is Bliss a charity?
Bliss is a not-for-profit project, any profit after expenses from event ticket sales is ploughed back into the overall project.
At Festivals everyone working on the event, including all the presenters, facilitators, teachers & performers all offer their services and skills at no charge to the project, they generally do not receive expenses but do receive free tickets & occasionally complimentary accommodation & meals - they participate because they share the dream, the ethos & the passion of the Bliss vision.
We do not currently receive any corporate sponsorship nor funding but are pursuing it & happy to talk with those wishing to collaborate in that way - if you would like to advertise with us on the website or at events, or develop a sponsorship relationship please email blissfestival@gmail.com - we are delighted to discuss such promotional opportunities with organisations, individuals and businesses in alignment with our ethos.
What sort of people go to Bliss events?
People from all walks of life, many nationalities, all sexual orientations & a very wide age range have attended Bliss events..... those in their early 20s to 70s, men, women, transgendered people, people who choose the identities of gay, lesbian, bisexual & other orientations, single, married, polyamorous, monogamous, celibate, Irish, European, African, American & those from all the continents... there is no ''typical'' Bliss event attender, however, they are usually open minded, curious, willing to explore, & generally pretty nice & open-hearted people! The continual feedback that comes back after every event is how lovely & friendly the people are & how beautiful the community is.
Is there nudity at Bliss events?
At the Summer Festival we ask that in public areas, as a minimum, you wear what you'd feel comfortable wearing on an Irish beach - public nudity is, generally, illegal in Ireland. If an event is being held in a hotel or similar venue then we ask that you adhere to the venue's dress code, which we will clearly inform you of in the event information in advance.
Sometimes a massage or other touch workshop, play-party or similar, taking place in an enclosed private space within a larger event will take place behind closed doors, & as is appropriate with any such workshop or playshop semi or full nudity would be invited, sometimes required, & this is clearly indicated beforehand so that the choice is yours as to whether to attend or not, and, how much to participate - there should be no surprises!
Sometimes a massage or other touch workshop, play-party or similar, taking place in an enclosed private space within a larger event will take place behind closed doors, & as is appropriate with any such workshop or playshop semi or full nudity would be invited, sometimes required, & this is clearly indicated beforehand so that the choice is yours as to whether to attend or not, and, how much to participate - there should be no surprises!
Are Bliss events open to people who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered, intersex?
Yes, most definitely, and proudly, yes! The ''tagline'' for Bliss is ''Sexual Health, Freedom & Pleasure in Mind, Body & Spirit'', what that means, in this context, is that an important part of Bliss events is freedom to be one's self, however YOU chose to identify yourself......
Yes, most definitely, and proudly, yes! The ''tagline'' for Bliss is ''Sexual Health, Freedom & Pleasure in Mind, Body & Spirit'', what that means, in this context, is that an important part of Bliss events is freedom to be one's self, however YOU chose to identify yourself......
Are Bliss events one big orgy?
In a word, no. It is a very common misconception that because sexuality is out in the open & ''on the table'' at our events that sex is going to be happening everywhere & this is simply not the case, in fact, you're much more likely to see public sexual acts taking place at Ireland's large music festivals, or clubs on a Saturday night, than you are at Bliss!
Bliss events are an opportunity to talk, share, learn, discover new skills & techniques, have new experiences, connect with friends old & new, to explore & expand oneself, the goal is not to offer spaces for the sole purpose of people having sex with each other (not that we think there's anything wrong with that!), there are other places & environments which cater to that, that's not what Bliss events are about. That said, at the Summer Festival there is usually some sexual activity taking place privately in tents, just like happens at every other Festival in Ireland & around the world, the major difference being that there aren't recreational drugs or alcohol involved.
Bliss events are an opportunity to talk, share, learn, discover new skills & techniques, have new experiences, connect with friends old & new, to explore & expand oneself, the goal is not to offer spaces for the sole purpose of people having sex with each other (not that we think there's anything wrong with that!), there are other places & environments which cater to that, that's not what Bliss events are about. That said, at the Summer Festival there is usually some sexual activity taking place privately in tents, just like happens at every other Festival in Ireland & around the world, the major difference being that there aren't recreational drugs or alcohol involved.
Some workshops are places, behind closed doors with clear advance information, where touch, sometimes sexual touch, is part of the content of the workshop - for example the teaching of genital massage, this is made clear & detailed discussion & agreement takes place at the beginning of both the workshop around issues of consent & boundaries - every participant is free to choose their own personal level of engagement at all times & we ask that overt sexual activity be confined to private spaces or appropriate workshop spaces.
Are children allowed at Bliss events?
Bliss events are strictly over 18s only to allow adults relax in the knowledge that it is an adults only environment, if your age is in question you will be asked to produce photo ID such as a drivers licence or passport. Bliss reserves the right to refuse entry to all its' events.
Is alcohol available/allowed?
All Bliss events are free from the recreational use of drugs & alcohol so they are equally accessible to everyone, including those in addiction recovery, & fully conscious events. In many countries, Ireland especially, alcohol is used as a crutch to deal with situations & emotions people find difficult, we choose to bring those difficult emotions out into the open. Also, the issue of consent can become blurry when drugs or alcohol are in the mix, and we desire to create as clear & clean a landscape as possible when it comes to consent at our events, while bearing in mind that we cannot be held responsible for the behaviour of individuals at our events & that you, the participant, are responsible for knowing & maintaining your own boundaries at all times. Equally, if clearly stated boundaries are crossed without permission our staff will deal appropriately with the matter, including removing participants from venues & engaging the Gardaí if required.
We ask that you not recreationally consume drugs or alcohol while at an event or return to an event intoxicated - we will ask you to leave. The smoking of tobacco is permitted in designated areas.
Are tickets to Bliss events refundable?
In the, hopefully highly unlikely, circumstance that a Bliss event is postponed tickets are transferable & non-refundable, if an event is cancelled then ticket prices are refundable.
In the event that you are no longer able or wish, to attend you're welcome to post offers of tickets for sale on the event's Facebook page, or to sell or gift them yourself - please email BlissFestival@gmail.com in this event so we can change the name on the ticket in the ticketing system if necessary - in this event tickets are non-refundable as they would not be for any similar event.
Beth Wallace, Bliss Founder & Director, also writes & travels to speak & offer workshops & presentations on subjects relevant to the themes of the project. Upcoming travel includes Lanzarote, the south of Spain, South Africa & Aotearoa (New Zealand) in 2017. If you would like to invite her to speak, write or offer a workshop in those locations, or to request an interview please email info@bethwallace.org
Updated: 02/10/16
