Taking place on Friday 20th September, this year’s Culture Night will follow last year’s extraordinarily successful night, where 1.2 million people participated in over 1,700 free cultural events around the country. Here’s what’s on!
This year, Culture Night aims to be even more inclusive, accessible and diverse while showcasing the best of both the traditional and evolving arts in Ireland! Events will take place in every county, and in both urban and rural spaces.
There is a large choice, with events ranging from a postcard exhibition in Ryan’s Bar in Kilkenny, to traditional music in Down Syndrome Tipperary, hip hop performances across Limerick city, and David Gray and Colm Mac an Iomaire performing on Sceilg Mhicil. A series of events running late into the night will also take place, ensuring there’s something on for everyone, at any time!
Celebrating Culture Night
There are many ways for people to Culture Night, whether you head out with family or friends or want to stay in and enjoy events on TV or radio. Audiences can check the Culture Night website to find out about accessibility and about what will suit them, from among the thousands of free events taking place in villages, towns, cities, villages and countryside late into the night. The first step to finding out how to Culture Night is to go to www.culturenight.ie.
Highlights
Events will continue to be added to the Culture Night programme between now and Friday, September 20th. Highlights from around the country, for all ages and interests include:
- Rock the Block in Passage West Cork promises an evening of entertainment with music from two Cork bands, indie/folk music from Sonyx and The Alkove playing original rock blues music.
- In Clare, Songs and Stories from the Spa will provide an evening of song, stories, dance and art at the Pavillion, Lisdoonvarna. Performers include renowned storyteller Aindrias De Staic, singers Kathleen Malone and Theresa Garrihy, musician Pat Dowling and there will be a special performance from the residents of King Thomond Direct Provision Centre.
- Down Syndrome Tipperary hosts an evening of traditional music with a twist. Audience members can expect Abba songs with an Irish twist as they take to the stage in Thurles.
- In Dublin, Culture Night explorers are invited for a peek behind the scenes at Pavee Point Traveller and Roma Centre for ‘Life on a Camp’, where travellers will demonstrate some of the traditional skills needed for camp life at the outdoor event featuring recipes from ‘Pavee Peck’ a cookbook by Traveller women. Visitors can also enjoy a special film and performance of Traveller songs.
- Also in the capital, The Goethe-Institut is delighted to host LIE NING for their Irish concert premiere. The Berlin-based musician, model, dancer, art director and LGBTQ+ and POC ambassador. Their sound seamlessly navigates indie, soul and R’n’B, delivering timeless pop moments.
- In Kilkenny, Ryan’s Bar is hosting an exhibition of 151 postcards. They date back to the 1890s and will be on display with unique stamps and postmarks, along with people’s stories and images of Kilkenny city and county.
- Roscommon hosts the window exhibition The Light From Here where visitors can view original mixed media prints that are inspired by plants, and learn about the mental health benefits of seeing and being around plants.
- Claregalway Castle in Galway will come alive with enchanting fairy folk, pixies and goblins as the young dancers of Youth Ballet West entertain with a performance of Faerie Dances.
Culture Night Late
Once again Culture Night Late returns with a series of events running later into the night than previous years, and many into the early hours. Highlights from this year’s Culture Night Late programme include:
- Hip Hop on Stage, an event to celebrate all five elements of hip hop culture – DJing (Turntablism), MCing (Rapping, Singing & Beat Boxing), B-Boying (Breakdance and Street Dance), Graffiti (Street Art Murals) and Knowledge – in venues across Limerick including The Church, Dance Limerick, The Commercial and The Record Room.
- In Cork, Cruthú Cois Farraige (Creation by the Sea) at Sirius Arts Centre, is a multifaceted event featuring workshops, classes and education followed by a vinyl DJ and live electronic music performance, accompanied by bespoke visuals.
- At Culture Night on Moore Street in Dublin, TASCQ (Traders in the Area Supporting the Cultural Quarter) celebrate the diversity and heritage of the historic street and North Inner-City Dublin with an Afro-Brazilian-Irish music and dance collaboration and a late-night market, embracing unity through the universal languages of food, music and dance.
- In Listowel, the Kerry Writers’ Museum invites people to Theatre of the Hearthstone. Inspired by the Irish Rambling House tradition and its sense of togetherness, people are encouraged to gather around the hearth for an outdoor cultural extravaganza in Listowel’s Georgian Square. The event celebrates the rich culture of North Kerry and the diverse culture of new communities living in the region.
- In Galway City, An Croí Óir, an outdoor theatre performance will take place at the Spanish Arch with Fíbín Teo.
Additionally, following on from the success last year, the Arts Council’s book-gifting project Read Mór is back for the third year. This year, the Arts Council is partnering with the Irish Prison Service on Culture Night to gift a curated list of titles from Irish and Irish-based authors within all prisons nationally.
Live Broadcasting Options
Looking to stay in? RTÉ is once again proudly supporting Culture Night, broadcasting live across radio, television and online from multiple regional venues from 7pm on Friday 20th September.
RTÉ One and RTÉ Player will broadcast a music and arts extravaganza featuring the RTÉ Concert Orchestra. David Gray and Colm Mac an Iomaire’s performance will be broadcast live from Sceilg Mhichíl. Villagers, Joe Chester, Gemma Hayes and Edwina Guckian will also perform as part of the RTÉ show.
RTÉ Radio 1 will broadcast a Culture Night Arena live special outside broadcast from the Mermaid Arts Centre in Bray, with music, chat and performance. RTÉ 2FM will broadcast a night of live music in the Róisín Dubh Galway which will include a selection of Irish music acts from 2FM Rising. 2FM’s The Tracy Clifford Show will come live from Galway and join up with Beta Da Silva, who will host a three-hour live broadcast.
For more information on Culture Night and to keep up with new additions to the programme, go to www.culturenight.ie!
