CULTURE NIGHT IS tonight, and there are hundreds of events taking place across the country – from visual art to music – to celebrate.
With the Covid-19 pandemic restrictions in place, a lot of the events have moved online, but there are many offline too. Whether you want to see live performances, enjoy some art, or hear the best in Irish storytelling, there’s something for you.
Here’s our guide to what’s on in the East and Dublin.
Enjoy an opera performance by young Irish singers from the comfort of your own home. These singers were mentored at the Wexford Factory – so you could be hearing some of the stars of the future.
Sleepertown is a new public art programme featuring projects from national and international artists. It is a self-guided listening walk that lets people move through Gorey and immerse themselves in art along the way. No booking required.
This online event will see writers Stephen Walsh, Olivia Fitzsimons and Cassia Gaden Gilmartin chat with Helen Meany about how they got through lockdown. They will also read from their works in progress.
A night of poetry and song awaits thanks to this event. This online event will see poets Anne Tannam, Mark Ward, Fióna Bolger and Grace Wilentz taking part in a lively verse round-robin, with music from singer/songwriter BeRn.
This online event will see John Mac Kenna and spoken word artist Feli Olusanya, aka, Feli Speaks create and perform two new spoken word pieces with musical score by composer Grainne Mulvey. It will also feature silent video portraits of a diverse range of people titled ‘Us, We, Ours’ shot across Carlow. In addition, writer Jessica Traynor, visual Artist Katie Holton, choreographer John Scott and composer Tom Lane will create a new performance work for screen in collaboration with members of Carlow migrant community. Performance artist Amanda Coogan will create a series of performance pieces for film in collaboration with women responding to the theme of “Power, Strength And Vision”. Hip-Hop Dancer Tobi Omoteso will perform Breathe, a solo acoustic dance. Finally, Carlow Youth Orchestra Will perform a contemporary composition.
Join the private Facebook group Culture Night 2020 Mindful Photography to learn how to capture photographs mindfully. People can carry out the experience any time during the day.
This offline event will see the Women’s Integrated Network in Athy sharing various dishes from across the world. It will take place at The Arch in Blackparks.
This is an online visual art installation, featuring five short films by emerging filmmakers and music composers. The original project involved projecting the video art onto the external walls of the Ballymahon Library building using a technique called ‘image-mapping’ but due to current circumstances the project had to be moved online.
The Medieval Mile Museum will host an installation which features 3,000 stars woven by Kilkenny volunteers. Amber Women’s Refuge, led by Siobhan McQuillan, initiated a star weaving project in Kilkenny in December 2019 with the aim to raise awareness and provide information about domestic violence.
Available online and offline, this trail encourages people to rediscover the city through fresh eyes. Beginning from the courtyard of Castle Yard and the Butler House Gardens, you’ll walk through Kilkenny Castle Park, Medieval Mile, and the Butler Gallery at Evans’ Home, as well as taking in art at shopfronts, hotels and unexpected locations.
This online gig sees the local folk act Kern performing and streaming the show live on Facebook.
This offline event will involve all-access tours of the theatre. Learn about its history and heritage, and how things work. Advanced booking recommended.
Multi-disciplinary artist Aoife Dunne presents a special online commission by Dublin City Council. It can be accessed online and will see her explore the idea of “societal rebirth”.
Rhona Gouldson and Dr.Archie Chen, are a husband and wife team, concert pianists and directors of the Piano Academy of Ireland. Tonight, along with their delightful children they present a documentary-style variety show of performances, teaching demos and lots of family fun. It will include performances of works by Debussy, a cameo appearance from acclaimed performance Boris Berezovsky, and more.
Join 2FM DJ Tara Stewart for a chat about fast fashion and tackling climate change through culture. Also joining her are Anja Murray (Eco Eye & Nature File), Paula Kehoe (producer, director & writer) and Ailbhe Ni Riain (Climate Ambassador, Irish language radio DJ & band manager).
This is a video-projected collaborative drawing installation which is part of the European Cultural Trail. Use your phone as a drawing pad, at the venue (abiding to social distance & all safety precautions at all times) or from the comfort of your own home. The drawings will be video-projected on the National Gallery wall. The partner venue, the Centre Culturel Irlandais in Paris, will also be showcasing the live drawings on their walls. One for adults and kids.
Waterways Ireland presents this visual journey along Dublin’s Grand Canal, with the screening of the short film Circular Line. Directed by Luke McManus, this film will immerse you in the delights of this stretch of the canal. It also features a soundtrack by Mount Alaska and Sarah Lynch.
In this short documentary film made by the Central Bank of Ireland to celebrate Culture Night 2020, acclaimed artist and designer Robert Ballagh discusses his designing of the “C” Series of Irish banknotes which were in circulation between 1992 and 2002. This was the final series of IR£ notes created by the Central Bank before the introduction of the Euro.
To see the full (long) list of Culture Night events in the East and Dublin, visit the official website.
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