The 9th annual Culture Night kicks off this evening at 5pm, with 900 venues across the country participating in the event.
The best cultural organisations in Dublin and in towns and cities nationwide will open their doors for free events, ranging from music and literature to visual art and heritage.
Here’s a taster of what to expect:
Highlights
With over 200 venues involved in Dublin alone, there is something for everyone.
Merrion Square will come alive for the night with Downstairs Dublin. The outside basement spaces of the famous square will feature a series of talks, installations, projections and pop up events, curated by The Irish Times.
St Patrick’s Cathedral daily sung service, Evensong, will take place at 5.30pm, followed by a short concert with the choir boys at 6.15pm - they will perform a light programme (both sacred and secular) including popular favourites ‘Bring me sunshine’ and ‘Hey Jude’. Guided tours of the Cathedral will start at 7pm and run every 15 minutes starting at the West End beside the entrance.
The Broadcasting Authority of Ireland is offering a special cinematic experience and showing film and TV projects, funded by the BAI through its Sound & Vision II Scheme, in a solar-powered mobile cinema - the Sol Cinema - from 5-11pm. There will also be a ‘listening lounge’ in which visitors can sit back and listen to a selection of BAI funded radio programmes. 2-5 Warrington Place, Dublin 2.
There are lots of events taking place at the National Library of Ireland, Kildare Street and National Photographic Archive, Temple Bar for all ages from 5-11pm. Highlights include: face painting and ink tattoos for children; ‘Music and Supper’ in Café Joly, with poetry readings running throughout the night; free advice on researching family history; explore two free exhibitions: ‘Yeats: The Life and Works of W.B.Yeats’ and ‘Dublin Lockout 1913-1916’; visit the beautifully designed ‘Reading Room’. At 6pm and 6.30pm, conservators Gabrielle Vergnoux and Louise O'Connor will speak about the conservation of the Pearse Papers.
Tour de Culture – join a bike Tour of the Heuston/Museum Quarter focusing on Phoenix Park, Collins Barracks and their surrounds. Don’t forget to bring your helmets and your bike.
The world famous Windmill Lane Recording Studios will open their doors to the public for two intimate gigs from top Irish act Relish (first gig starts at 8pm). They’ll be giving tours of the inspiring studios and halls of one of the most important musical landmarks in Ireland's music scene. Tickets for the gig will be given out when doors open at 5pm on a first come first served basis on the night.
The Freemasons’ HQ on Dublin’s Molesworth Street will open their doors, welcoming the public into the ornate and historic building that was built in 1866. Doors open at 5pm.
One of the highlights in Limerick is the Urban Horse: 15 life-size horse sculptures, painted by children and young people on the theme of 'Individuality and Identity', will be displayed on the grassy slopes of the People's Park from Culture Night onwards. Each individual horse is interactive and uniquely decorated, encouraging young and old to participate and enjoy.
In Cork, a young composer has once again been commissioned by Cork County Council to compose a soundscape for Vertigo, the viewing platform on the 17th floor of Cork County Hall. This year it’s the turn of local composer Darragh Kearns Hayes. From 8-10pm.
In Clare, Tic Toc Puppets present Roald Dahl’s ‘The Enormous Crocodile’, a funny and visually stimulating feast for little people, 3-4pm.
From 6-8pm, young members of the Galway Community Circus will be showcasing their talents to the public, alongside professional circus entertainers, in the Wonderful World of Circus! Takes place at St Joseph’s Community Centre, Shantalla.
