UP TO 20 cities, towns, counties and islands across the land are to engage in a one-day blitz of activities on Friday, September 24th, to mark Culture Night 2010.
Participating regions include Dublin, Belfast, Galway city, Oughterard, Derry, Cork, Limerick, Waterford, Wexford, Sligo, Mayo, Wicklow, Kildare, Kilkenny, Laois, Westmeath, Letterkenny, Kerry, Carlow, Leitrim, Roscommon, and, for the first time, Gaeltacht regions.
Among the popular events lined up on the night, which is now in its fifth year, will be painting, poetry, dance, opera, traditional music, architecture, history and theatre.
Dermot McLaughlin, chief executive of Temple Bar Cultural Trust and organisers of Culture Night, said: “Everyone working in culture and the arts in Ireland has faced huge economic and other challenges in the last year. Yet despite these difficulties Culture Night has expanded from 11 regions last year to 20 in 2010 and many new venues have been added to existing regions which is a testament to the resilience of Irish culture, creativity and the arts.
“We all recognise the value that Culture Night brings to communities and neighbourhoods all over Ireland, and the benefit it also brings to the cultural venues that take part in Culture Night.”
The gates of Leinster House will be opened for the third year in a row between 5pm and 11pm with members of the public being invited for an evening of culture and entertainment.
Visitors on the night will enjoy guided tours of the Oireachtas which will feature access to the debating chambers of both Dáil and Seanad Éireann, a walk through the historic corridors of the Houses of the Oireachtas and view the chambers of the Oireachtas committee system.
Specialist events elsewhere will include a “Walk by the Graves” of famous Irish icons at Dublin’s Glasnevin Museum and Cemetery, an exploration of the work of more than 30 local and visiting artists in Oughterard, a night of Contemporary Chaos dance in Limerick, a trip on the Culture Music Bus in Sligo and an impromptu Haiku competition (a form of Japanese poetry) in Mayo, to name some of many.
“Have you got the Opera factor?” will be one of the highlights in Carlow town while in Athlone, party leaders Brian Cowen, Enda Kenny and Eamon Gilmore will appear in 15-foot tall puppet-form as they interact with the crowds.
A record 132 cultural venues in Dublin will open their doors for Culture Night including the Irish Museum of Modern Art, Light House Cinema, Freemasons’ Hall, National Museum of Ireland – Natural History, the Custom House, Quakers Meeting House, Irish Film Institute and the National Leprechaun Museum in St Mary’s Abbey, Jervis Street.
Dublin Bus will provide free buses along three culture trails from 6pm to 11pm on the night. Buses will leave every 20 minutes from bus stops at Bachelor’s Walk, Aston Quay and Trinity College transporting visitors to outermost venues.
According to Dermot McLaughlin, the line-up of events will appeal to all ages. “We expect approximately half a million people to be engaged with Culture Night this year and there’s plenty of room for everyone.”
Culture Night is supported by the Department of Tourism, Culture and Sport in partnership with the regional arts offices and local authorities and partners including Fáilte Ireland and Dublin Tourism.
See culturenight.ie
HIGHLIGHTS CULTURE NIGHT 2010
CORK
A number of workshops will take place at the Glucksman Gallery. Join in workshops to create your own record cover, take in fun and informal tours of the current shows, and participate in the "Glucksman Exhibition Challenge", a visual quiz where answers are to be found somewhere in the gallery.
GALWAY – OUGHTERARD
45 venues in Oughterard will display works by more than 30 local and visiting artists. Painting, sculpture, ceramics, patchwork, felting and more will be on show.
LIMERICK
A collection of work by Irish artists with French connections will take place at the Hunt Museum. There will also be a musical recital, childrens art workshops and costume workshops.
SLIGO
Children can make their own book at the Kids' Own Travelling Library, the first library in Ireland that houses books made exclusively by children.
The library provides children with access to books made by their peers and engages them in book-making activity within the library.
WICKLOW
Greystones Arts Group will complete a huge canvas in public while being accompanied by Mozart's
Eine Kleine Nachtsmusik, presented by Greystones Orchestra Ensemble, and
Moving Tunes, by Music Together.
KILKENNY
A tour of National Craft Gallery Exhibitions Embracing Technology and Jewellery is Life will take place in the Castle Yard.
A Fiery celebration of the Autumn equinox will also take place.
WESTMEATH
A guided tour of Belvedere House and gardens outside Mullingar with general manager Bartle D'Arcy will take place.
KERRY
An evening of chamber music will be held in the drawing room of Muckross House in Killarney.
GALWAY CITY
Druid Theatre will return to the landmark event of the Synge Cycle by screening
Riders to the Seaby John Millington Synge at the newly refurbished Druid Theatre on Druid Lane.
There will also be unlimited access to the newly refurbished theatre space and rehearsal rooms.
ROSCOMMON
Strokestown House will host three special candlelit tours of the house where the public can enjoy the history of one of Ireland's finest Georgian mansions as the "previous inhabitants" re-enacting their daily lives, room by room.