Clare hosts 43 free Culture Night events

Clare's cultural community will come together next Friday (21 September) to showcase the very best the county has to offer.

Culture Night Clare 2018 will see 43 free, family-friendly cultural events being held throughout Clare over a 10-hour period from 1.00pm to 11.00pm.

This year's programme, which is organised by the Clare Arts Office and funded by Clare County Council and the Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht is filled with free events across the county from Ennis to Ennistymon, and Killanena to Kilkee.

Arts and cultural bodies throughout Clare will throw open their doors offering members of the public a chance to enjoy unique performances and catch a glimpse inside some of the most beautiful buildings and cultural institutions in their area. Highlights of events taking place in Clare include Luka Bloom in Culturlann Sweeney, Kilkee, The Brad Pitt Light Orchestra in glor, Ennis, Simon O’Reilly in The Courthouse Gallery, Ennistymon, and Matthew Noone and Catherine Sikora in The Old School House, Killanena.

Minister for Culture, Heritage & the Gaeltacht, Josepha Madigan TD, said: “we are lucky to have a rich and varied culture in Ireland. Culture Night once again provides people across the country with the perfect opportunity to get out and immerse themselves in it for one evening. Visit a venue you might never have thought of visiting before or surprise yourself and explore a new cultural genre.”

“With a huge choice of venues open from museums, galleries, theatres and studios to libraries, parks and historic buildings, and even more events programmed, I encourage everyone to come out and enjoy an evening of cultural discovery. Whether it’s a one off performance or getting a glimpse behind the doors of our beautiful, historic buildings, I hope people across Ireland will take a little time between now and September 21st to explore the programme and plan your own Culture Night,” she added.

Commenting on this year’s programme of events in Clare, Siobhan Mulcahy, Clare County Council Arts Officer with Clare County Council said, “Over the past twelve years this initiative has captured both the public's imagination and the enthusiasm of artists and cultural organisations in Clare. This year is no different with 43 events planned around the county, including exhibitions, theatre, film, concerts, readings and sessions."

She continued: "Culture Night happens because many people share a vision and enthusiasm for enjoying, celebrating and promoting creativity and culture. It is a fantastic way to encourage more people to visit cultural venues and experience the culture in their locality. It also serves to remind the public of the fantastic resources that we have locally, to raise the profile of cultural organisations, activities and facilities, to showcase the talents of local artists and to encourage people to try new things and help to create a sense of community and belonging."

As ever Culture Night will be online and the culturally curious are encouraged exploring the website this year with added features to plan their Culture Night adventures and routes in advance. New this year will be the Culture Night Podcast, a series of special podcast episodes with contributions from familiar faces and emerging talents in Ireland’s cultural sphere. Produced in association with Headstuff Podcast Network, the podcasts will delve into different facets of culture and the arts, with some leading thinkers, doers and makers exploring the ways in which our cultural heritage enhances our experiences. Episodes will be available to download across all platforms and from www.culturenight.ie on the morning of Friday 21 September, helping to whet the appetite for all the fun-filled activity that lies ahead that night.

Details of the full Culture Night programme for County Clare can be seen at www.culturenight.ie/clare.  For updates, follow Clare Culture Night on Facebook.

Page last reviewed: 13/09/18

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