Culture Night takes over Dublin
Written by We know what we’re doing on Friday 21st of September. Do you? It’s the most cultural time of the year with over 4,000 events across Ireland including many in the capital, and it’s all FREE!
It’s time to save the date and call your friends to join you for Culture Night 2018. Lose yourself in the explosion of colour and creativity that is Ireland’s annual nocturnal extravaganza. From Donegal to Wexford, Kerry to Louth, the country will vibrate to the rhythm of dancers, musicians, poets, actors, artists, storytellers and more. This year’s Culture Night marks the thirteenth year with the huge programme now available on www.culturenight.ie
A kaleidoscopic programme is waiting to be seen, so we advise to plan you route ahead. Highlights in the capital this year include Bank of Ireland Cultural & Heritage Centre where you can enjoy the ‘Seamus Heaney: Listen Now Again’ exhibition.
The fun of Culture Night will spill onto the streets of the capital city, with a diverse outdoor programme bringing the magic of Culture Night to a number of public spaces. The Vengabus is coming – Attention Bébé are bringing major party vibes to Meeting House Square with a high-octane set of their patented big-band covers of 90s hits. Nestled between Dame Street and Dublin Castle, Barnardo Square will be transformed with projections and pop-up performances throughout the evening including a selection of short films from Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland. Buried right in the heart of the civic offices on Wood Quay The Amphitheatre open-air stage area will come alive with pop-up performances throughout the evening. Exploring the cultural side of Dublin by foot, bike or bus is made easy with nearly 30 Culture Night Tours which include the Dublin Busking Experience, DoDublin Ghostbus Tour, Learning the Liberties and Dublin Ghost Signs Tours, unravelling stories from Dublin’s past by looking up at its old signs.
DublinTown’s very own street ambassadors will be on hand with Culture Night volunteers in our tourist kiosks on Stephen’s Green; Suffolk St and North Earl Street; to help you get around on the night.
Audiences in the capital can travel with a ‘cultural edge’ on the night thanks to transport partners Dublin Bus and Iarnród Éireann Irish Rail. Dublin Bus will provide FREE buses every 20 minutes starting on Bachelor’s Walk, Pearse Street, Aston Quay and Eden Quay bringing visitors to and from their favourite cultural quarters. In Cork, Bus Éireann will provide three complimentary bus routes to cater for those on the cultural hunt and Iarnród Éireann Irish Rail is offering 100 family passes for travel on Culture Night.
Visitors to Dublin Airport will have the chance to experience talks on the history of the airport and explore the ‘Creative Journeys’ art installations in partnership with NCAD and Business to Arts; Experience an evening of storytelling and conversation in the beautifully restored 14 Henrietta Street and discover what life was like in this Georgian Townhouse turned tenement dwelling through a taster tour of the newly opened museum; twice Oscar-nominated Brown Bag Films will host family friendly workshops and activities led by their very own Emmy Award-winning Director Marten Jonmark; Taking Flight invites families to take part in aerial movement workshops and later witness a spectacular circus arts performance by the Taking Flight group; and one of the first charitable hospitals in Dublin, Dr Steevens Hospital (1784), is opening its doors on Culture Night to allow visitors a sneak peak at its outstanding Edward Worth Library and their ‘Mystical Creatures’ exhibition.
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. Episodes will be available to download across all platforms and from www.culturenight.ie on the morning of Friday 21st September, helping to whet the appetite for all the fun-filled activity that lies ahead that night.
Once again RTÉ partners with Culture Night to deliver remarkable performance and experiences across the evening. The famous, flagship “Dublin Castle gig” is crossing the river this year and it’s breaking all kinds of new ground.
