Once again, the entire city will be positively electric with excitement, with over fifty very special and unique cultural events happening across multiple venues for Culture Night on Friday September 22. Experience entire street transformations, innovative theatre, candlelit concerts and visual arts. Learn new skills including sign language, juggling, origami, boatbuilding and even try your hand at the harmonica! Gain a better understanding of Galway’s growing international communities including Spanish, African and nomadic cultures. Events run all day and into the night in our ‘Culture Night Late’ programme. All activities are available completely free of charge supported by the Arts Council and Galway City Arts Office.
Ruth Mulhern, Arts Officer encourages all audiences to participate in this annual celebration. "Galway City Culture Night is a diverse celebration of the arts and culture in Galway, something our City is truly renowned for. Culture Night is a fun evening where venues throw open their doors, our artists and communities showcase their talents and celebrate culture. The streets will be alive with music, theatre and spectacle."
Transforming city streets
Middle Street will be transformed into a multicultural Gaeltopian metropolis of the future, bursting at the seams with culture and life. Éalú le Grá are transforming the Cornstore into an interactive display of installation art, design and lighting showcasing a selection of Galway’s most respected DJs and performers.
Get ready to dance your heart out in Galway’s Westend! The Crane presents a lively Irish Céilí under the open sky, as a talented live band fills the air with traditional tunes. There will be open air film presentation by Margerite Darcy in ‘The Hidden Valley’ in Woodquay and Ardán present an open-air public screening featuring a programme of short films Ro X Art will celebrate local pride and youth culture in Millenium Park, this street art workshop will introduce engaging visual art to the community.
Music for everyone
Stephen Carroll and Lorna Salmon will lead Galway City Chamber Choir and University of Galway Choral Society to perform choral music concert by candlelight at St. Nicholas’ Collegiate Church for ‘Symphony of Flames’. There will be another special concert at The Town Hall Theatre with celebrated opera singer and Galway native Aimee Banks who has performed from The National Concert Hall to Carnegie Hall and beyond. There will be a concert of Baroque favourites at St. Augustine Church, featuring music by Vivaldi, Bach and Turlough Carolan featuring violinist Sinead Hayes, cellist Eszter Cetinceviz and organist Ramin Haghjoo.
Renowned Galway acapella group The Baytones will perform in many venues including University Hospital Galway, in the Latin Quarter and Galway’s Westend. Over at the Ol’ 55, a celebration of Spanish heritage will be underway for Culture Night featuring Flamenco music, song and dance with Galway-based Spanish troupe Flamenway.
Theatre
A bold and exciting evening of new writing and experimental performance featuring Galway’s freshest artistic talent and a selection of works-in-progress from Galway Theatre Festival is happening in their ‘Scratch Night’ event at the Bank of Ireland Theatre. Where else but at Culture Night could you expect to enjoy a fun, experimental theatre experience featuring a menu of 30 plays all to be performed in just 60 minutes at ‘Ah Sure Look it’ in Woodquay with Aoife Delaney Reade? ‘Theatre for Change’ examines the question of identity using three colourful maps as an interactive installation, asking participants to identify where they feel that they truly belong and why.
Poetry
As the Decade of Centenaries draws to a close, Galway City Museum and UCD Library unite for special evening of history and poetry commemorating the pivotal moments that defined Ireland a century ago. Also, visit the Museum for a chance to experience the ‘Poetry Jukebox’, a free sound installation featuring poetic reflections on a range of historic events including the 1916 Rising. There is an opportunity to hear celebrated poet Rita Ann Higgins read her poetry and to bring participants ideas to life through poetry with a special interactive workshop.
Learn new skills and immerse yourself in many different cultures
You can learn some sign language and also learn about the history, culture and identity of the Galway Deaf Centre and the Galway Deaf community for ‘Deaf Culture and Identity’ at the GDC. ‘Creative Communities’ present a celebration of Galway's multicultural community including a round table artists talk followed by a multicultural celebration with performances, music, dancing and refreshments. Ten different nationalities come together to celebrate food as a way of nourishing, understanding, integrating and celebrating each others culture through the universal medium of food.
In Westside, The Galway Traveller Movement and Misleór Festival of Nomadic Cultures present artists from nomadic cultures including Traveller, Roma, Mongolian, Sámi and Australian Aboriginal communities. A Collective of black artists join together at Galway Arts Centre featuring sound artist, DJ, curator, writer-activist Karen Miano, lesbian rapper Cami and musician and spoken word artist Osaro for Afro-futurists Black Magic Rawrr (BMR )
You are invited to explore the history, heritage, restoration, craftsmanship and the unique cultural significance of the Galway Hooker, featuring historical and boatbuilding talks. Learn exciting circus skills and discover talents you never knew you had!
Go behind the scenes at Galway artists’ studios
Many of the City’s art studios throw open their doors to welcome audiences of all ages. Engage Art Studios invites you to meet the artists and enjoy a rare glimpse behind the scenes of the artist studio. Artspace will open their doors for a members’ exhibition at their Liosbán premises. Outset Gallery will be transformed into an immersive art installation featuring indoor murals created by four Irish artists. At ‘Just Art It’, Join visual artist-printmaker Elena Santos will be in conversation with visual artist-painter Peter Bradly, accompanied by an exhibition of Peter’s work.
Family friendly events
There are multiple fun, family-friendly events happening throughout the city including an entire programmes of events at the Galway Aquarium featuring music, the Ad Hoc Choir, marine tours, voice workshops, Seanòs singing and a scavenger hunt!
At The Town Hall Theatre, there will be an exhibition celebrating one of Ireland’s leading cartoonists, Galway’s own Tom Mathews. It will mark both the occasion of his 70th birthday and the launch of the 7th annual Galway Cartoon Festival.
You can ‘Dream of Nature’ with Friends of Merlin Woods, experience an original outdoor performance of theatre, music and songs in celebration of Merlin Woods and the wildlife characters who inhabit this natural woodland environment. Galway Sports Partnership will host A UV painting workshop followed by 'Glow Games' featuring a lively DJ set, lights, glowing sports equipment for an eye-catching and colourful spectacular.
Truly something for everyone
Experience a live podcast recording of Retreat Comedy at the Flirt FM studios plus drop in for an open tour of the radio studios.
Keep an eye on culturenight.ie/location/galway-city for more information on events.
