IMAGE Weekender: The very best Culture Night events taking place tomorrow

A night dedicated to celebrating culture, creativity and the arts while promoting the belief that this rich and varied culture is alive, treasured and nurtured in people’s lives, today and every day, Culture Night is right around the corner once again.

Events are taking place on both a large and small scale in cities, towns, villages and rural locations nationwide, and the best part? All activities are made available to the public free of charge thanks to the support of the Arts Council and local Authorities across the island of Ireland.

However, you are required to book your place at the majority of events, and the sheer vast variety of ways you can spend your evening can make selecting your trail quite the undertaking. Whether it be hybrid, online, through Irish or in the flesh, here are just some of the standout Culture Night highlights taking place on Friday 23 September…

Read Mór at Kent Train Station – Cork

Kent Station, Lower Glanmire Road, Cork

The Read Mór gifting project is part of the Arts Council’s 70th anniversary programme and passengers will have a ticket to the furthest reaches of their imagination from one of 21 different books by Irish based authors and publishers. Taking place at stations around the country, Cork’s Kent Train Station will begin at 4PM with a Book Conductor presenting books to passengers from their library trolley. Passengers are encouraged to share the joy of reading when they have finished their book and re-gift it to another.

Open Rehearsal – Donegal Youth Orchestra

The Regional Cultural Centre, Port Road, Gortlee, Letterkenny, Donegal

This family-friendly event kicks off at 5.30PM at the Regional Cultural Centre in Letterkenny, and those in attendance will get to enjoy a rehearsal from the Donegal Youth Orchestra as they work with their conductor, Vincent Kennedy from Dublin. An opportunity to see one of the leading conductors in Ireland at work with a group of talented young musicians from across Donegal, everyone is welcome at this Culture Night event.

Charlie Byrne’s Annual Reading – Galway

Charlie Byrne’s Bookshop, Middle Street, Galway

Taking place in the beloved cultural landmark that is Charlie Byrne’s, this now traditional Culture Night literary gathering invites readings by every author living in Galway who has had a book published in the past twelve months, and provides a great snapshot of an ever-evolving literary scene across the county. Bringing writers to the attention of the very broad Culture Night audience, this evening activity is a carousel event, where audiences can come and go at intervals over the course of the night as writers read a short selection.

Acid Granny | Pop-Up Performance – Dublin

7 Capel Street, North City, Dublin 1

Armed with a shopping trolley soundsystem, Acid Granny devise surreal ambulatory performances in collaboration with passers by in the urban landscape of Dublin City. Sampling from overheard conversations and wielding a precarious assemblage of mini synths, drum machines and potato wedges, the outfit improvise happenings in public spaces which engage the immediate environment and reflect the condition of the city today. These hypnagogic moments pose site-specific questions to the audience on themes of day-to-day life, folklore, urban legend, famous figures, and personal stories.

Woodcarving with Sculptor Evgeny Chubatyy – Online Event

Since not everyone can make it out to their local town or nearest city to embrace the cultural excitement, there are also a number of online events to choose from, including this fantastic woodcarving event with sculptor Evgeny Chubatyy. In a pre-recorded film shot in his studio, Chubatyy will demonstrate the process of creating a small-scale sculpture in wood. The footage captures the different stages of creating the work and hopes to bring carving wood sculpture to a wider audience.