Huge range of activities on offer for Culture Night

Culture Night returns on Friday, September 19, with a range of free public events across Westmeath.

The annual celebration of arts and creativity takes place all evening and late into the night. It aims to promote a rich and varied culture which is alive, treasured and nurtured in people’s lives, today and every day.

This year’s programme features a diversity of artistic disciplines. Supported by the Arts Council and local authorities across, all the activities are available to the public free of charge.

The Culture Night website listed almost 30 Westmeath events (on Friday evening last).

Columb Barracks, Mullingar hosts adaptive art workshops between 4pm and 6pm. They will demonstrate a range of activities, tools and techniques for additional needs artists.

An evening for all is the name of an arts, creative writing and wreath making event. Running from 5.30pm to 8pm, its starts with a painting class under the guidance of artist Caithriona Devine, where participants will get lots of individual attention at Devine Art Studios, Mullingar.

From 7pm to 8pm participants will create a Celtic head wreath, then florist Eilis presents a demo. At the same time a creative writing workshop given by the best selling author Lorraine Murphy.

The annual exhibition by Mullingar Art Room members opens at the Greville Arms Hotel (see separate story). Some pieces from ‘Faoin Aer Art’ festival in Belvedere will be on display and all pieces will be available for purchase. The artists will be on hand to discuss their work. It takes place at the Greville Arms Hotel, Mullingar between 6pm and 9pm and it continues on Saturday and Sunday.

The paper character workshop invites the public to craft their own paper characters as charming props for storytelling. Design, colour and decorate a little character using markers, pencils, fabrics and other mixed media. This event hosted by visual artists Teresa Doyle and Claire Guinan takes place in Moate between 4pm and 5pm.

The Shambles Art Studios Art Exhibition at Bigmeadow, Athlone, is a perennially popular Culture Night exhibition. It is an open studio at Arus Brid, Excise St, Athlone, where they will exhibit new and experimental work not previously shown at the Shambles Art Studios. It runs from 6pm to 9pm.

Traditional Music, Song and Dance at Halligan’s Pub is the Ballynacargy Comhaltas contribution to Culture Night. Promoting Irish song, music and dance, with refreshments available on the night this event is open to all who enjoy the traditional arts (8-10.30pm).

The Kilbeggan Players will unveil their next production, at St James’s Hall from 7pm; the evening will include a mini play and theatre warm-up activities, and there will be tea, coffee and chat.

There are events at the Westmeath libraries, and more are being added to the list at culturenight.ie.