Music, crafts and more feature on Culture Night calendar
Seven events are listed (at the time of writing) for this year’s Culture Night in Westmeath, which takes place on Friday September 18. Two are in Castlepollard; two in Moate; two in Athlone and one in Mullingar, and booking is required for some of the events.
Tea towel recipe
The Tea Towel Recipe Workshop is being run by Mullingar Gathers at Cúige Studios, 6-8pm. Artist Emma Noonan will guide participants through the process of transferring a recipe to a tea towel to create unique keepsake pieces.
Tea Towels and all materials are provided, but don’t forget to bring along your favourite recipe.
The workshop is aimed towards adults but children are welcome to join – provided they are accompanied at all times.
As part of Culture Night this workshop is funded by The Arts Council and tickets are free, but spaces are limited so booking is essential! Booking can be done via Eventbrite.
Seisiún ceoil
Bí páirteach in oíche lán de chraic, ceol agus rince le CCÉ Clann Lir! Beidh seisiún ollmhór ann ina mbeidh ceoltóirí, rinceoirí seit agus ar an sean-nós, amhránaithe, filí agus seanchaí i láthair. Fáilte roimh cheoltóirí, idir óg agus aosta, teacht agus seinm ar an oíche. Tapaidh an deis triail a bhaint as uirlisí ceoil traidisiúnta a sheinm nó foghlaim rince ón múinteoir a bheidh i láthair ar an oíche. Inseoidh seanchaí roinnt scéalta agus dánta leis an slua freisin. Ag deireadh na hoíche, beidh tae, ceapairí, cáca agus brioscaí ar fáil. Ná caill amach ar oíche thaitneamhach do chách!
The Clann Lir CCÉ branch are running a massive session featuring musicians, set and sean-nós dancers, singers, poets and storytellers. Musicians of all ages are welcome to come along and play; and non-musicians are offered the opportunity to try their hand at traditional instruments or to learn a dance from the teacher present on the night. Refreshments will be served.
The event takes place at St Michael’s Church in Castlepollard, 7-8.30pm, and booking is not necessary.
Art journal workshop
‘Pause’, a creative art journal workshop is an event for which booking is necessary (0860527171). Participants will start with an A3 sheet, which they will fold, cut and tape to create journals. The event is being facilitated by Deirdre Clogher Art, 5-7pm in Castlepollard. It is suitable for all ages.
Moate events
Booking is also required for the Art Box mosaic workshop (4-6pm) at Tuar Ard Arts and Enterprise Centre in Moate (086 2036091). Families are invited to enjoy a relaxed, hands-on workshop where children and adults create mosaic artworks together using ceramic tiles, glass gems, recycled materials, and a variety of textured pieces. Participants will explore simple mosaic techniques while designing their own unique artwork to take home.
Also running in Moate, and facilitated by Claire Guinan Arts (4-5pm) is a ‘Make and design your own kite’ workshop, aimed at children from 5-8 years of age. Booking is necessary, and can be done via 0879364021.
Athlone
Taking place at Athlone Little Theatre (7-8.15pm), Tullyfin is a 75-minute one-woman performance piece written and performed by award-winning actor Leah Egan. Rooted in Celtic mythology and folklore, the script follows Ali and her mother Evelyn as they return home to Evelyn’s birthplace; the fictional island of Tullyfin. Booking is required via spinsterproduction.com/tullyfin.
On the same evening, the Luan Gallery in Athlone will open until 8pm and present a programme of free events designed to welcome audiences of all ages. Resident artists in Abbey Road Artists Studios will open their studios to the public and Athlone Photography Club will host an exhibition in the community space.
The programme aims to broaden access to contemporary visual art by creating opportunities for people to visit the gallery and studios outside normal opening hours, take part in creative activity and engage with the exhibition through making, conversation and guided interpretation.
Guided tours of Allow to Fallow, Allow to Fall Low, a solo exhibition of newly commissioned work, by Westmeath artist, Fiona Kelly. The tours will give an overview of the artist’s practice and the exhibition’s themes.