CULTURE Night – today, Friday 20 – celebrates Limerick’s rich arts and cultural life with 50 separate events for all the family being held over a five hour period from 5pm.
New events this year include the Red Viking Culture Night Bus Tour, the New Guild of Domestic Cooks Workshop hosted by Occupy Space, the refurbished Heritage Centre at Lough Gur, and the film launch of ’20 Weeks of Change’ from Limerick Smarter Travel.
Events for children and families include Children’s Art Workshops at Limerick City Gallery of Art, Kids’ Arts and Crafts at The Hunt Museum, Jewellery Making Workshop for Children at Contact Studios and Clay Bell Decorations Workshop at St Mary’s Cathedral.
“Towers, castles museums, galleries, theatres, heritage centres, artist studios and other venues throughout the city and county will host a wide and varied array of cultural events for members of the public to engage with and enjoy,” explained Sheila Deegan, Limerick Arts Office. “Limerick has a great number of events to offer on Culture Night 2013, which is an imaginative way for people of all ages and from all backgrounds to access and enjoy the rich cultural offering of Limerick’s arts, heritage and cultural venues”.
The theme of multiculturalism and world music also will be celebrated during Culture Night. As part of the 7th Annual Polish Art Festival in Limerick, members of the Luterick Theatre from Bristol will be taking part in a live street performance show (The Hunt Museum). Jazz and funk band ‘Tongue bundle’ will perform at Limerick City Gallery of Art.
Meanwhile, storytelling, poertry readings and writing workshops will also feature on Friday evening. Limerick Writers Centre will be running two memoir writing workshops in association with The Frank McCourt Museum, 6pm to 7.30pm and 7.30pm to 9.00pm at the Museum.
University of Limerick will host the launch of ‘Forty Tall Tales’, a collection of faerie tales and wonder stories written by children from Limerick Schools and members of the University community. These 40 stories are illustrated by Damaris Smyth and arise from a storytelling event held with local storyteller Greg O’Shaughnessy.
Limerick Printmakers will host printmaking workshops, with a wide range of activities for all ages. The Frank McCourt Museum will be giving guided tours of the museum, and local actors will read from Frank McCourt’s Pulitzer Prize-winning memoir, ‘Angela’s Ashes.’ ‘They’ve Not Gone Away You Know’ is an event focusing on classic poems taught in schools.
A number of writers from The Limerick Writers’ Centre will recite their favourite classic poems outside the Quay Books stand in Arthur’s Quay Shopping Centre from 7.30pm – 8.30pm.
Theatre will also feature prominently this evening. Limerick Youth Theatre presents RAW, featuring work directed and performed by: Limerick Youth Theatre, Fresh Film Festival and Limerick Rockers Cru.
The event takes place Limerick Youth Theatre Studio, The Basement, 73 O’Connell Street from 6pm-9pm. Orchard Theatre will present ‘Swan Song’ by Anton Chekhov, performed by David Collins and Stefan Barry (6:30pm and 7:15pm, Limerick City Library, The Granary).
Conradh na Gaeilge will once again hold their popular Oíche Chultúir sa Chistin, an informal night of Irish tradition, with music, song, dance and of course a cupán tae! Patterns Dance Performance, The Hunt Museum, Rutland Street, Limerick 5.30pm. Enjoy contemporary dance pieces performed by talented artists with intellectual disabilities.
You can email artsoffice@limerickcity.ie for a PDF of the comprehensive brochure or visit www.limerick.ie. Twitter @limerickartsoff
