KILKENNY - Culture is Catching - Be part of it on Friday, September 21

On Friday, September 21 hundreds of thousands of people will lose themselves in their imagination and an explosion of creativity as the country comes alive for Culture Night, Ireland’s annual nocturnal cultural extravaganza.
Kilkenny is again taking part and the programme in Kilkenny is available on www.culturenight.ie
Culture is catching and each year Culture Night brings people together to create unique shared experiences and memories. All for free.
From generations of families consuming and exploring new night-time adventures to groups of friends enjoying cultural genres they might never have before.
Highlights of events in Kilkenny include: Creative Inspirations at The Watergate Theatre; Festival of Creative Making at the National Design & Craft Gallery; a gig on the Parade Plaza with the Kilkenny Arts Office; an Evening of Music, Prose and Poetry at the Heritage Council and Get Some Ink at Blackstack Studio.
This year the Parade will be alive with the sounds and flavours of the street, with poets, choirs, bands and DJ’s.
The Kilkenny Arts Office invites you to treat yourself to gourmet Taco’s from the Bula Bus and hot chocolates from the Truffle Fairy as you watch the young poets from the Rhyme Rag Ensemble, listen to Kairen Caine and the Unity Singers, then shuffle your feet to the beats of the se7en inch collective.
There are workshops for all the family, for example Blackstack Fine Art Print Studio are providing a drop in workshop where you can come and go as you please.
They will have Tote Bags and sketch books at the ready and you can try some live, hands on printing.
National Design and Craft Gallery
The National Design and Craft Gallery will be hosting a Festival Of Creative making where adults can enjoy a glass of wine and entertainment; while children roll up their sleeves and explore their creativity through inventive and exciting techniques.
These workshops are inspired by their current exhibition OBJ: Digital Handmade, works by Irish and International makers.
Butler Gallery
The Butler Gallery celebrates Culture Night by hosting a series of Make, Respond and Listen events that are inspired by their current exhibition I Smelled A Raw Recruit; The World War Films of Mary Reid Kelley and Patrick Kelley. Visitors will get to MAKE their own artwork; Respond to the exhibition with others at the response space; Listen to Kilkenny and Irish Poets at a poetry performance event hosted by renowned poet Colm Keegan.
Moneenroe
Travel to Moneenroe, Castlecomer to experience something different at the Moneenroe Community Hall where Clogh Writers celebrate the local community through words, dance, music and song. Clogh writers welcome the local and wider community to come along and enjoy the event.
Other venues to visit include Rothe House who have many events in store such as Traditional Irish music by Comhaltas and “a night at the museum”, where the curator at Rothe house has chosen some magnificent pieces from the Kilkenny Archaeological Society’s hidden collection.
The Heritage Council hosts an evening of music, prose and poetry the Medieval Mile Museum opens its doors for free to the sounds of ancient instruments and voices raised to the rafters.
Kilkenny City Library celebrates the historic winning of the right to vote with the Mná Na hÉireann road show who will present two exciting talks and a musical evening not to be missed.
If you want a more hands on experience why not go to visit KCAT Arts Centre where they will be an evening of painting portraits in oils and watercolour, no experience is necessary and all materials will be provided.
For more detailed information on these events and to find their locations on the map please visit https://culturenight.ie/ and select Kilkenny in the location menu.
The Arts Office will be distributing Culture Night Kilkenny brochures nearer the date to all the above venues and they will also be available at the Arts Office, 5 Dean Street. Be part of Culture is Catching.