Some of the highlights of AKA Kilkenny

The AKA festival boasts a jam-packed line up of events at locations across Kilkenny - here are some of the highlights for the week ahead.

Visual art & craft
This year offers another eclectic programme for audiences and visitors between August 8 and 18.
The visual arts and crafts strand includes new exhibitions from Blackstack Studio, Made In Kilkenny, Mary H Hickey, Bettina Norton, Jade Butler, Eoghan O’Driscoll, the collective at the Kilkenny Arts Gallery, Ellen Duggan, Marie Langton, John O’Donoghue, Phyl Cleere, Liselott Olofsson, Tony Oakey and many, many more.
Liselott Oloffson exhibition “Bearing Witness to Violence Against Women” is currently on display upstairs at the Watergate Theatre. Inspired by radio reports in April 2018 about the violent deaths of women in Ireland, some of them as young as 14.
Liselott is conveying findings on this issue from the Women’s Aid Report 2017 through ceramics and other materials. This work draws attention to the situation that many women face every day in Ireland.
Kilkenny Potters Market is on this Saturday and Sunday from 10am to 6pm on the Parade.
Potters and Ceramics Artists from all over Ireland will be displaying and selling their work on the Parade for two days only. This is a perfect opportunity to meet the makers and purchase a wide variety of high quality pottery and ceramics.
Not Everything in Life by a collective from the Irish Wheelchair Association opens in Ormonde College at 2pm.
A selection of portrait and landscape photography in both black and white and colour taken by the photography group at the Irish Wheelchair Association in Claddagh Court Kilkenny.
Eoghan O’Driscoll opens his new show at Langton’s this Friday at 6pm.
This year Eoghan will show 15 new colour oriented expressionist abstracts. The opening will take place at Langton’s Hotel, John Street on Friday, August 10 at 6pm. All welcome.

Comedy & Theatre
Comedy all the way from Brussels for one night only!
The hit comedy night Insecure & Dangereux comes to Ireland for the very first time!
Established in Brussels, Belgium in October 2018, this show has become an over night success selling out in Europe’s Capital!
Bringing you a mix of Irish and international comedians for one night only, this show promises to have you falling out of your chair with laughter.
Tickets on eventbrite.ie and also on the door. The show takes place on August 11 at 8.30pm.

Intercultural Miscellany
This event is on Friday and Saturday at 8pm in the Chapter House at St. Mary’s Cathedral. This multicultural theatrical event consists of four acts of 20 minutes exploring the culture, travails, and the integration of the Polish Community and the African community of South Sudan.

Literature
Two fantastic women driven literary events.
Girls Talk on Thursday - local writers Siobhan Hoy, Helena Duggan, and friends take to the stage again to share stories in the round that will have you laughing, and crying, and maybe even singing along! Cleere’s Theatre at 8pm.
Women Together at Ryan’s Bar at 8.30pm this Friday join Sandrine Dunlop and Niamh Moroney for the third edition of Women Together. Featuring local Kilkenny women performing to raise money for the Women’s Refuge centre.
Top class comedians, poets, and gifted musicians to create a night of beautiful intimate entertainment. All women on stage but all genders welcome to come join in the fun!

Music
Cait Ryan, A Wild Meadow of Song at the Home Rule Club will take place on August 12 at 7pm.
A celebration of the biodiversity of our song culture! Cait will be singing sean nós song, traditional ballads and folk songs from Ireland and beyond. A showcase of the many themes and subjects that our songs explore and how societal and emotional repressions can find a healing voice through song. Bring along a song !
Deep Down Detox this Friday at Ryans. The band are a troupe of musical misfits whose unique style of blues/soul is infectious.
For full details and most up to date schedule of events see www.akafringe.com