ON Friday Clare’s cultural community will come together online to celebrate a re-imagined Culture Night. This year’s Culture Night will see a myriad of cultural events held virtually across Clare throughout the evening from 4pm. The programme, which is organised by the Clare Arts Office and funded by Clare County Council and The Arts Council, is packed with more than 25 free online events from across the county from Ennis to Doolin, Kilfenora to Mountshannon, Kilrush to Ennistymon, with an input from New York.
Artist Ana Colomer and storyteller Niall de Búrca have come together to produce an animated tale. Award-winning film, The Story of Johnny McGory, produced by Stray Dog Films, makes its online premiere. Theatrical company, Ballycartoon Productions, screens a segment of its new play by Dermott Petty.
Clare Céilí Band have recorded traditional music sets made famous by the great Clare bands of the past. Aindrias de Staic tells of the stories and scribes of a market town as he brings us on a virtual tour of Ennistymon.
A studio session recording by Mike Butler, Aidan McMahon and Michael Landers will bring new traditional tracks to the online audience. Budding artists will have the opportunity, from the comfort of their own home, to take part in an interactive drawing class with artist Marie Connole.
Tommy Hayes and Matthew Noone of AnTara present their online musical dialogue with New York-based Indian pianist, Utsav Lal, which will be chaired by Lyric FM’s Carl Corcoran.
From the heart of Mountshannon, a live stream will deliver a miscellany of music and spoken word. Members of Inis Cathaigh Comhaltas will entertain virtually. There’s a chance to see artist David O’Rourke’s video footage taken in Ennis during lockdown, as well as a short art film by artist Caitriona Sheedy. Jenny Basset brings her online court drama, WikiLeaks on Trial, where the audience is the jury.
While kids can look forward to a science workshop in their own kitchen.
The Irish Traditional Music Archive and Clare Arts Office present the premiere of Duala, an audio-visual film installation by Jack Talty and Maurice Gunning. Examining the sense of place and identity through the lens of Irish traditional music and song, this 25-minute film weaves archival footage alongside original music and videography. This event takes place at glór, Ennis, and pre-booking is essential.
Also in Ennis, a series of paintings will be displayed in shop windows around town and there will be a seisiún at Cois na hAbhna.
Commenting on this year’s programme of events in Clare, Pat Dowling, Chief Executive of Clare County Council, said “We wish all the Clare artists and cultural organisations well in showcasing their culture in a new way, having responded to the call to take Culture Night online. Over the past 14 years this initiative has captured the public’s imagination and, despite this year’s difficulties, we look forward to a different Culture Night experience on Friday night.”
Audiences are invited to come together, apart, on Friday, as a window into Clare’s shared cultural experience is opened. The culturally curious are encouraged to log in from 4pm and enjoy any number of events from the programme which will showcase the scale and diversity of culture in Clare.
Details of the full Culture Night programme for County Clare and links to online events can be found at www.culturenight/events/clare For updates, follow Clare Culture Night on Facebook.