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ings featuring various writers, including short s
tory author Mary O’Donnell and the super talented spoken word artist Vagabond Queen. Laureate na nÓg Patricia Forde will bring the finest Irish children’s literature to life with a live reading at the Dubray bookshop window. Ranelagh Arts will host Rosita Sweetman and guests for a special evening of readings from her memoir, “Girl with a Fork, in a World of Soup.” Additionally, the Kerlin Gallery will transform into a pop-up bookshop, showcasing monographs, catalogues, and books from their collection of gallery artists. MUSIC From 17th century classical arrangements to underground electronic beats the music highlights of this year’s Culture Night Dublin programme offers something for everyone. The Italian Institute of Culture will showcase “How Italo Disco Made Us Dance!”, a nostalgic exploration of the celebrated Italo Disco scene. Alliance Française Dublin is set to present an evening filled with French music at their new Madeleine Café, featuring a performance by the French duo La Sérénade du Pavé and DJ Chach Des Wé. The Irish Traditional Music Archive will host a series of recitals by some of the country’s top traditional musicians, while the Dublin Unitarian Church will welcome the Classical Musicians Network. The Chester Beatty will feature an evening with emerging singersongwriter Theo Fitzgibbon and “Block.” at Liberty Lane is promising a fresh approach to Dublin’s club scene, offering electronic music well into the early hours. Elsewhere, Culture Night Dublin’s latenight music trail Nocturnal Beats returns following its debut last year. The multivenue music event is supported by Dublin City Council’s Night-Time Advisor, Ray O’Donoghue, and will see numerous Dublin clubs open their dance floors for free on the night, with participating venues to be revealed in the coming weeks. Workshops Culture Night is a perfect opportunity to discover a hidden talent with a vast collection of talks and workshops taking place across the city. The Instituto Cervantes will be hosting a Spanish theatre workshop led by the director of the Cervantes Dublin Theatre Club. Emerging theatre-makers are invited to participate in workshops at The Lir Academy or visit The Gaiety School of Acting, for an Introduction to Acting for Camera. Additionally, the Black Church Print Studio will offer live print demonstrations by professional artists, while Flux Studios will provide craft workshop demonstrations throughout the evening. For those interested in jewellery making, there will be a workshop on how to forge a ring at Silver Works on Georges Street. LGBTQIA+ Waving the flag for Dublin’s queer community, the National Museum of Ireland, Collins Barracks, will offer a historical tour exploring LGBTQIA+ history as represented in the Museum’s collections. The tour will highlight objects and figures from 40 Afterdark – Peter Power the 17th to the 21st century, highlighting the diverse identities, genders, and sexualities. Outhouse LGBTQ+ Centre will present a series of exhibitions during Culture Night under the theme ‘Breaking Frames,’ featuring works by celebrated artist and musician Martin McCann. Additionally, Pakistanborn, Dublin-based artist Samir Mahmood will unveil a public artwork, in association with Temple Bar Gallery and Studios titled ‘Guardians over the city,’ which consists of a series of flags displayed on Wellington Quay and explores themes of spirituality and queer identity. WALKING TOURS Culture Night is an opportunity to become a tourist in your own town with various free walking tours taking place on the night. Secrets of Dublin: Hidden History Walking Tour invites visitors away from the beaten track, providing a fresh and unexpected view of the city, perfect for both history enthusiasts and novices alike. Swift’s Dublin: A Walking Tour discovers the streets and tales of 18th-century Dublin through the life and achievements of Jonathan Swift, of Gulliver’s Travels fame. One of the more unique walking experiences, A Feminist Economics Walking Tour Of The IFSC, is described as “a journey through Irish history, from the War of Independence to transnational capital.” THESE WALLS PROJECT Finally, the Guinness Store House will play host to These Walls – an immersive exhibition specially commissioned for Culture Night, celebrating the people and place of Dublin 8, featuring artists Deirdre Breen and Owen de Forge. The exhibition explores memory and place through light and sound with Breen’s abstract compositions “responding to the area’s evolving architecture and layered histories”, while de Forge’s figurative works capture the neighbourhood’s social life through playful characters. The exhibition is complemented by a guided street art tour of some of the outdoor art pieces. Credit: Kate Lawlor C M Y CM MY CY CMY K The 20th edition of Culture Night Dublin takes place Friday September 19th from 4pm until late. For full details of the Dublin events see culturenight.ie/Dublin