Culture Night 'an invitation for absolutely everyone'

Tonight marks the 21st edition of Culture Night hitting streets and venues across the country as artists gather to mark the celebration, and all events are free of charge.

It is a national moment celebrating culture, creativity, and the arts. There are hundreds of events taking place in villages, towns and cities and everyone is welcome to explore, see, hear and experience cultural activities in their local areas.

Booker long-listed author of All them Dogs, Djamel White, is the literary ambassador for Culture night and he said it is "an invitation for absolutely everyone".

He said that "culture is such a wide bracket and it encompasses so many things that I think make Ireland, a really special place".

Mr White explained the unique atmosphere on the night, and how "everybody's out on the streets and there are families out, people of all ages and everybody's in a good mood".

'A formula that people can identify with'

Ray Yeates, one of the founders of the event, and city arts officer for Dublin City Council, said that Culture Night has an enduring appeal because it has a "formula that people can identify with".

He said that everyone can "get involved, and it's one of the great nights where people take ownership of their cultural institutions and cultural institutions can learn about new audiences too".

Some of the highlights across the country include a backstage tour of the Everyman Theatre with ISL in Cork. Galway Town Hall Theatre will host a Cartoon Festival - an interactive drawing event where visitors will be caricatured by professionals and encouraged to do the same to each other.

In Limerick, visitors to the Hunt Museum will get a golden opportunity to explore 4,000 years of silver and gold craftmanship at the Óir exhibition.

Dublin is hosting a wide range of events with the National Symphony Orchestra Ireland bringing the Irish premiere of a new work, 'Glasslands' by Anna Cline featuring acclaimed Sax player Jess Gillam under the baton of the newly appointed conductor Alexander Shelley.

At the Photo Museum Ireland at Meeting House Square, there will be guided tours from early in the evening of the Robert Ellis exhibition, The Forbidden Sun.

While Culture Night offers visitors access to buildings - for example the office of the Attorney General - it also offers a platform for emerging artists.

Lauren Woodyatt, lead singer with the up and coming five piece band Avenue 68, will be taking to the stage at the Amphitheatre at Wood Quay in Dublin city centre at 4.30pm. She said: "We are best friends who love R&B, soul and pop jazz."

She said the chance to play tonight is "exciting as it gives us a chance to put our music out there to new poeple".

The singer also pointed out that as they are taking to the stage earlier in the evening, it will give her young cousins a chance to finally see her in action as "we usually play late gigs so they never get to enjoy it".

Another musician looking forward to the event is singer songwriter Holly Munro who sings in both English and as Gaeilge.

She will be performing at Meeting House Square in the heart of Dublin city centre at 5.55pm. She welcomes the chance to be on the line up and is keen for new audiences to hear her too.

"It's a special night with people of all ages wandering around, seeing what is on and hearing and seeing new things."

RTÉ will be celebrating Culture Night with a schedule of live programmes from Kilkenny, Killarney and Cork across television, radio and online from 6pm - 11pm.

RTÉ Radio 1's Arena programme will be broadcasting from 7pm and Culture Night Live will bring the best of the country's events to viewers on RTÉ One and the RTÉ Player at 8pm.

For information on events in your area check culturenight.ie.

Read more: Celebrate Culture Night with RTÉ - everything you need to know