Bray to pull out all the stops for Culture Night: Full listings inside

JUST days remain until Culture Night 2017 gets under way in Wicklow.

The county is set to host some particular gems this year, giving culture vultures a flavour of what is available on their own doorsteps.

Even better – it’s free, and organisers are calling on as many people as possible to come along and immerse themselves in the rich and diverse cultural events and actitivites that Wicklow has to offer.

A total of eleven areas of the county will host events this year – Arklow, Ashford, Aughrim, Avoca, Blessington, Bray, Donard, Greystones, Hollywood, Redcross and Wicklow town, so both rural and urban dwellers will have something happening close by.

Culture Night celebrates creativity and the arts and runs this coming Friday, September 22.

From early evening, arts and cultural organisations and venues of all shapes and sizes, including the national cultural institutions, extend their opening hours to allow for increased access to the public. Special and unique events and workshops are specifically programmed at participating locations and everything is available free of charge.

Culture Night has grown from a relatively small scale cultural event staged only in Dublin in 2006 to the significant national cultural event it now is, with some 400,000 people visiting museums, galleries, historic houses, artists’ studios and cultural centres across the island. The initiative has captured both the public imagination and the enthusiasm of artists and cultural organisations.

The aim of the initiative is to encourage more people to visit cultural venues and experience culture in their locality, remind us all about the fantastic cultural facilities and resources that we have locally and nationally and to encourage people to make a habit of attending cultural events.

It also helps to foster a sense of community and belonging and raises the profile of cultural organisations.

In Arklow, Solace Studio Pottery and Place Studios will host a joint open night from 7 to 10 p.m. in the Meehan Levins building at Condren’s Lane.

Hosted by ceramic artist Peir Leonard and artist and printmaker Deirdre Burke, the studios will present exhibitions of ceramic wall art and jewellary, fine art and printmaking, woodcraft and metalcraft - all made by local artist and craftspeople.

There will also be live music followed by demonstrations and poetry readings as well as a wine and Wicklow Farmhouse Cheese reception.

Also in Arklow, Bodhrán Buzz for all the family takes place in Arklow Library from 6 to 6.45 p.m.

The workshop will teach participants the basic of how to hold a bodhrán and the stick to get the first few beats. The event is sponsored by Music Generation Wicklow as part of their year round programme. It is suitable for children aged seven and older. In Ashford, a musical evening for all ages will take place at Nun’s Cross Church from 7 to 9 p.m. Alchemy Music presents a celebration of music featuring Mike and Marta Nielson performing a repertoire for jazz guitar and accordion and Perfect Friction, who will play a traditional set. Blessington Men’s Shed in the old library buildings will host The Shed Sessions from 5 to 7 p.m.

Join Rachel Conlan, Fear an Tí Mattir Lennon and Muintir Blessington Comhaltas for music, tea, coffee and home baking.

Rachel and her friends will be performing from her highly acclaimed album A Quare Yield which features Alan Reid and Marty Barry.

Bray Concert Band will keep the public entertained at the Civic Plaza outside the Mermaid Arts Centre, Bray from 6.15 to 6.55 p.m.

Re-formed during the 1980s by Gerry Stafford, the band provides a fun, sociable and supportive environment for musicians from teens to adults.

From 5.45 to 6.30 p.m. Greystones Orchestra Emsemble will host an event in Greystones Library.

The group will charm you with some of their much-loved repertoire that covers a wide variety of works and musical genres, from classical to popular.

Further south of the county, the best of traditional music, dance and storytelling will feature at Wicklow Brewery, Redcross from 8.30 to 11 p.m.

Join in for a fun night of Trad Sult which will include Sean-nós dancing, storytelling and set dancing including the famous Wicklow Set.

Culture Night organisers are encouraging those who take part in the night to share their experiences and to post comments and photos to social media using #CultureNight and #WicklowCulture

Further updates are available on the Wicklow Culture Night Facebook page and on @artsoffice on Twitter