On Friday, 23rd of September 2022, we welcome the return of Culture Night. it’s 17th event in Ireland! This evening will showcase over a thousand arts and cultural activities across the nation, from online, offline and hybrid events as well programmes from RTÉ.
Culture Night, is a moment of national celebration that highlights the diversity and depth of Irish arts and culture today. It connects individuals to local and international cultural events and creating avenues for long-term engagement. The festival is slated to take over the nation with public concerts, art-talks, screenings, even within botanicalgardens and the online sphere! This year, Culture Nightwill also showcase the best new talent, with more than half of the artists showcasing their work for the first time. Whatever your interests and yourmood on the night, you can choose from a variety of activities. Who knows, you might discover something new and exciting!
So, what will you be doing in Culture Night? Here are some events we are attending that are taking place across Dublin:
Emerging Practice: Black Church Print Studio 40th Anniversary exhibition at The Library Project – Performances, Tours & Live Demos
Performance Times: 7.15pm, 7.50pm, 8.30pm Venue: The Library Project
As part of Black Church Print Studios 40th anniversary exhibition Emerging Practice in the Library Project the Studio presents an experimental immersive event of music by alt-indie band Akrobat and electronic imagery visualisations by artist Fiona McDonald. More info…
The Hugh Lane presents an evening of art, music, performance & more
Start Times: 4:00pm – 10:00pm Venue: The Hugh Lane
The Hugh Lane Gallery will present an exciting evening of art, music, performance and more inspired by modern and contemporary art through an imaginative programme offering opportunities for creatively enjoying the gallery spaces, collection and temporary exhibitions such as ‘Bones in the Attic’ on view. More info…
Fruit & Veg Market: Night Moves
In Our Own Image: The Social Gaze
Start Times: 4:00pm – 10:00pm Venue: Photo Museum Ireland
In Our Own Image: The Social Gaze is the fourth chapter in Photo Museum Ireland’s year-long programme of exhibitions looking at photographic practices and national identity in Ireland. More Info…
Fruit & Veg Market: Night Moves
Start Times: 4:00pm – 10:00pm Venue: Dublin City Council Wholesale Fruit Vegetable And Flower Market, Mary’s Lane, Dublin, Ireland
Produced by Nialler9 and Totally Dublin in collaboration with Culture Night Dublin.
Night Moves is a celebration of Dublin’s current cross-generational club culture while looking forward to the future of clubbing in the city. Set in the historic Fruit and Veg Market, Night Moves presents possibilities for the late-night economy rooted in the past and present, showcasing diverse live DJ performances from the Irish electronic community, while providing time and space for the development of ideas, through early night panel discussions on strengthening the inclusion and safety of Dublin’s nightlife of the future. More info…
Spencer Dock will come alive with spoken word and storytelling from the canal, live music, hands-on workshops and live mural painting. This event will celebrate the cultural richness of the area with a host of local artists and performers and is presented in collaboration with Waterways Ireland, the North East Inner City (NEIC) and Dublin Port Company. More info… Featured events:
Culture Night Dublin | Oíche Chultúir BÁC is part of the annual, all-island event that celebrates culture, creativity and the arts. Unique events and workshops are specifically programmed at participating locations and, thanks to the continued support of Dublin City Council and the Arts Council, all activities are made available to the public free of charge.
Dublin Fringe: theatre laughs, problem-solvers and immersive night walks
Failed by Design. Image by Becky Cheatle & taken from Dublin Fringe Website
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Dublin’s Fringe Festival is almost over, but there is still time to see a few more shows; here’s what we’ve loved so far and what we’re planning on seeing before the Festival reaches its end.
Bump and Grind’s production of Frigid, written and performed by Rosa Bowden, skillfully captures the contradiction of insecurity and confidence that is uniquely typified by a fourteen year old girl’s worldview. The teen disco acts as the setting for an amalgamation of compulsory heterosexuality, the sexual objectification of girls and the parading of toxic masculinity. The performance acknowledges the ambiguities of consent for teenagers who, paralysed by peer pressure, have yet to fully grasp what in later years they may find blatantly non-consensual. The exploration of consent is threefold; from finding yourself surrounded by a chanting circle urging you to kiss a boy, to having your trousers and underwear pulled down in the GAA club carpark, to being sexually assaulted so a boy can assert his Alpha male status amongst his friends. The show brought the audience on a indulgently nostalgic trip to 2007, entertained them along the way and sent them home reflecting on how conventional ideas of consent, sexuality and gender have changed in the last 15 years.
Frigid, by Bump & Grind Theatre. Image by Joseph Murphy & taken from Dublin Fringe Website
Failed by Design, was the show created by designers for the people. The audience were asked if they needed problems solved, and with over 21 shows, Allie and Cian solved a lot of problems; from being dumped by text, to slow moving tourists, to that particular breed of men that calls grown women “good girl”, the pair brought inventive originality to the issues suggested. The performance tackled pressing predicaments from modern life in a humorous and engaging manner, and each show culminated in the creation of a device that would solve the problem that had been workshopped and voted on by the audience. The show engaged with the typically streamlined concept of design and broke it down into something comprehensible with a playful and irreverent enthusiasm.
Failed by Design. Image by Becky Cheatle & taken from Dublin Fringe Website
We’re really excited to see Xnthony star in Oliver Cromwell is Really Very Sorry at the Project Arts Centre, where a mix of cabaret and colonialism will revisit the infamous historical character of Cromwell. We’re looking forward to a night of laughs, new pop anthems and having a bop all while brushing up on our history!
Art is a powerful tool in confronting topical issues, and we’re looking forward to seeing Rising Tide, Cracking Light Production’s installation in the Smock Alley Banquet Hall. The exhibition consists of the future imaginings of young artists from high flood risk counties – including Dublin, Cork and Clare. This creation from young voices is worth a visit, as we hope that through the invention enabled by art that younger voices, and their anxieties, can find expression and recognition. Make sure to check out the exhibition’s closing event on the 24th September.
And finally we’re ending our Fringe Festival with a quiet, immersive installation in the Botanic Gardens. Running from 21st to 25th September, Remnant Ecologies is a sound and light installation that blends a love of the natural world with anxieties about its future. This immersive night walk is a great way to see and experience the Botanic Gardens in an alternative way and Jony Easterby’s immersive light show will hopefully ease us into the darker evenings ahead.
Want to see more events? Check out the Dublin Fringe Festival website with full list here: Home | Fringe Festival
Dublin Fringe Festival is a platform for the best new, emerging Irish arts companies and a showcase for the finest international contemporary performing arts. For artists, Fringe facilitates opportunities to innovate, to cross boundaries and strengthen the conditions in which they work. For audiences, Fringe is the place to discover meaningful, exciting and unforgettable cultural experiences.
Image: Dublin Fringe Festival 2022, main promotional image (https://www.fringefest.com)
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This September, Dublin welcomes its 28th Dublin Fringe Festival, the biggest since 2019, the programme will see 430 artists express, perform and play for 16 days and nights this September. Festivities are set to kick off on Saturday 10th September and will continue until Sunday 25th September.
This year’s festival is set to explore big questions, push boundaries and celebrate the weird, the wonderful and everything else in between. From gigs, clubs, botanic gardens and your own home the festival is set to occupy the city and, according to this year’s programme, the brightest new talent will be on show – more than half of the artists are presenting work for the first time.
With 586 performances across 27 venues, including 50 world premieres and 15 Dublin premieres, there’s plenty to choose from and to avoid any indecision overwhelm we have curated a guide for what to see and do depending on what you’re in the mood for and we’re hoping you’ll come away inspired, entertained, connected and having reflected on some big truths.
Read on to discover what the Festival has to offer and make sure to add it to your calendar.
So, what’s happening in Dublin Fringe Festival 2022? Here are some events taking place across Dublin.
Hive City Legacy: The Dublin Chapter
Who: Hot Brown Honey | What: Cabaret | Where: Project Arts Centre |
When: 09th – 17th September 2022
Dublin Fringe Festival, Hot Brown Honey and Quiet Riot present: Lisa Fa’alafi and Busty Beatz of Hot Brown Honey are BACK at Dublin Fringe Festival! With a mobilised troop of Femmes of Colour who are locked, loaded and ready to take to the stage in this genre-bending, heart thumping, mind-expanding performance. It’s time to shift the paradigm, reclaim the narrative and explore what it means to be a Woman of colour in Ireland through episodes of dance, song, poetry, performance and more. The time is now. More…
WAKE
Who: THISISPOPBABY | What:Theatre | Where: National Stadium Dublin | When: 08th – 17th September 2022
An adrenaline shot for the city. This extraordinary assembly is an outpouring, a reckoning, a release and a party. The new show from the makers of international smash-hit RIOT is a howling, raucous, soul stirring celebration of community, regeneration, and the magic of collective catharsis. WAKE lifts the veil between worlds, where club culture meets Irish tradition in an exquisite frenzy of ritual, rave, grief and joy; conjuring up the spirits of the good times, of the marginalised, of everything that’s been and gone, toasting yesterday’s passing as we dream up tomorrow, together. Co-produced with Dublin Fringe Festival in association with Irish Arts Centre, New York. More…
THIRST TRAP
Who: Ray Young | What: Remote Art Experience | Where: At Home | When: 10th – 25th September 2022
Part-narrative and part-meditation, this is a 30-minute sound piece for audiences to listen to in the bath along with an experience pack of resources to change their physical environment, connecting closely with their personal atmosphere and relationship with their bodies. Delving into the possible outcomes of rising temperatures and the correlation between social and climate justice, this performance experience continues Young’s investigation into water as a key character in our collective conversations on climate justice. More…
WHODUNNIT? THE GREAT ART ROBBERY!
Who: SUPER PAUA. Presented by axis: Ballymun | What: A Live Digital Performance | Where: At Home | When: 10th & 11th September 2022
SACRÉ BLEU! DIA ÁR SÁBHÁIL! How could it be? A self-portrait of our national treasure- Ireland’s most notorious pigeon – STOLEN. You! Yes… all twelve of you are suspects. Fán anseo. You’re going NOWHERE until we figure out… whodunnit? Play a character, protect your secrets, and use your detective skills to catch the thief in this online multilingual mystery game for young people aged 8-12 years. So…was it YOU? Co-presented by Dublin Fringe Festival and Melbourne Fringe Festival. Funded by Foras Na Gaeilge. Supported by The Digital Hub, Official Digital Partner of Dublin Fringe Festival, Dublin Fringe Festival’s Dream On bursary and The Ombudsman for Children’s Office. More…
OOPS, THIS IS TOXIC
Who: Julie Jay | What: Comedy | Where: Smock Alley Theatre – Boys’ School | When: 11th – 15th & 17th September 2022
This Britney Spears love letter is a dark comedy nostalgia-fest for anyone who has ever dropped to that ‘Hit Me Baby’ beat and who came of age against the backdrop of 90s/00s misogyny. From the Bill Clinton scandal to celebrity arson to the terrifying lows of noughties reality TV, ‘Oops’ is a celebration not just of Britney, but of everyone who survived an era where Justin Timberlakes flew high while Janet Jacksons got grounded. Developed at Scene+Heard. The Lisa Richards Agency. More… Please Note: Contains references to mental health, suicide and sexual violence.
AN EVENING WITH MICHAEL FRY & KILLIAN SUNDERMANN
Who: Michael Fry & Killian Sundermann / The Collaborations Agency | What: Comedy | Where: Smock Alley Theatre – 1662 | When: 12th – 14th September 2022
Experience a unique night of laughter from Ireland’s favourite internet comedians Michael Fry and Killian Sundermann, bringing their jokes, sketches and tunes live on stage. See the guys trade in the safety of standing behind the smartphone for an up close and personal performance that will leave you trawling through their social archives for more. Please Note: Contains loud noise and references to mental health and violence. More…
OF BLUEBELLS & BUTTERFLIES
Who: Graffiti Theatre Company | What: Interactive Dance Theatre | Where: Smock Alley Theatre | When: 22nd September 2022
A fantastical garden full of wondrous creatures blossoms to life in our imagination, inviting the audience to playfully engage through song, gentle movement, touch and fingerplay. This interactive dance theatre performance for babies (0-12 months) and 2 adults fuses movement, sound, music and set design to create an immersive, multi-sensory, interactive experience. A TRACKS co-commission from Baboró International Arts Festival for Children, Dublin Fringe Festival and Cork Midsummer Festival. Funded by the Arts Council/An Chomhairle Ealaíon, HSE South, Cork City Council Arts Office and Cork County Arts Office. Developed in partnership with Uillinn: West Cork Arts Centre. Supported by The Ombudsman for Children’s Office. More…
RISING TIDE
Who: CRACKING LIGHT PRODUCTIONS | What: Film / Installation | Where: Smock Alley Theatre – Banquet Hall | When: 19th – 24th September 2022
An interactive exhibition showcasing the voices of young environmental artists living in high flood risk counties including Dublin, Cork and Clare. They have conjured up alternate futures, ripe with possibility, change and the ultimate hope that a rising tide will lift all boats. Funded by the Arts Council/An Chomhairle Ealaíon. Developed at FRINGE LAB, in partnership with axis: Ballymun, The Everyman Theatre (Cork) and Glór Arts Centre (Clare) with support from the Arts Council’s YPCE Fund. More…
REMNANT ECOLOGIES
Who: Jony Easterby | What: Outdoor Installation | Where: National Botanic Gardens, Glasnevin | When: 21st – 25th September
An exclusive night-time adventure in the National Botanic Gardens, Glasnevin. This meditative and immersive night-walk will guide you through a series of light and sound installations, exploring Dublin’s iconic Botanic Gardens as you have never seen them before. Presented by Dublin Fringe Festival in partnership with National Botanic Gardens, Glasnevin and axis: Ballymun. With support from the Welsh Government Office in Ireland. More… Please Note: This experience takes place outside and is unseated, please dress appropriately.
COOKING THE VEGAN SALMON OF KNOWLEDGE
Who: BRADÁN | What: Theatre | Where: The New Theatre | When: 16th & 17th September
This isn’t the first ecological catastrophe we’ve created. 10,000 years ago, human societies across the world changed from hunter-gathering to agricultural lifestyles. We’d hunted our food off the face of the earth. We’re making another catastrophe now. Join the artist as they cook a vegan version of smoked salmon, using the ingredients to have a conversation about the history of food, and human impact on the environment in deep time. With live cooking and live music. Directed by Kate Bauer. This event features optional food consumption. Key allergens in the recipe are gluten, soya, garlic and citrus (lemon). More…
You enter a private booth, alone. Someone else enters next door. Guided by light, sound, and a shared hymn sheet, you make a story together about change, loss, and redemption. A contemporary confessional for the modern sinner, this immersive one-to-one experience cultivates a space for intimate conversations among friends and strangers, rethreading the seams of a frayed social fabric one good yarn at a time. Created by an award-winning international team of designers and theatre makers, WITHOUT SIN is a space to listen and be heard, look and be seen, away from the digital divide. Linked via headphones, participants are guided into conversation with each other, using a half-remembered script to create their story together. Before departing, each participant leaves a written message, adding to an archive of healing and hope. More… Please note: Contains references to mental health and religious themes.
FRIGID
Who: BUMP & GRIND THEATRE COMPANY | What: Theatre | Where: Project Arts Centre – Cube | When: 15th & 16th September 2022
Are you still a fridget? Because Niamh O’Reilly is and at 14, she’d want to hurry up. Lucky for Niamh that’s about to change, because tonight her girl gang are on a mission to get her to score – whether she wants to or not. Set in 2007 – when feminism wasn’t hip and consent was just a form you got your parents to sign to get you out of PE – this is a coming of age comedy about frenemies, first times and figuring it out. Lash on some SunShimmer, pop your collar and pucker up for a nerve wrecking trip down memory lane. More…
LIVE PODCAST: CATCH UP WITH LOUISE MCSHARRY
Who: Louise McSharry | What: Live Podcast | Where: Project Arts Centre – Space Upstairs | When: 18th September 2022
Louise McSharry takes her Catch Up podcast live with a show covering all the topics you’re chatting about in your WhatsApp groups. Expect to think and laugh in equal amounts. There might even be a musical guest! More…
Want to see more events? Check out the Dublin Fringe Festival website with full list here: Home | Fringe Festival
Dublin Fringe Festival is a platform for the best new, emerging Irish arts companies and a showcase for the finest international contemporary performing arts. For artists, Fringe facilitates opportunities to innovate, to cross boundaries and strengthen the conditions in which they work. For audiences, Fringe is the place to discover meaningful, exciting and unforgettable cultural experiences.
National Heritage Week returns for 2022 with more than 1,300 in-person events and digital heritage projects across Ireland which kicks off this Saturday, 13th of August 2022 and runs until Sunday, 21st of August 2022.
Organised by the Heritage Council, the in-person events and digital projects have enthusiastically embraced the year’s theme of sustainability and biodiversity, providing opportunities for people of Ireland for all ages and backgrounds to learn more about Ireland’s built, cultural and natural heritage, and how to contribute to ensure its preservation and protection into the future. During National Heritage Week and beyond, the Heritage Council is encouraging everyone—whether they are experts or novices—to think about how they can encourage and promote sustainability in their own lives during National Heritage Week and beyond.
Virginia Teehan, Chief Executive of the Heritage Council, said: “This year, National Heritage Week looks to the past to create a better future. The theme of sustainable heritage and biodiversity encourages us all to reflect on how our history and heritage can play a part in protecting our planet. Whether it’s learning a new skill like embroidery, blacksmithing or pottery making; better understanding how to prevent biodiversity loss in our own back gardens or country lanes; or gaining fresh insight into the history of our art, music or the Irish language and sharing this knowledge among friends and family, there are endless ways to get involved. I would encourage people to visit the National Heritage Week website and browse the vast array of events and projects taking place and plan their week. I would like to thank all in-person event and digital project organisers for their enthusiasm and dedication, and wish them the very best as National Heritage Week approaches.”
So, what’s happening in National Heritage Week? Here are some events taking place across Dublin:
Feathers and Features of an Indian Manuscript: Conservation Internship Experiences at the Chester Beatty, Co. Dublin: Learn more about the diverse materials used in conservation, before looking in more detail at the Tutinama, or Tales of the Parrot, the famous book of Indian stories, made for the Mughal emperor Akbar. More…
Behind the Scenes in Trinity College Dublin’s Library Conservation Department, Dublin: Take this rare opportunity to visit the conservation studios of Trinity College Library and get insight into current conservation projects. More…
Hellfire Club Walk: Explore Montpelier Hill and the eerie ruin of the Hell Fire Club, originally a hunting lodge built in the 1700s. Led by historian Frank Tracy. Meet at the Hell Fire Club carpark. No booking necessary, all welcome. More…
Biodiversity Walking Tour: Come along to the Phoenix Park Biodiversity Centre for a guided Biodiversity walking tour. More…
‘Ports, Past and Present’ – Meet the Artists: Julie Merriman and Augustine O’Donoghue: Dublin-based artists Julie Merriman and Augustine O’Donoghue discuss their creative commissions for the Ports, Past and Present project, on show at the Liffey Corner in the CHQ Building through Heritage Week. More…
Antiques Trail in the National Gallery: A fascinating tour of real and painted antiques, with some of the Milltown silver, by Adrian Le Harivel, Curator of British Art. You will be directed to the Grand Gallery on arrival. More…
Art tour of Farmleigh House – Private Collection and Art of the State: This tour celebrates the eclectic nature of the paintings and mixed media art works on display at Farmleigh House. More…
At the Water’s Edge: Stories of the Irish Sea – film screening: Ports, Past and Present would like to invite you to the Dublin launch of our film ‘At the Water’s Edge: Stories of the Irish Sea’ at the Port Centre in Dublin Port More…
Guided tours and talks on the history of Saint Catherine’s Church, Thomas Street, Dublin 8: The Liberties Cultural Association and members of Saint Catherine’s Church will give guided tours and talks on the history of the church every half an hour from 6.30 to 8.30 pm. More…
From Galleries to Gardens: Experience new art in an old place. Explore IMMA’s historic grounds and gardens, the Royal Hospital Kilmainham. More…
National Heritage Week, organised by the Heritage Council since 2005, has grown to be one of Ireland’s major cultural occasions. It is supported by Department of Housing, Local Government, and Heritage, as well as the network of local authority heritage officers.
National Campaign for the Arts launches its pre-budget submission for 2023
Photo: Chekhov, Adrian Bulboaca
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The National Campaign for the Arts (NCFA), a volunteer-led grassroots movement that advocates for the arts in Ireland, has released its NCFA Pre-Budget 2023 Submission which lists ten majors asks from the Government in the preparation of Budget 2023.
The ten asks of Government in the NCFA Pre-Budget 2023 Submission are:
Invest in the Arts: €150 million in funding to the Arts Council in 2023
Bring Irish Arts to the World: €7 million in funding to Culture Ireland in 2023
Nurture Communities: Retain current funding of Creative Ireland to 2027
Remove Systemic Barriers for Disabled Artists & Arts Workers
Address the Climate Emergency
Address the Lack of Diversity in the Arts
Make Space for the Arts
Support Adequate Research in the Arts
Implement Insurance Reform
Implement Taxation Reform
The NCFA sees these ten elements as essential to guaranteeing the continuation of the vital and progressive work of artists, arts professionals, and arts organisations, who offer Ireland’s 5 million+ citizens a wealth of benefits.
According to NCFA, budget 2023 is a massive opportunity for the government to secure the jobs of 55,000 artists,arts professionals and arts organisations in Ireland. Angela Dorgan, Chair of the NCFA, speaks about the pre-budget submission for 2023: “The arts sector’s ability to deliver myriad life-affirming benefits and crisis-coping tools to our 5 million citizens, will be determined by the Government’s interpretation of the value of the arts for all society, as reflected in the arts outcomes in Budget 2023.”
As NCFA questions “What use is art in these times of chaos and uncertainty?”. They believe the arts can bring communities together, building trust, encouraging understanding and mutual respect across cultural barriers, and aiding in reconciliation.
#StandByTheArts
The National Campaign for the Arts is a volunteer-led, grassroots movement that makes the case for the arts in Ireland. They work to ensure that the arts are on local and national government agendas and are recognised as a vital part of contemporary Irish life.
Rachel Garfield and the Legacy of Punk Film: the negation of idealised femininity
with an introduction and special thanks to aemi – an Irish organisation supporting moving image works by artists and experimental filmmakers.
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“Punk allowed me to invent myself away from the normative femininity that I felt coerced into. It freed me from the expectations of my parents to have low professional expectations and to be married off at a young age. It allowed me a chance to have a radical rethink against the hegemonic voice of the society in which I grew up. I loved its energy and its anger. It allowed me to stop feeling judged but instead to be angry at those who passed judgement. It propelled me towards becoming an artist” – Rachel Garfield.
Punk encompasses a myriad of mental images and musical associations, and thanks to Rachel Garfield’s recent book, “Experimental Filmmaking and Punk: Feminist Audio Visual Culture in the 1970s and 1980s” the reader’s concept of Punk will be opened up through the lesser known subculture of Feminist Punk. This screening was presented by aemi at the Irish Film Institute on May 2022; Overall, the films discussed in the book explore womanhood and more specifically, reject and negate the ideal of perfectionism and obedience that is thrust on women by society. Feminist Punk film provides women with the space to express their female-ness on their own terms; they can be imperfect, flawed and can embody contradictions, in essence they are allowed to be human (a radical thought indeed).
“I wanted to speak about people’s lives and hear about the way people navigated their lives through contradiction and difficulty [...]”
Garfield is an artist, she writes about art and began her artistic career studying fine art and painting. But Garfield soon discovered that film was a more appropriate medium for what she wanted to achieve; “I wanted to speak about people’s lives and hear about the way people navigated their lives through contradiction and difficulty. […] the time required in video made sense. I began interviewing people as the starting point of work. I had always been interested in portraiture and identity. Film was a great way of exploring identity.”
What makes these films Punk is not necessarily a conformity to the specificity of a genre, rather it is their attitude and subtle qualities of tone and mood. Punk offers female film-makers the freedom to explore the dual complexity and ordinariness of female-ness through a redefinition of femininity and female agency by challenging the status-quo. Garfield’s book explores the aesthetics of her own art, and that of the film makers that inspire her. The Punk film aesthetic is distinctive, yet difficult to define, it disrupts the more slow, long look associated with the genre of art film, instead the works are chaotic, heavily edited, fast moving and at times claustrophobic.; Garfield’s writing is an exploration of the relationship between her work, the work that she loves and the methodologies that she shared with fellow filmmakers – such as a DIY approach, heavily edited work, along with themes of relationships, lives and the everyday.
In addition, the prioritisation of the creation of art with the resources available, rather than seeking the funding prior to creation is something that Garfield feels passionate about; “I was never interested in the high production values that require substantial funding and support behind you, [I was] much more interested in the way artists form communities, and support each other.”
A sense of community within the context of film is something that is actively promoted by aemi here in Dublin. aemi is an Irish organisation that supports, and regularly exhibits, moving image works by artists and experimental filmmakers. Founded by its co-directors Alice Butler and Daniel Fitzpatrick in 2016, aemi is now supported by The Arts Council, and has had a significant impact on the development of artist film culture in Ireland by providing key supports to artists while keeping a strong focus on public engagement.
aemi works to make the cinema accessible to artists as an important site of exhibition to engage with overlooked histories of moving image practice and cultivate new forms of filmic expression
aemi regularly curates screening programmes for both in-person and online audiences. aemi works to make the cinema accessible to artists as an important site of exhibition to engage with overlooked histories of moving image practice and cultivate new forms of filmic expression. aemi has worked closely with Irish filmmakers such as Vivienne Dick, Jenny Brady, Pat Murphy and Tadhg O’Sullivan to develop curated programmes for the cinema. They have also hosted screenings with many influential international filmmakers including Mark Leckey, Soda_Jerk, Helen Cammock and John Smith. They always present screenings in person and invite discussion about the work with the artists after the programme.
aemi introduces audiences to both Irish and international work through regular screenings, which enhance the critical discourse in the area of film, specifically with the intention of showcasing work with variety and cultural significance. As mentioned, it was through aemi that Dublin was introduced to Garfield’s work as well as some of the films discussed in her recent book. This introduction opened up a discourse regarding the rejection and negation of traditional femininity of the 1970s and 1980s as expressed through the vehicle of Punk film, which should be revered as part of recent film history and as an important cultural moment in the evolution of female made film. As Garfield notes “Feminist discourse has also formed me so it was inevitably a part of the conceptualization of the book too. I was thinking about the ways in which the convergence of feminism and punk released me from the burden of a particular kind of femininity and allowed me to become an artist.”
Head to www.aemi.ie for a full list of aemi’s upcoming events across Ireland, and sign up to their monthly newsletter here
Brōdūil: an online platform that connects LGBTQIA+ artists in Ireland
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Brōdūilis an LGBTQIA+ led project, created and produced by David Archbold. Coming from the Irish word meaning ‘Proud’, Brōdūil is an online platform that proudly connects and showcases LGBTQIA+ artists living and working in Ireland.
The Brōdūil website will act as an online directly for queer and gender nonconforming artists. Creating a space for fellow artists, curators and arts practitioners to connect with LGBTQIA+ artists in Ireland. It will also provide the public, businesses and potential clients the opportunity to source LGBTQIA+ artists and help support them directly through their various websites, web stores and social media.
Brōdūil launches this month, June 2022 and will operate year round featuring LGBTQIA+ artists with links to their work. Each year there will also be the Brōdūil Art Open Call which will provide LGBTQIA+ artists the opportunity to sell or exhibit their work with Brōdūil. This year’s inaugural Open Call will see the production of fine art prints.
Currently Brōdūil exists online, with the hopes that in the near future they will be able to exhibit work by their participating artists in a gallery space.
Please help support Brōdūil by sharing their message with peers and members of the LGBTQIA+ community and be sure to check out the Brōdūil Art Sale!
Prints will be available exclusively for the month of June (Pride month) AND NOW EXTENDED TO JULY 2022 and all profits from the sale of these prints will be donated to 3 LGBTQIA+ charities, namely BeLonG To, LGBT Ireland and TENI.
Live Collision 2022 – From Fairytales to Ballrooms: using the power of live art to explore gender identity and sexuality
(L-R) The Making of Pinocchio, Photo by Niall Walker. House of Origin, Photo reference: http://www.livecollision.com/portfolio-item/house-of-origin/
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Live Collision International Festival 2022
The annual Live Collision Festival is taking place in Dublin until this Saturday, 30th of April 2022. The festival aims to explore a variety of socially and culturally imperative concepts such as gender, sexuality, race, class and feminism (and much more!) through live performance art.
Two highlights from the festival this year are The Making of Pinocchio: Digital Edition (Cade & MacAskill) and House of Origin (Origins Eile). Both projects invite its audiences to explore the meaning of gender and sexuality by educating and entertaining. The Making of Pinocchio does this through the creation of a self-consciously constructed performance, while House of Origin is available online as an extensive and dynamic multimedia exhibition.
A digital edition of The Making of Pinocchio was shown at the Project Art Centre on Thursday 28th of April 2022 , followed by a Q&A with the artists as they joined from their home in Glasgow. As the title suggests, the well-known fairy-tale of Pinocchio acts as the central idea within Cade and MacAskill’s performance. The audience watches as the couple uses the medium of live performance to explore and make sense of MacAskill’s exploration of identity as a trans man as well as their transition as a lesbian couple to a seemingly “normal” hetero passing couple. The fantasy narrative of the fairy-tale lends itself well to this expression as the artists critique and deconstruct the performance of masculinity and what wider society and culture understands as “a real boy.” Pinocchio’s nose grows when he claims that he wants to be a real boy as the idea of a “real” or “perfect” masculinity is in itself an elusive fantasy upheld by the status quo. The project is ridiculous, playful, intimate, tender and at times uncomfortable, making the audience come away with a greater sense of the unfixed nature of identity and the limitations of the binaries that conventional society inflicts upon individuals.
House of Origin is an online project that explores the history of Ballroom, specifically for the Black Queer community. House of Origin is a creative, thoughtful, and expressive archive of Black Queer History. The website advises that it takes about four hours to read through all the information, but this vast catalogue includes a lifetime of knowledge. The project delves into the history of the Harlem Renaissance, the creation of Ballroom, Voguing, House music, the language central to the Ballroom scene as well as the sober reality of racism and homophobia which was central to the creation of the Ballroom culture, and how it allowed the Black Queer community to have a space in which they belonged. We would highly recommend diving into House of Origin and immersing yourself in the Ballroom world, as the creators say, this is not just an of-the-moment hot topic to scratch the service of, but a deeply important rich history, and is intended to act as an ongoing educational experience.
Paul Hallahan, This is normal, 2021. Timed edition Fine art Giclee archival print on 320 gsm cotton rag paper A3 (420 x 297mm)
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Artist-Run Spaces in solidarity with Ukrainian Artists
WE ARE ARTISTS FOR UKRAINE stands in solidarity with the artists, artist-run spaces, and all the people of Ukraine who are bravely resisting an immoral and illegal Russian invasion, those who have lost loved ones, or have been forced to flee their homes and country. Living in a country where we have a right to choose our leaders, and where we enjoy freedom of expression without fear, we also applaud those Russians who are speaking out and demonstrating against their government.
Maintaining spaces for artists to work and artist communities to thrive is a difficult task at the best of times. Artists’ incomes tend to be both low, intermittent, and without the security of other professions, while artists, writers, curators, critics and scholars are often targets of politically motivated threats and persecution all over the world.
In response to the humanitarian crisis affecting Ukraine, members of the wider artist-run community in Ireland wish to send a collective message of solidarity and raise funds for Ukrainian artists who are defending their country, have had to flee and rebuild their lives, and who we hope one day, will rebuild their spaces and contribute again to the art and culture of their country.
The organisers are hugely grateful to artist Paul Hallahan for generously allowing us to reproduce his artwork for this cause. Funds raised will be distributed directly to artists and artist-run spaces in Ukraine, and to ARTISTS at RISK (AR)a non-profit organisation at the intersection of human rights and the arts. Since 2013 AR has been collaborating with arts non-profits and government funders to assist artists who are at risk politically and fleeing oppression and war in 26 locations in 19 countries globally.
Please support WE ARE ARTISTS FOR UKRAINE, an artist-run campaign to stand in solidarity and raise funds for Ukrainian artists and artist-run spaces.
TU Dublin, School of Creative Arts. East Quad building.
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A tour of Technological University Dublin’s (TU Dublin) brand-new East Quad building on Grangegorman Campus. A New Era of Third-Level Art education.
After many years of planning and development, the TU Dublin School of Creative Arts has arrived at its new home at East Quad. Located on the Grangegorman campus, the East Quad building is a state-of-the-art facility that will bring together the University’s creative and cultural schools in a single environment. The massive scale of TU Dublin’s Grangegorman campus redevelopment is “the largest investment in Higher Education in Europe.” Just a glimpse of the building, it’s clear to see that no expense was spared in creating a world-class hub of further education.
The East Quad building has the capacity to host up to 3,500 students and 160 staff under its roof, and this will include the School of Media, Social Sciences, Creative Arts, and Music & Drama. Our tour of East Quad brings us into a stylish maze of different rooms and new creative studios for respective courses. There is a sheer number of impressive new features; a new print and 3D workshop, modern MA studios and student spaces, a Black Box theatre, a Recital Hall, a café and an impressive 400-seat concert hall, ready to put on shows and welcome visitors when they can.
a newly built 400-seater concert hall in TU Dublin, East Quad Building
The result has a Wonka’s factory effect, where every new room delivers something new. In addition, there is custom-built contemporary landscaping and architecture, which boasts breathtaking views over Dublin’s North West Inner city, and offers luxurious rooftop pavilions for students and staff.
“When you put two to three thousand creatives under one roof, the energy they’ll generate will be undeniable.”
While speaking with Keiran Corcoran, Head of Creative Arts of TU Dublin, he stresses that the faculty hopes to foster “collaborative hybrid practices,” where students from different courses can work together, inspire each other, or simply talk out fresh creative ideas. For instance, Fine Art students employing performance art may work with Drama students. Design students might exchange ideas and equipment with media or music students. There will be limitless potential for those in the School of Creative Arts and bringing them all together is truly an exciting prospect. As Kieran says, “When you put two to three thousand creatives under one roof, the energy they’ll generate will be undeniable.” It’s been a long wait, but there’s a sense that TU Dublin is on the edge of a long, sustained payoff.
This approach offers a dynamic alternative to other art colleges like National College of Art and Design (NCAD) and Dun Laoghaire Institute of Art, Design and Technology (IADT). TU Dublin School of Creative Arts is set to be a major player in the field of Third-Level Art Education. With the amalgamation of Dublin Institute of Technology, Institute of Blanchardstown and Institute of Tallaght, TU Dublin has become the second largest institution in Ireland with over 28,500 students and 3,000 staff – just behind University College Dublin. In addition, just recently TU Dublin has been invited into the Irish University Association, making official its status as an internationally recognised university.
It isn’t just students of TU Dublin that will benefit from this extraordinary new campus. According to Keiran, they also worked with “a duty to reach out to the larger community.” Throughout the redevelopment, there has been an emphasis on contributing to the surrounding city. The grounds are open to the public where it offers a wonderful space for outdoor activities, and it will welcome solace from the hustle and bustle of the Dublin city centre. The new theatre and concert hall will also provide many events for the public to enjoy in the future, boosting the tourism and cultural impact of the greater Smithfield area. He also mentions that they’re just getting started with providing outdoor amenities for students and Dubliners alike. Large-scale works of public art have already been commissioned through the Grangegorman Development Agency (GGDA) Public Art Working Group to be made by artists Garret Phelan and Alexander Carr, and will be installed in the near future. Every summer, TU supports a limited selection of Irish artists by providing free studio space when the facilities are not being used by students.
Keiran mentions that they’re just getting started with providing outdoor amenities for students and Dubliners alike. Large-scale works of public art have already been commissioned to be made by artists Garret Phelan and Alexander Carr, and will be installed in the near future. From March 2021, the campus has seen students work in the new workshops, music and drama students have settled in, and the School of Creative Arts recently staged their Final Year Exhibition in East Quad.
TU Dublin School of Creative Arts is set to be a major player in the field of Third-Level Art Education. Just recently, TU Dublin has been invited into the Irish University Association, making official its status as an internationally-recognized university. However, university teaching is impacted in a post-covid world, one truth remains clear. When it comes to an education in creative arts, there is no substitute for collaborations and studio work. As Keiran puts it, “working in the studio is essential. that will still always be the core, the educational method of delivery.” Prospective students would be lucky to work in such an eminent place. When colleges reopen fully, there is no reason to believe that the East Quad building will truly flourish in September’s new term.
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