It is the night that ‘opens the art world to everyone'

See this week's Westmeath Examiner for a list of events taking place on Culture Night.

“Culture Night is a fantastic thing,” actor and author Mary McEvoy told the Westmeath Examiner at the 2013 launch in the Atrium of the County Buildings.

The Delvin native was guest speaker and explained that Culture Night is the catalyst to opening up the arts to everyone. “For a long time in Ireland, the arts were seen as quite elitist and to an extent that’s very true,” Mary continued. “Now Culture Night has made it accessible for everyone – it’s making people aware of what’s going on in their own area and the artists that are living a working there all the time.”

Now in its fourth year, Culture Night – Friday September 20 – brings a colourful array of events to the county, and all are free.

“Up until a few years ago, I used to go over to France and they had something like it – it used to take place on Midsummer’s Night for instance, all the cultural centres were open. And it was brilliant.

And for Mary, Culture Night has been particularly special as she gets to perform every year in her home village.

“For me Culture Night has been lovely, I get to do some of my own pieces in a place called the Garden Gallery in Crowenstown, Delvin. Lots of people who are there might not be theatre-goers, but it’s lovely to perform in my own area and my own place, and the people there enjoy it too.”

Mary feels that the night not only opens up the arts to more people, but works both ways, in that it can be a useful networking tool for artists, actors and performers to hone their skills and make acquaintance with other like-minded people in their areas.

“We really need to work hard in the arts to make it more accessible to everyone because for so long it has been perceived as being distant and exclusive, but there’s plenty going on for everyone.

“For instance, I didn’t even know there was a Mullingar Harp School and I always wanted to learn to play the harp!” she laughs.

“Mullingar has had a lot of commercial success, like with Bressie and Niall Horan, but Culture Night is good for the jobbing actor, painter, and dancer or whatever. It gives them the chance to be able to showcase their own work.”

The cathaoirleach of Westmeath County Council, Cllr Peter Burke, who opened up proceedings at the launch event, said he had just been informed that “Westmeath is among the top 10 in the country in terms of the number of events taking place for Culture Night,” adding that this was “a huge achievement!”.

“It should be noted all events that take place are free of charge and will showcase the imagination and creativity of our county.

“Events will take place in Castlepollard, Delvin, Mullingar, Athlone, Moate and Kilbeggan, and I would encourage as many people as possible to attend and take part,” Cllr Burke urged.

He welcomed Mullingar Camera Club to the launch, and explained that their annual exhibition will be on display until October in The Atrium, and thanked Ian O’Flynn and Westmeath Volunteer Centre for help in putting the night together, as well as Mullingar Harp school for the entertainment at the launch, and arts officer Miriam Mulrennan and her staff for their work throughout the year.