Culture Night returns on Friday, 18 September, inviting people to come together for a night of free cultural discovery, creativity and connection. Presented by Cork City Council and part of a nationwide event led by The Arts Council, the Cork City 2026 programme will span music, theatre, dance, visual art, literature, film, spoken word, workshops, exhibitions, Irish-language events, family experiences, late-night activity - and ‘moments’ in unexpected spaces.
Lord Mayor of Cork Cllr. Damian Boylan welcomed the announcement saying:
“Culture Night is that one evening a year across the country when galleries, theatres and artist’s workshops welcome visitors to explore the culture of their home place. Cork City is so fortunate to have a huge number and range of talented artists, performers and makers, who on ‘Oíche Cultúr’ invite you to view and experience their work.
See the range of events available, and know that whether you visit them often or never have before - you are welcome. Tour the city, drop by and try something new - and enjoy seeing Cork city through the artist’s eye.”
Maura McGrath, Chair of the Arts Council, added:
“Culture Night is made possible by an extraordinary collective effort in every part of the country. The Arts Council is proud to work in partnership with local authorities and with the artists, venues, libraries, galleries, theatres, studios, cultural organisations, community groups and organisers who bring such care, creativity and local knowledge to the programme each year.
What makes Culture Night so special is that it meets people where they are. It creates moments of welcome and discovery in towns, cities, villages and rural communities across Ireland, and reminds us that arts and culture belong in everyday life, in familiar places, unexpected spaces and shared experiences.”
Getting around the city this Culture Night will be easier than ever this year, as the Culture Buses are back! Bus Éireann will provide a free hop-on-hop-off service, to assist Culture Night audiences explore events and activities across Cork City.
Operating from City Hall across three dedicated routes, the Culture buses will connect audiences with Culture Night events on routes reaching to the North, East and West of the city.
Speaking about Bus Éireann’s support for Culture Night Cork City, Adrian O'Loughlin, Senior Operations Manager, South for Bus Éireann says:
“Bus Éireann is proud to support Culture Night in Cork, helping connect with the city’s vibrant arts and cultural scene. Through its dedicated Culture Buses, Bus Éireann helps connect communities with cultural venues and events across the city.
Bus Éireann also helps bring culture directly into the heart of the community through Cork’s transport network. We look forward to welcoming and seeing people throughout the evening as they enjoy the many cultural experiences on offer.”
From music and dance to food, visual art, local history and community celebrations, Culture Night Cork City 2026 will offer an exciting programme of events and experiences across the city. Highlights this year include:
- The Devils in the Dance Hall @ Concert Hall, City Hall: Inspired by the true story of Jimmy Gralton and the suppression of Ireland’s rural dance halls, this lively performance celebrates dance as a form of defiance. Through spoken word, song and the sounds of The Gralton Big Band, it brings the spirit of Ireland’s old dance halls to life. Choreographer Edwina Guckian will teach audiences steps across swing, foxtrot, sean-nós, lindy hop and set-dance, inviting everyone to dance, move or simply enjoy the show.
- Culture Night at the English Market: One of Cork’s most iconic landmarks will open its doors from 6pm to 9pm for one night only. A selection of traders will serve local treats and traditional tastes, from handmade sushi and local cheese to charcuterie and Cork favourites, alongside wine tastings and samples. Local musicians will add to the lively atmosphere throughout the evening.
- Triskel Arts Centre: Triskel will host an evening of music and contemporary art. The Irish Baroque Orchestra will present Handel’s Band Off-Duty, an immersive, high-energy session that imagines the music Handel and his contemporaries would have heard in the informal settings of the 1740s - where Baroque virtuosity met the living Irish traditional music of the day.
Upstairs in the Triskel SAMPLE Project Space, Artist in Residence Sarah Long will launch I Want To Talk About Ireland, an autofictional work exploring dreams, language and nationhood through a feminist lens, with a live performance on the night.
- Barrack Street Band and Friends at Elizabeth Fort: Elizabeth Fort will come alive with an evening of music and song from 5.15pm to 8pm, featuring Voices of Peace, the Ukrainian Voice music group, the Sunshine International Youth Ensemble and Cork’s own Barrack Street Band. Bringing together performers from diverse cultural backgrounds, the evening will celebrate music, community and Cork’s cultural diversity.
- Cork City Libraries will host a wide-ranging programme featuring exhibitions, live music, readings and creative workshops, both at the central Grand Parade building and in selected branches. Highlights include the colourful Rap-A-Mile music-in-motion parade from the Kabin Crew, Chinese art, music workshops and Sweet Dreams: Lullabies Across the World, an exhibition compiled by women with experience of forced displacement, and expressed through painting, drawing, crochet and sewing.
- Art at Wandesford Quay: Backwater Artists Group, Cork Printmakers and Lavit Gallery open their doors this Culture Night, creating a hub of artistic activity. Backwater will offer guided studio tours and an opportunity to meet resident artists. Cork Printmakers will offer tours of its printmaking studios and current exhibition hay boy, gay boy by Maitiú Mac Cárthaigh, while Lavit Gallery will presents New Irish Art, showcasing new work by artists from across the island, alongside a talk and exhibition tour exploring the artists and building an art collection.
- 2FM Rising X Culture Night Live at St Luke’s: St Luke’s will host a special night of live music featuring 2FM Rising artists MOIO, Mischa and the Bear, Run The Red and Chubby Cat, alongside a live DJ set from 2FM’s Graham Smyth. The gig will also be broadcast live on RTÉ 2FM in a special show hosted by 2FM New Music Show presenter Beta Da Silva.
While all events on Culture Night are FREE, some require booking, please check the website for details. Full programme details at: www.CultureNight.ie
Red FM - Proud Media Partners for Cork Culture Nigh 2026
