Ambassadors
Year after year, the cultural momentum bubbles under the surface of communities across Ireland and this year’s Culture Night programme showcases the vast and vibrant arts and creative scene around the island and beyond. It includes thousands of participants from all genres including photographers, illustrators, designers, composers, visual artists, dancers, aerialists, researchers, script-writers, conductors, projection mappers, graffiti artists, authors, singers and musicians.
Some of Ireland’s most exciting minds have got behind Culture Night in the past few years, promoting their own genres, new creative industries, as well as our rich history and heritage. Get to know this year’s National Trailblazers and County Ambassadors, helping to spread the good word about Culture Night 2020.
Culture Night Trailblazers 2020
-
Fehdah
Spiritual daughter of Erykah Badu and Oumou Sangare, Fehdah is a future-afro soul vocalist, producer and multi-instrumentalist, on the frontline of an emerging Irish hiphop and electronic music scene.Read More -
Michael Gallen
Award-winning Irish composer, writer and performer, Michael Gallen grew up with traditional Irish music and folk song. His work blends contemporary composition with musical language drawn from an Irish idiom.Read More -
Úna-Minh Kavanagh
Úna-Minh Kavanagh is a Gaeilgeoir and hails from Co. Kerry. She's a journalist, author and multimedia content creator and published her book, ‘Anseo’ about growing up in Kerry, the Irish language, identity and racism in 2019.Read More -
Mark Smith
Mark Smith is a performer and theatre-maker originally from Mulhussey, Co Meath who currently resides in Celbridge Co. Kildare where he is a member of inclusive theatre collective Run of the Mill Theatre.Read More -
Maeve Higgins
‘Culture night at home has always been a fun and unusual night in the best way possible, and I'm hoping to keep it that way even from New York. I'm delighted to be an international trailblazer and sharing the space online with other artists and audiences all over the world’Read More -
The Gardiner Brothers
Born in Denver Colorado and now based in Galway, brothers Matthew and Michael Gardiner began Irish dancing at aged 3 and 4 respectively. They have a combined total of five world championship titles and are members of Riverdance.Read More
County Ambassadors 2020
-
Cat Hogan - Wexford
‘As Culture Night Ambassador, I’m honoured to celebrate and champion the wealth of talent and creative magic that permeates the air here in Co. Wexford. I’m delighted to highlight the importance of the arts in our everyday lives, support our arts communities and open up the world of the arts, across all platforms. Creativity and the Arts doesn’t belong to the artist alone, but to the whole community.’Read More -
Keith Walsh - Kildare
"I am delighted to be asked to be the Culture Night Ambassador for Kildare this year. It genuinely is a great honour. I'm looking forward to promoting the night and the arts in general in Co. Kildare. Having recently benefited from the facility and knowledge and expertise that comes with our very own Riverbank Arts Centre."Read More -
Cónal Creedon - Cork City
Cónal Creedon is an Award winning novelist, playwright and documentary filmmaker.Read More -
Katie Holly - Cork County
“I feel privileged and proud to be Cork County Culture Night Ambassador, and look forward to the most innovative Culture Night yet. It had to be more innovative than previous years because we've never had to engage with restrictions and guidelines like these before...but I think that these seeming limitations have driven us to think laterally about how we communicate, how we express ourselves and how we share cultural experiences in a post Covid-19 era."Read More -
Little John Nee - Donegal
I am happy for this opportunity to do what i love doing; celebrating Donegal artists and the beautiful odd way we go about things in this beautiful odd place.Read More -
Pól Ó Ceannabháin - An Ghaeltacht
" I'm very proud and honoured to be asked to be the ambassador for culture night 2020. I feel that this gives me an opportunity to share the sean-nós style of singing with the wider world and demonstrate that the Irish language lives on in these songs."Read More -
Sinéad Sexton - Sligo
"For the first time, alongside its thrilling array of physical events, Culture Night has expanded to also include online events. This expansion brings with it fresh and innovative ways to experience culture and arts in Sligo, and in turn presents artists with new ways to connect to the masses through the arts.Read More