Offaly Faoin Spéir presents final fantastic three outings over next fortnight

In the Open | Faoin Spéir – Offaly present their final three fantastic outings  In the Open  over the next two weeks.

In the Open | Faoin Spéir – Offaly, funded by the Arts Council of Ireland, is a collaborative partnership led by Offaly County Council’s Arts Office with Birr Theatre and Arts Centre and Birr Festivals Collective, Tullamore Arts Centre & Lough Boora Parklands. The aim is to develop the exciting and innovative curated programme of outdoor events, taking place throughout Co. Offaly, in anticipation of the opening of the new Arts Centre for the town next year.  In the Open | Faoin Spéir – Offaly  will generate a sustained and curated programme of multidisciplinary, inclusive arts activity in public or open spaces in towns and communities around Ireland until April 2022.

Make way for two fun filled evenings full of past OFFline Film Festival films for all ages at the OFFline Film Festival  Outdoor Cinema, taking place on Friday, April 22nd  and Sunday, April 24th  from 8:30pm outside of Birr Theatre and Arts Centre!   Friday hosts special screenings for children with a short film and a feature length movie Little Boy Litter by Jack McHugh & Conor Mc Nally, and Oscar Nominated for Best Animated Feature Film of the Year in 2014, Song of the Sea by Tomm Moore and Paul Young.    Sunday  night features films from the Heartlands, a compilation of short films made in the Midlands, or filmmakers from the midlands over the past 10 years such as  Saving the Turf by Fiona Breen, Wormhole in the Washer by Padraic Keane and Soft Tissue by Cliona Noonan.   For more details on films visit  www.intheopenoffaly.ie, and to book your tickets in advance, visit  https://birrtheatre.ticketsolve.com/shows/873632098.

Before enjoying some fun evenings at the outdoor cinema, have a great family day out at Spectacular Weekend at the Bog during both afternoons from 12-4pm on Saturday, April 23rd and Sunday, April 24th  at Lough Boora Discovery Park Pavilion.  Expect a plethora of things to do to celebrate the experience, visuals and textures of the long fascinating surrounding boglands.  Artists Monica deBath and Evelyn Broderick facilitate some interactive bog walks and bog painting and sculpture workshops at the Lough Boora Pavilion.  Free workshop tickets for families and all ages are available in advance at  https://birrtheatre.ticketsolve.com/shows/873632036  but book now as spaces are limited!

Also experience the beauty of natural art materials through a selection of painted signs in the Pavilion area by Artist Augustine O’Donoghue, using turf and other natural  materials, these temporary paintings will be affected by the rain and other weather conditions over the 2 week period of their appearance from April 19th  - May 7th.    Don’t forget to also enjoy an impromptu rehearsal from Birr Young Voices on the Saturday at 2pm, who will be performing at ‘Soundscapes of Nature’ presented by Birr Festival of Music on Saturday, April 30th, as well as an exclusive reading by revered Birr Poet Eileen Casey of her latest publication ‘Bogmen First and Last’ on the Sunday.

When you are on your way out to these fun family activities, why not stop off first to the Organic Kitchen at Lough Boora Visitor Centre and pick yourselves up some handy picnic boxes to take with you to the Pavilion for a satisfying picnic lunch? Also expect some great confectionary and ice cream available from their selection to enjoy.

The final event to close our wonderfully diverse In the Open | Faoin Spéir programme is that of an inspiring, ethereal collusion of audio and visual entitled ‘Soundscapes of Nature’ presented by Birr Festival of Music.    After two years of hybrid and online events, Birr Festival of Music 2022 returns to full capacity and its usual May Bank Holiday Weekend dates this year from Friday April 29 - Monday 2 May. 

Soundscapes of Nature, taking place during the festival at 9pm on Saturday, April 30th, is a newly-commissioned work for Birr Young Voices, inspired by the natural world, is created and animated by award-winning Birr artists, animator Finn Nichol and composer Laura Sheils and involves 40 local children and young musicians.  The performance takes place in the open air at Birr Castle Courtyard in Birr, Co. Offaly.  Tickets can be purchased here at  https://birrtheatre.ticketsolve.com/shows/873632400.

In the Open |Faoin Spéir  and  Spectacular Vernacular  emerges from the foundations of artistic cultures that already exist between our towns and in County Offaly; examining the traditions of Offaly and its rural arcadia through the lens of the contemporary practitioners who live there or artists and culturalists whose practice may be associated with the locale. These featured artists share a united association with new blood, new cultures and potential that will look sharply to a shared future and consider - what collective legacy may be possible for our community to envisage today?For more information on the above artists and their In the Open |Faoin Spéir and Spectacular Vernacular projects visit  https://intheopenoffaly.ie/Artist

For more on In the Open | FaoinSpéir and Spectacular Vernacular, visit  www.intheopenoffaly.ie  or  https://www.offaly.ie/eng/Services/Arts-and-Culture/