A CULTURAL initiative which involves art galleries and museum opening late to accommodate the public is to be expanded outside Dublin for the first time.
Cork, Limerick and Galway are to join Dublin in the annual Culture Night which will be held this year on Friday, September 19th.
Dublin has been running a Culture Night for the last two years. Last year an estimated 80,000 people, including children, their parents and older people, took part.
More than 100 free events were held between 5pm and 10pm and volunteers on the streets directed the public to the various events which include tours, talks, exhibitions, concerts, films, workshops and indoor and outdoor performances. Dublin Bus ran free buses to and from venues.
The Department of Arts, Sport and Tourism is providing €75,000 to fund this year's Culture Night.
A total of €45,000 will go for the Dublin night which is being organised by the Temple Bar Cultural Trust with a further €30,000 allocated for the initial hosting of Culture Night in Cork, Limerick and Galway.
Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism Séamus Brennan said he was in favour of more late-night openings for cultural venues to reflect changing lifestyles.
"I believe our appreciation of all things cultural is vastly different now to what it was a decade ago."
