Culture Night at City Hall

Join us for a night of music on the Plaza at New Civic Offices to celebrate Culture Night.

Exhibit – Mahon Community Art Project

The Mahon Community Print Exhibition is a compelling visual exploration of Memory, Loss, and Renewal through collaborative printmaking.

This mixed-ability community art project is facilitated by the Community Access Programme (CAP) of the Brothers of Charity Services Ireland, in partnership with Horizon, a Mahon-based community art initiative supported by Cork City Council’s Creative Communities Grant.

The theme for this project – Reflections, Loss and Renewal – emerged from a deeply personal and shared process. Participants explored stories, exchanged memories, and contributed images from their own lives, discovering common ground and creative connections through the medium of print.

More than 120 prints have been combined to create eight large-scale, semi-abstracted landscapes, each piece formed from 16 hand-carved lino boards, evokes emotional depth while encouraging reflection. The high horizon lines draw viewers’ eyes upward – inviting contemplation and connection.

The project exemplifies inclusive community art, where all voices are honoured. It not only celebrates the resilience of the group but also invites the wider community into a shared experience.

PLUS - Stop by to see how to play this interesting and ancient game

Join us for tours of The Lord Mayor’s Chambers and Council Chambers, situated at City Hall and built in 1936.

On display are the artifacts, gifts and art works, both ancient and modern, which form part of the life and traditions of the First Citizen of Cork.

Two Shows: 4.15 & 6.45

Squish, Stomp, Spin – The Magic of Stim

Explore the wonders and joy of “The Magic of Stim” with Moss Russell 

A sweet story about a little fairy who fights to make things right in her world.

This show brings the audience on a journey to normalise big emotions and other neurodivergent features. 

Everyone is invited to stim along with the show, learning what feels good in their bodies and why some people love to move around so much. This work seeks to promote positive representation for neurodivergent individuals through storytelling.

This work seeks to promote positive representation for neurodivergent individuals through storytelling, bringing the audience on a journey to explore how ‘big emotions’ can be part of being neurodivergent, but are also normal feelings that can be fun to express.

There are two shows, start times:

First showing is at 4.15pm and 2nd showing is at 6.45pm.

Doors open 15 mins in advance, and each show will run for approximately 45 minutes.

See our Social Guides here – also available on the day:

Show Guide CN25

City Hall Venue Guide CN25

Visual Guide Accessible Entrance CN25

Booking not required but if preferred, to reserve seating in advance or discuss access requirements, please contact 021 492 4116

Two shows: 17:30 & 20:00

A unique semi-improvised piano experience that blends mindful presence with live music, 'As If I Always Knew' invites audiences to step away from the digital noise of the modern world, creating a space for collective mindfulness through an immersive musical experience.

Cian Sweeney was the pianist positioned under the magnificent Helios installation in St. Fin Barre’s Cathedral during the last Midsummer festival. Now Cian presents ‘As If I Always Knew’ in a pared back, intimate setting.

In this unique event, the audience is invited to surround a single upright piano while (optional) reclining on yoga mats in a circle.

Guided breathwork and gentle vocal toning open the performance, followed by improvised solo piano that drifts between silence and flowing melody. Listeners will be encouraged to offer thematic prompts, which are woven into real-time compositions that blend classical, ambient, and free-form styles.

Created as an antidote to high-pressure, commercial music, the experience invites deep listening, mindfulness, presence, and relaxation - music felt as much as heard. Each performance is crafted live, drawing on neoclassical, ambient, and impressionistic traditions while responding to the energy of the room. Audiences are welcomed to lie on yoga mats in an intimate circle around the piano, creating a meditative atmosphere where the performance becomes a shared experience.

The evening includes:

• Semi-improvised solo piano performance
• Guided group breathwork
• Collective vocal toning/humming
• Reflective, immersive listening experience

Drawing comparisons to Nils Frahm and Ólafur Arnalds, Cian’s approach returns to his natural musical voice after years as a producer and session musician. Previous performances include Cork Midsummer Festival (St. Fin Barre’s Cathedral) and Dublin Fringe Festival.

Schedule:

5:30pm – 6:20pm: First session

8:00pm – 8:50pm: Second session

Audience members are invited to bring their own Yoga mats or sit on provided seating. Come prepared for a meditative, lying-down listening experience that prioritises presence, connection, and musical discovery.

Standard seating is also provided