Culture Night!
We are thrilled to announce we will hold the 2021 Midleton Arts Festival Culture Night events on September 17th
Midleton Arts festival are thrilled to be involved in culturenightcorkcounty.ie on September 17th. A wide range of fun free activities with something for all the family. Get involved in the Treasure Hunt, Land Art, Recycle song and Hey (speakers corner); enjoy the sounds of Riverrun, Cork Light Orchestra and recycle song; meet the makers or enjoy some top class professional theatre at My Place. All welcome.
Midleton is awash with artists, and through our work as artists, the issues surrounding our natural environment are very important to us and we aim to use our art to bring awareness of these issues to the local community. We are focusing on outdoor, family friendly events that can go ahead whether there are restrictions or not. This means some events may be cancelled due to weather, and some may have limited numbers.
FESTIVAL 2021
The MAF team love to work with and highlight the great work being done by local groups so if you have any event or happening that might tie in with the festival they would be very happy to include it in the schedule. You can get involved, by volunteering your time or talents, and enjoy being part of the vibrant MAF community. We are also making a call out to artists who would like to display and sell their work in the Sunday Art Market in the Market Square.
The centrepiece of the festival is a Fine Art Exhibition – Variables, curated by Midleton artist Danny McCarthy, features three renowned local artists John Mc Harg who will also facilitate workshops in the 2 Rivers Art Project, Belinda Walsh who is the part of the creative team at the heart of the festival, and the inspiring Tom Walsh. This will be held in MyPlace and the opening night is Friday 16th July.
Climate Aware Midleton will have a stall in the Midleton Market Saturday, exhibitions at the Library we will have an exhibition and discursive event. We have a family friendly mythical tour of Midleton by bicycle – the official transport of this years festival, to co-inside with and as part of “World Listening Day” July 17th 2021, the international festival of listening renowned sound artist Danny MacCarthy has devised “Riverrun” a soundwalk along the banks of the Owenacurra River in Market Green, Midleton. There will be a Treasure hunt – Treasure of Corann created by the playwright and actor Alice Barry, and on Sunday will feature an Art Market where artists are invited to bring their art along to sell in the market square, with music and entertainment for children.
FURTHER DETAILS
Nature Therapy Ireland
is delighted to welcome you to Midleton Arts Festival 2021 for a series of events where we will explore the incredible health and wellbeing benefits of spending time in nature.
Never have we been so removed from the natural world. The good news is that even a small amount of time spent in nature can have a positive impact on our physical and mental health and wellbeing.
These events will guide you in exploring your own connection to nature, offer invitations to spark your creativity, create a sense community and hopefully leave you feeling relaxed and inspired to get outdoors. The history, science and current practices of nature connection will be woven throughout leaving you with tools to bring into your own daily life.
These interactive sessions will be accessible and inclusive for everyone. Invitations will be easy to understand and simple to action. Whether you have access to nature imagery, indoor house plants, an urban park, a mountain or woodland, there is no right or wrong way to connect to nature.
We invite you to come as you are and engage in a way that feels right for you. Maybe that is through listening and learning or maybe through chatting to others in small groups/ pairs. There will be no expectation on you.
Events:
- Forest Bathing Walks:
5 forest bathing sessions are taking place as part of the festival.
Email naturetherapyireland@gmail.com to sign up for the:
- Family Walk – Friday 16th July @ 11am
- General public walk – Saturday 17th @ 11am
- Discursive Event: Saturday 17th July – full details coming soon.
festival vision
Our festival is a celebration of our community and its relationship with art. With so many talented artists in the area and wonderful art teachers in the schools, creativity is bubbling in East Cork throughout the year. MAF creates an opportunity to showcase, share and express this ongoing creativity during the mid May arts festival.
We are aiming to do no poster printing, use an app for information, extend the Saturday market to celebrate and investigate the local food artisans, growers and sustainable possibilities for Midleton.
We want people to be involved. We would love all artists and creatives to spend time together during the festival. We hope to create a space for artists to create and bounce ideas around, get inspired, meet new friends. The organisers are volunteers, so there is very little time and funding for us to organise every event but if you have something you can offer, and it suits to present it during July 16th – 18th. We will advertise and support you and guide you to the best place to set up/perform/exhibit/pop up.
A group of us met as part of One World Week and here is the lovely video shot by Kara Sweeney to get you started with ideas or be enticed to join one of our idea teams.
THE FESTIVAL
What a glorious festival we had in May 2019! Captured so beautifully by East Cork filmmaker Kara Sweeney of Twenty4Films.
The Vibrant Artists Community of Midleton and Surrounds come together in mid-May (delayed until July) to present their work, experiment, stretch imaginations and raise the spirits of the local community. Feel the town buzz the minute you step foot on the street. Expect the unexpected and bring your friends and family along to take part in the many activities! Magical May events for all ages; children’s busking competition, make art on the street, great exhibitions, music, meditative dance, drumming circle, poetry, film, bohemian discussions, outstanding theatre. There really is something for everyone in Midleton’s Arts Festival.