This September, Ballinasloe Square will host Eight Tonnes, an after-dark performance, installation and tractor parade. Drawing on the much-loved tradition of tractor parades and vintage tractor runs in rural Ireland, Eight Tonnes brings tractors, artists and performers together for a unique Culture Night Late event. Find out more here...
The event takes place as part of Galway County Council’s programme this Culture Night in Ballinasloe on Friday 18th of September from 9pm at St. Michael’s Square.
Eight Tonnes brings together an eclectic mix of artistic voices to celebrate Ballinasloe's agricultural heritage in a new light. Ballinasloe based performers Breda Larkin (comedian and performer) and Ultan Conlon (musician and composer) join Clifden-based dancer and choreographer Linda Schirmer, Dublin-based digital artist Kev Freeney and Limerick native and new media artist Scott Robinson to turn the familiar sight of a tractor parade into a striking night-time experience - part performance, part celebration, part tribute to the machinery and rhythms that shape rural life. The project is proud to have the support of Macra Galway whose links to young farmers reflect the community and agricultural spirit at the heart of Eight Tonnes. Dancers from In-Step Stage School Ballinasloe are also joining the project, working alongside dancer Linda Schirmer.
"Come and join in the wonder of Culture Night with Galway County Council and this brilliant lineup of local and national artists. It’s with pride that we welcome everyone in our community to witness this spectacle of tractors, light and performance," - Cllr. Andrew Reddington, Cathaoirleach, Galway County Council.
Eight Tonnes invites audiences to see something every day and essential to Ballinasloe's identity as the tractor, through an entirely new artistic lens, blending comedy, music, dance and digital art against the backdrop of the town's historic Square.
"This is a wonderful example of how creativity can draw its inspiration from Ballinasloe’s rich agricultural heritage. Galway County Council is proud to support ambitious cultural projects that celebrate local identity while creating unique opportunities to bring communities together." - Liam Conneally, Chief Executive, Galway County Council.
The event is free and family friendly, and audiences from all walks of life are welcome. Performances start at 9pm and will finish no later than 10pm.
"As a farmer from Ballinasloe, I know how central the tractor is to a farmer's life, and I am delighted that it’s our main focus for Eight Tonnes. It's a history of the 'culture' in agriculture, told through a reimagined tractor parade with light, dance and music. A fun way to look at how we work the land, and how that's changed over generations." - Breda Larkin, comedian and performer.
"What makes Eight Tonnes such an exciting performance is the combination of artists from very different practices. They are creating an ambitious and playful event with tractors that reflects the richness of contemporary live performance in Ireland. It brings a whole new level of fun and creativity to the iconic tractor." - Sharon O’Grady, Arts Officer, Galway County Council.
Before attending Eight Tonnes, you are welcome to explore other exciting Culture Night events in Ballinasloe: This is Me, a junk journaling workshop at Ballinasloe Library with Group 8 from 4-5:30pm; and Culture Night at Hymany Park, celebrating Traveller traditions with Misleór Festival of Nomadic Cultures and Ballinasloe Traveller Women’s Group from 4-7pm.
Follow Galway County Culture Night social media channels for updates.
Instagram: @culture_galway
Facebook: @galwaycountyculturenight
Galway County Council Arts Office presents Eight Tonnes, a Culture Night Late event with artists Breda Larkin, Kev Freeney, Linda Schirmer, Scott Robinson and Ultan Conlon. Funded by the Arts Council, Department of Culture, Communications and Sport and Galway County Council. In partnership with Ballinasloe Town Hall Theatre and Macra Galway. Produced by Culture Works.
Photos by Ciarán MacChoncarraige.
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