A record number of villages, towns and cities will participate in Culture Night on September 23rd. The doors of venues, galleries, cathedrals and arts spaces in 30 centres around the State will open to the public for an evening of free, educational enjoyment.

In Dublin, the National Concert Hall will host the RTÉ Symphony Orchestra at 8pm, followed by a recital by the RTÉ Vanbrugh Quartet at 10.15pm. Earlier in the evening, there will be hour-long workshops on the Javanese angklung, a bamboo instrument, in the venue’s Kevin Barry Room.

Also in Dublin, there will be live music at venues in Temple Bar, the DIT Conservatory of Music and Drama, the Royal Irish Academy of Music and choral performances in St Patrick’s Cathedral, Christ Church Cathedral, Whitefriar Street Church and the Pro Cathedral. The Complex in Smithfield will host a contemporary programme, headlined by soul-funk band Mob Fandango (below), while the Nighthawks arts collective has rounded up such acts as Pearse McLoughlin to play at the Oxfam shop on Parliament Street.

Cork, Kilkenny and other cities are finalising their programmes. See culturenight.ie for more.