Things To Do: Get up the yard, invest in some good earplugs and explore the cosmos

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Our recommendations – no sponsored content, or adverts, just stuff we like.

The Cosmos, the Earth and Us

Tonight in A4 Sounds Artist Studios and Gallery in Phibsborough is the launch of "The Cosmos, the Earth and Us", a new group exhibition that is part of its We Only Want the Earth programme about politically and socially engaged arts activities.

The exhibition will feature works by 24 artists, including a site specific carving Oisín Tozer, a sculpture by Con:Temporary Quarters, video art reflecting on political resistance in Palestine by Manal Mahamid, and a moving-image artwork reflecting on Irish folkloric traditions by Alannah Bates.

It launches 19.00 tonight, 10 July, with a drinks reception in the studio’s garden. If you can’t make it this evening, "The Cosmos, the Earth and Us" will continue until 22 August, with the studio free to visit from Wednesday to Sunday weekly.

A Warm Summer’s Evening of Disruptive Noise on Little Green Street

There are days when you scroll social media, and nothing happens, except that you remain indoors.

But then, there are days when you read a sentence like “Glibless is an abstract noise artist who’s gonna explore the sonic palette of a newly found crowbar,” and you are immediately compelled to act.

The good news is that the latter sentence is real, and in reference to something happening today. The abstract noise artist Glibless will be exploring the sonic palette of a newly found crowbar this evening over at Kirkos Ensemble’s new space on Little Green Street in Dublin 1.

Sharing a bill with Glibless on the newly found crowbar is Elvin Brandhi, an improvising lyricist, producer and sound artist from Bridgend in Wales, and together they are promising “a warm summer’s evening of disruptive noise”.

Without the assistance of a newly found crowbar, doors will open at 19.30, and entrants are asked to pay what they can, be it via cash or Revolut.

Fanvid x Little Gem

On Friday night, also over at Kirkos Ensemble’s new space on Little Green Street, the DIY film club Fanvid is pairing up with the experimental record label Little Gem for a “hybrid event” of live music and film screenings.

With a Screening Body is intended to experiment “with different forms of spectatorship”, and will feature a programme of films by Little Gem founder Andy Walsh, visual artist Sarah Lincoln, filmmaker Temmuz Süreyya Gürbüz, and writer Megan Conery.

This will then be followed by live music performances from the filmmakers, collaborators, special guests and, apparently, the films themselves.

If you’re as intrigued as I am, the doors will open at 18.00. The event is unticketed, but it is first-come, first-served, so you are advised to get down early.

DDR Yard Party

An unspeakable warmth is upon us, and if my semi-accurate free weather app is correct, then it is only going to pick up this weekend.

So, for those who are looking to step outside, a good spot to go on Saturday 12 July is Flux Studios on Chatham Row in Dublin 2, where Dublin Digital Radio will have their Yard Party in the courtyard all day.

Entry is free, with DDR resident DJs, including ÓIR, Rhyzine, Alba and R. Kitt playing slots between 12.00 and 20.00.

Plus, if you want to momentarily escape the sun, but are worried that retreating inside will mean missing out, fear not, as the Art Shelter Collective’s exhibition "How To Peel An Onion Without Crying" is showing in Flux too. As part of this, at 14.00, visual artist Aoife Nolan will be performing in the exhibition room.

Julia Louise Knifefist in Inchicore

It has been a while since I’ve had a chance to catch the digital hardcore rapper known as Julia Louise Knifefist in the city.

A co-founder of the experimental rave collective Bitten Twice, Knifefist is going to be performing over at McDowell's in Inchicore on Saturday night, sharing a bill with industrial outfits Victim Unit and Surgeryhead. Topping the bill is the “harsh noise” act Broken Teeth Under Gums. How harsh? Very.

It goes without saying, earplugs are probably a good idea. Doors open at 19.00 and it is €10 entry.

"The Home That Held Us"

On Wednesday, 16 July, the Fire Station Artists’ Studios is hosting its second annual residents' exhibition.

"The Home That Held Us" is curated by Clara McSweeney, whose previous work includes the housing and speculative-futures exhibition "Liquid Urbanisms", and will feature works by Emily Waszak, Kian Benson Bailes, Alice Rekab, Evelyn Broderick, Paul Hallahan, Samir Mahmood, Mieke Vanmechelen, Day Magee and Sorcha McNamara.

The exhibition will take place across the public and communal spaces in the Mountjoy studios to celebrate its function as a home and shelter to its residents for thirty-two years now.

The Home That Held Us opens at 18.00 on Wednesday, 16 July, and will be on view daily until Tuesday, 22 July.

Curveball

Only recently, the Crowbar Terrace above the Button Factory announced that it was re-opening as Curveball, an 80-capacity terrace venue.

Its official launch is next Saturday, 19 July, with DJ, producer and (another) co-founder of the Bitten Twice collective, Rory Sweeney scheduled to play a back-to-back set with Baliboc.

But, in the lead-up to the big day, the venue, re-christened to share a name with its address over Curved Lane, is hosting a fundraiser for Féile Na Gréine, the annual Limerick festival of emerging and experimental music. That is going to be on Saturday night, 12 July, and will feature Anemone, Ellie O’Neill and Fonda, with The Nasty Villains doing a DJ set.

Tickets are €15, and doors open at 20.00, or if you want to see what else is coming up in Curveball, visit their website here.

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The Liberties Festival’s Talking Shop Series

Among the many other events during the Liberties Festival 21–27 July is Talking Shop. 

It’s a series of pop-up conversations after-hours with local businesses, including Noel’s Deli, Little Flower Penny Dinners, the Model Shop, Straffan Antiques, Fusco’s, and Assisi in Liberty Market. 

We’re working on this event with the Liberties Festival, so interviewers will be members of the Dublin Inquirer team. 

One Off: An Experimental Comedy Show

"One Off" is the first solo show from experimental comedian James Moran (of Celtic Ligers podcast) after his return to comedy this year. It promises a surreal, genre-bending and sometimes unnerving multimedia comedy show about Irish politics, culture and the end of the world.

The show will be at the Pearse Centre on Wednesday, 16 July, with tickets available here.

Loughshinny Boathouse Studio Award

Fingal County Council Arts Office is inviting applications for the Loughshinny Boathouse Studio Award, a studio residency award open to professional visual artists.

This opportunity offers an award of €20,000 and a fully funded studio for a nine-month period, commencing in September 2025.

To apply, or for more information, visit the council’s website here.

Go Around Go

Clancy Quay Studios will be holding its closing exhibition of the 2024/2025 studio residents, "Go Around Go" between Thursday, 10 and 12 July.

The launch is on Thursday, 10 July at 18.00, and featuring at the show will be artists Nicole Manning, Àjàó Babátúndé Lawal, Jack Ó Meara, Heather Hughes, Jack O’Dea and Aoife Ní Dhuinn.

African Advocacy Network Ireland presents Summer Heritage Show

AANI will be hosting its Summer Heritage Show, featuring a programme that unveils rare African history, music and poetry, with a particular focus on spoken word.

Among other acts, the event will include historian Dr. Olusegun Morakinyo, and musicians Segun Akano, Big Boy Snuffy and Dagogo Hart Dagogo.

The show is on Saturday, 12 July between 12.00 and 15.00 in Blanchardstown Library’s Lecture Room.

Admission is free. For more information, contact AANI at 087 126 4578.

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