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4:30 PM-10:00 PM
Culture Night 2025 @ Goethe-Institut Irland
Exhibition Opening, DJ, Taster Courses, Kamishibai Theatre for Children, and Creative Space |Welcome to the Goethe-Institut, the German cultural institute in Ireland!
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Goethe-Institut Irland, Dublin
- Language German and English
- Price Admission free
For Culture Night 2025 we invite you to a German cultural evening in our building at 37 Merrion Square. All events will take place continuously from 4.30-10 p.m. unless otherwise noted.
Kamishibai Theatre for Children
Library, 4:30-6 p.m.
Goethe-Institut Irland will perform a Kamishibai play for children in the library at 37 Merrion Square as part of their programme for Culture Night.
Kamishibai, literally “paper theatre” in Japanese, is a form of storytelling that combines a set of illustrated paper cards with a scripted performance by a narrator. A form of performance art, the cards (illustrated on the front with script on the back) are cycled through a transportable wooden stage (butai) by the kamishibai narrator as they dramatically bring the imagery to life.
Suitable for the whole family, after the play, children are invited to make up their own stories and decorate a prepared Kamishibai.
Book in a Bag
Around the building, 4:30-10 p.m.
Book in a Bag returns to Goethe-Institut Irland as part of Culture Night 2025.
A few hundred blue bags will be placed around 37 Merrion Square, throughout the Georgian building which houses the library, and around the modern building dedicated to the Language Department. The bags contain gems from different genres: the free treasures could be a great story, poems, an audio book, a music CD, a history book or a book on art.
After they have picked their bag, Culture Night visitors can browse the shelves of the Goethe-Institut Irland’s library. This beautiful space with a spectacular ceiling and cosy seating is open to the public and offers a wide range of media in German or English translation – including a corner just for kids and young adults. On Culture Night, visitors can apply for their free library card and borrow language learning material, movies, books, and more.
Make your own Booksmarks and Introduction to the YA Book Club
Library, 6 - 6:30 p.m.
Join Goethe-Institut Irland for a fun, family-friendly evening in the library, starting with an introduction to the German-language Young Adult Book Club. Guests will hear about the club’s focus on contemporary German books and how it supports language learning in a relaxed, engaging way. There’ll be plenty of chat about favourite reads and what makes reading special.
Afterwards, everyone can get creative making their own bookmarks—using templates or stamps to design something unique. All materials are provided. Whether you're a book lover, learning German, or just curious, this hands-on event is a great way to explore stories and creativity together.
Courses & Exams Overview
Language Department, Room 4, 5 - 7:30 pm
Teachers will give you a brief overview of Goethe-Institut Irland's German language courses and exams and be on hand to advise you and answer all your questions about our digital programme and our educational projects.
German Taster Classes
Language Department, Room 3, 5 p.m, and 6 p.m.
Come along to German Taster Classes offered by Goethe-Institut Irland especially for Culture Night Dublin 2025. The 30-minute sessions will start Culture Night visitors on their journey learning another European language, as well as giving them an opportunity to gain insight into Goethe-Institut Irland's classroom setup and teaching methods.
Suitable for beginners. Two drop-in sessions will take place on Culture Night, one at 5 p.m. and one at 6 p.m.
Creative Space
Language Department, Room 5, 5 - 7:30 p.m.
The whole family, young and old and every age in between, can come take part in the German creative space at Goethe-Institut Irland as part of Culture Night.
There will be language games, for all ages, offering a playful way to learn German through board games, memory quizes, and digital tools. The artists in the family can get stuck into the creative corner, where they'll be invited to craft or write using simple German words as prompts - how about making your own very first German comic book? Or you can listen to readings from German books (also for kids) and German music at listening stations. And to finish up, add to the photowall, where Goethe-Institut Irland wants you to artistically tell them why you (want to) learn German.
Exhibition Opening: Transitional Terrains
Return Gallery, 6 p.m.
In cooperation with the Crespo Foundation, Goethe-Institut Irland is delighted to present "Transitional Terrains", an exhibition featuring works by two artist collectives with artists from Italy, Scotland, the Netherlands, and Germany.
The exhibition will showcase the unique works they developed during their three-month artist residencies at Glenkeen Garden in West Cork, inspired by the motto ArtNature/NatureArt.
The official opening will take place on Culture Night at 6pm. Alongside Transitional Terrains, Goethe-Institut Irland is excited to host a DJ set to dance the night away.
Further information about the Goethe-Institut's programme at Culture Night 2025 is available here.
The Goethe-Institiut’s Culture Night programme is part of European Culture Trail, an initiative by EUNIC Ireland (European Union National Institutes for Culture) in cooperation with the European Commission Representation in Ireland for Culture Night.
When you are coming out to town to enjoy Culture Night this year, immerse yourself in the diversity of European languages and cultures on the European Culture Trail, where delights from different European countries await you.
You are invited to download and print our “European Culture Trail Treasure Hunt” passport here and collect stamps or signatures at each stop. Those passports with the most stamps at the end of the night will be entered into a raffle for the chance to win some wonderful prizes.
Participants of the European Culture Night Trail 2025:
European Commission
Embassy of Bulgaria
French Embassy @ National Gallery of Ireland
Alliance Française
Goethe-Institut Irland
Embassy of Hungary
Istituto Italiano di Cultura
Embassy of Malta @ European Commission
Embassy of Portugal
Embassy of Romania to Ireland
Embassy of the Republic of Slovenia
Instituto Cervantes Dublin
Presented by the Goethe-Institut Irland for Culture Night 2025.
Thanks to Repeat Drinks who will provide CLUB MATE on the night.
(C) Repeat Drinks
Kamishibai Theatre for Children
Library, 4:30-6 p.m.
Kamishibai, literally “paper theatre” in Japanese, is a form of storytelling that combines a set of illustrated paper cards with a scripted performance by a narrator. A form of performance art, the cards (illustrated on the front with script on the back) are cycled through a transportable wooden stage (butai) by the kamishibai narrator as they dramatically bring the imagery to life.
Suitable for the whole family, after the play, children are invited to make up their own stories and decorate a prepared Kamishibai.
Book in a Bag
Around the building, 4:30-10 p.m.
A few hundred blue bags will be placed around 37 Merrion Square, throughout the Georgian building which houses the library, and around the modern building dedicated to the Language Department. The bags contain gems from different genres: the free treasures could be a great story, poems, an audio book, a music CD, a history book or a book on art.
After they have picked their bag, Culture Night visitors can browse the shelves of the Goethe-Institut Irland’s library. This beautiful space with a spectacular ceiling and cosy seating is open to the public and offers a wide range of media in German or English translation – including a corner just for kids and young adults. On Culture Night, visitors can apply for their free library card and borrow language learning material, movies, books, and more.
Make your own Booksmarks and Introduction to the YA Book Club
Library, 6 - 6:30 p.m.
Afterwards, everyone can get creative making their own bookmarks—using templates or stamps to design something unique. All materials are provided. Whether you're a book lover, learning German, or just curious, this hands-on event is a great way to explore stories and creativity together.
Language Department, Room 4, 5 - 7:30 pm
Teachers will give you a brief overview of Goethe-Institut Irland's German language courses and exams and be on hand to advise you and answer all your questions about our digital programme and our educational projects.
German Taster Classes
Language Department, Room 3, 5 p.m, and 6 p.m.
Come along to German Taster Classes offered by Goethe-Institut Irland especially for Culture Night Dublin 2025. The 30-minute sessions will start Culture Night visitors on their journey learning another European language, as well as giving them an opportunity to gain insight into Goethe-Institut Irland's classroom setup and teaching methods.
Suitable for beginners. Two drop-in sessions will take place on Culture Night, one at 5 p.m. and one at 6 p.m.
Creative Space
Language Department, Room 5, 5 - 7:30 p.m.
The whole family, young and old and every age in between, can come take part in the German creative space at Goethe-Institut Irland as part of Culture Night.
There will be language games, for all ages, offering a playful way to learn German through board games, memory quizes, and digital tools. The artists in the family can get stuck into the creative corner, where they'll be invited to craft or write using simple German words as prompts - how about making your own very first German comic book? Or you can listen to readings from German books (also for kids) and German music at listening stations. And to finish up, add to the photowall, where Goethe-Institut Irland wants you to artistically tell them why you (want to) learn German.
Exhibition Opening: Transitional Terrains
Return Gallery, 6 p.m.
The exhibition will showcase the unique works they developed during their three-month artist residencies at Glenkeen Garden in West Cork, inspired by the motto ArtNature/NatureArt.
The official opening will take place on Culture Night at 6pm. Alongside Transitional Terrains, Goethe-Institut Irland is excited to host a DJ set to dance the night away.
Further information about the Goethe-Institut's programme at Culture Night 2025 is available here.
The Goethe-Institiut’s Culture Night programme is part of European Culture Trail, an initiative by EUNIC Ireland (European Union National Institutes for Culture) in cooperation with the European Commission Representation in Ireland for Culture Night.
When you are coming out to town to enjoy Culture Night this year, immerse yourself in the diversity of European languages and cultures on the European Culture Trail, where delights from different European countries await you.
You are invited to download and print our “European Culture Trail Treasure Hunt” passport here and collect stamps or signatures at each stop. Those passports with the most stamps at the end of the night will be entered into a raffle for the chance to win some wonderful prizes.
Participants of the European Culture Night Trail 2025:
European Commission
Embassy of Bulgaria
French Embassy @ National Gallery of Ireland
Alliance Française
Goethe-Institut Irland
Embassy of Hungary
Istituto Italiano di Cultura
Embassy of Malta @ European Commission
Embassy of Portugal
Embassy of Romania to Ireland
Embassy of the Republic of Slovenia
Instituto Cervantes Dublin
Presented by the Goethe-Institut Irland for Culture Night 2025.
Thanks to Repeat Drinks who will provide CLUB MATE on the night.
(C) Repeat Drinks
Location
Goethe-Institut Irland
37 Merrion Square
Dublin
D02 XK52
Ireland
37 Merrion Square
Dublin
D02 XK52
Ireland