Dublin City celebrating Russian Culture, March 9 – 14

Dublin to Celebrate Russian Culture During Week-Long Festival

Packed schedule has a variety of free-to-attend activities for all ages and tastes across the city centre.

A wealth of vibrant activities are on offer across Dublin city as part of the fourth annual Festival of Russian Culture, running from March 9th – 14th. From traditional music, dance, children’s activities, lively performances, chess challenges, award-winning cinema, informative exhibitions and lectures there is something to suit every taste.

The week long festivities coincide with the traditional celebration in Russia of Maslenitsa (“Pancake Day”), welcoming Spring. The Festival will encompass a selection of prominent Dublin venues, with varied cultural events in Temple Bar, Trinity College Dublin, The National Library of Ireland, Ilac Library, Dublin City Gallery, The Hugh Lane Gallery, Light House Cinema and the National Gallery of Ireland. This is the fourth outing for the Festival, following on from last year’s massively successful event which saw over 7,000 visitors attend the family day, with many thousands more attending other attractions in the programme during the week. The Festival is organised by Dublin City Council.

Literary and media enthusiasts will be delighted to hear that this year the Festival will welcome the renowned Russian writer, journalist and poet Dimtry Bykov who will be giving a literary reading at the Long Room Hub in Trinity College Dublin on Saturday March 9th at 6pm. Bykov is very well known in Russia and has won awards including the National Bestseller Prize and the Big Book Prize. His work is quite varied from hosting radio and television shows to writing novels, essays and poetry. Irish journalist and writer Conor O’Clery who lived and worked in Moscow will be giving a public lecture on Russia’s love affair with America on Thursday 14th March in the Arts Building in Trinity College Dublin at 6.30pm. Both events are open to the public and free to attend.

There are many other highlights in this year’s programme, particularly the central focus on the family day which took place on Sunday March 10th in Temple Bar. This featured lively traditional performances, Russian food, drink and souvenir stalls. Entertainment to keep children enthralled included Russian storytelling, doll painting, fairytale films and face painting, and there was plenty to keep adults entertained also.

Lectures throughout the week on Russian culture take place in the Long Room Hub in Trinity College Dublin, at the National Gallery of Ireland and Ilac Library with presentations by leading experts on Russian culture, all of which are free to attend.

A screening of the Russian film Short Stories/ Rasskazy, Winner of the Audience Choice Award at the Vladivostok International Film Festival, took place at Light House Cinema on Monday 11th of March at 6.30pm. The classic Russian film Doctor Zhivago was also be screened in Wood Quay Venue, Civic Offices, on Monday 11th of March at 2pm.

A returning popular activity has been the opportunity for members of the public to challenge Russian chess Grand Master Alexander Baburin. Mr Baburin is inviting secondary school students to a workshop in the Wood Quay Venue on the morning of Wednesday 13th and the public can challenge the Master in a mass chess-game at 1.30pm in the Ilac Library and in the Wood Quay Venue, Civic Offices, at 4pm. Chess enthusiasts gathered in their droves last year to watch this spectacle, where the Grand Master took on over 20 players simultaneously, and an even greater crowd is expected this year.

Weeklong activities include two exhibitions: a children’s art exhibition in the Ilac Library and photographic exhibition in Pearse Street Library. The children’s art exhibition is a collection of works by schoolchildren from Dublin and surrounding counties who were encouraged to submit their artwork to represent Russian fairytales.

The Festival also has a strong business angle, to stimulate ongoing trade between Russia and Dublin. Prominent business leaders from both Ireland and Russia will attend a forum to discuss how to strengthen economic ties between the two countries.

The Russian Cultural Festival is organised by Dublin City Council’s Office of Economy and International Relations and takes place with the kind assistance of Trinity College Dublin, The Russian Gazette, Dublin City Libraries, Temple Bar Cultural Trust, National Library of Ireland, National Gallery of Ireland and The Russian Business Association.

Visit www.dublincity.ie/russianfestival for information. Or find us on Facebook and Twitter.