Moments of Being
Laura Fox, Paul Hallahan, Elizabeth Magill, Colin Martin, Ciarraí MacCormac, Eleanor McCaughey, Eve O’Callaghan, Lesley-Ann O’Connell, William O’Neill, Ciara Roche, Annette Smyth, Mark Swords, Lee Welch
VISUAL ARTS
Sat 18 Jan – Sat 15 Mar | Opening reception: Sat 18 January, 2:30pm | Curated by Brenda McParland
A group exhibition exploring the diversity of approaches to painting by a selection of some of the most interesting Irish artists working today. The exhibition includes figurative, abstract, experimental, open and expanded painting practices by established, mid-career and emerging artists. Ideas and themes explored include personal narratives, observations of everyday life, the body, identity and place, the natural world, contemporary culture, history, politics, the real and the virtual, and the materiality and essence of painting.
Several of the paintings are new and exhibited for the first time at Solstice Arts Centre.
Laura Fox, Lesley-Ann O’Connell, William O’Neill and Annette Smyth are based in Co. Meath.
Gallery Walk & Talk
LEARNING & ENGAGEMENT
Sat 8 Mar | 2:30pm (60mins) | Free, booking required
Join artist, lecturer and Head of School at the Royal Hibernian Academy Colin Martin as he leads a walking tour of Moments of Being, discussing the work of individual artists in the context of contemporary painting practice.
ACCOMPANYING EVENTS
- Gallery Tours using Visual Thinking Strategies for adults, teens, primary & secondary school groups
Various dates/times, free, booking required
- Sensory Connections – for children & adult groups with additional needs
Wednesdays throughout exhibition, 10am (60mins), €5
- Creative Corner – for families
Saturdays throughout exhibition, 11am – 1pm, free, no booking req.
- Azure Tours – for people living with dementia
Last Friday of each month throughout exhibition, 11am (90mins), free, booking required
- Playing with Abstraction – primary & secondary school workshop
Wed 5 & Fri 7 Feb, 9:30am & 11:30am (90mins), free, booking required
- Cut & Collide – adult/student workshop
Sat 8 Feb, 10am (150mins), €20 / €15 (student)
- Artistic Explorers PAINT! – mid-term camp for ages 8-12
Wed 19 – Fri 21 Feb, 10am – 1pm each day, €60
- Creative Clutch – adult/student workshop
Sat 1 Mar, 10am (240mins), €30
- Gallery Walk & Talk – an exploration of contemporary painting
Sat 8 Mar, 2:30pm (60mins), free, booking required
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Gallery Tours using Visual Thinking Strategies (VTS)
LEARNING & ENGAGEMENT
Tours continue throughout visual art exhibitions | Free, booking required
Visual Thinking Strategies (VTS) is an inquiry-based method of visual processing - looking, describing, and discussing what we see in a work of art. It is about listening to others, responding, and expanding thoughts and new possibilities revealed within group engagement. VTS improves oral and visual literacy, problem solving and collaborative interactions among peers.
Guided by Deirdre, our learning & engagement co-ordinator. For queries and bookings please email: deirdre.rogers@solsticeartscentre.ie
Group Gallery Tours
Tuesdays & Thursdays | 11am (60 mins) | groups of 5 or more
Bring your group upstairs to the gallery and explore some of the artworks in our current exhibition. Use VTS to discuss and build a deeper understanding of the artwork. This is an opportunity to focus and reflect on multiple perspectives, enhancing engagement and enjoyment of learning through art.
Primary School Gallery Tours
Tuesdays – Fridays | Various times available (60 mins)
Look, listen, and respond to artworks in our gallery spaces. Encouraging peer-to-peer discussion, this is an opportunity for children and teachers to learn about the artists and their work, inspiring you to create artworks back in the classroom!
Secondary School Gallery Tours
Tuesdays – Fridays | Various times available (90 mins)
Broaden creative thinking through oral and visual literacy by exploring two contrasting exhibitions between January and May. Using VTS and cross-curricular links, these sessions support the Junior and Senior Cycle, placing students at the centre of the learning process. Senior Cycle students will receive specific information that embraces the three strands – Research, Create and Respond, with particular focus on Content Area 3: Today’s World.
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Sensory Connections
LEARNING & ENGAGEMENT
Wednesdays throughout exhibitions | 10am (60mins) | €5 | All age groups with additional needs
This relaxed gallery tour and short workshop is designed for small groups with additional needs. It will follow a slow pace of engagement, tailored to individual needs. Exploring the artworks in the gallery, participants can engage in a multi-disciplinary, sensory activity that connects to the exhibition in the gallery. Guidance from teachers and carers may be sought prior to the session and the gallery will be closed to the public for the duration of your visit.
For more information or to book please contact Deirdre: deirdre.rogers@solsticeartscentre.ie
Creative Corner
FAMILIES
Saturdays throughout exhibitions | 11am – 1pm | Free, no booking required | For families
Explore our Creative Corner in the gallery. Children and their adults are encouraged to create and engage in fun, interactive activities that respond to the exhibition. This is a free, drop in and out service - parents/guardians must stay with children at all times.
Small Things Like These
FILM
Wed 22 Jan | 7:30pm | €7.50/season pass or bundle
English | Ireland, Belgium | 99mins | 2024 | Cert: 12A | Dir: Tim Mielants
Bill Furlong (Cillian Murphy) is a hard-working coal merchant, doing his best to support his wife and five daughters amidst the challenging conditions of mid-80s Ireland. In the lead-up to Christmas, Bill makes an early morning delivery to the local convent. However, an unexpected encounter with one of the convent’s traumatised residents shakes him to his very core, forcing him to ask questions about the nuns’ conduct that nobody dares say aloud.
DirtBirds: Girls World Tour
COMEDY
Fri 24 Jan | 8pm | €30
Ireland's queens of comedy return with their brand-new show “Girls World Tour”. After their last sell out tour across Ireland and the UK, DirtBirds are bringing their spot-on observational comedy back to the stage with a mix of stand-up and sketches. Come along and make it a girl’s night out! Go on… you deserve it.
The Luke Kelly Story
MUSIC
Sat 25 Jan | 8pm | €30
Regarded as one the greatest folk artists of the 20th century, Luke Kelly’s music is widely regarded as one of Ireland’s cultural treasures.
Created and performed by the renowned Dublin singer and muti-instrumentalist Chris Kavanagh, this show brings the audience on a journey through Luke’s music and has received rave reviews in Ireland and abroad, regularly selling out in Ireland’s most prestigious venues including Cork Opera House and Dublin’s Vicar Street. This exciting show brings to life that unique atmosphere that made Luke so special.
Loreto St. Michael’s: West Side Story
MUSICAL
Wed 29 – Fri 31 Jan | 7:30pm | €20 (adult) / €17 (child)
West Side Story is a modern musical representation of the classic story "Romeo and Juliet". The Sharks and the Jets are rival gangs fighting for the same territory. Tensions rise as a Shark girl named Maria and a Jet named Tony fall for each other, but there's a problem: they can never be allowed to be together.
Azure: Dementia-Inclusive Gallery Tours
LEARNING & ENGAGEMENT
Fri 31 Jan, 28 Feb, 25 Apr & 30 May | 11am (90mins) | Free, booking required
Join us for guided exhibition tours specifically designed to support people living with dementia and their family, friends, or professional carers. Engage at a relaxed pace and explore up to three artworks in our gallery. Looking and discussing art in the moment together, these social tours are followed by complimentary tea/coffee in Solstice Café.
Each tour comprises of small groups of up to 8 people. We are flexible in our planning, so please get in touch if these dates or times do not suit you.
For more information or to book please contact Deirdre: deirdre.rogers@solsticeartscentre.ie
FEBRUARY
Des Bishop: Lately
COMEDY
Sat 1 Feb | 8pm | €30
Des Bishop is back with his new show Lately.
The world has changed, Ireland has changed, and Des’s life has changed… A LOT. Lately is a hilarious, in your face stand-up show that talks about all this and more as Des tried to make sense of all the changes in his life and all our lives.
Playing with Abstraction
SCHOOLS
Wed 5 & Fri 7 Feb | 9:30am & 11:30am (90mins) | Free, booking required | 2nd – 6th Class (Wed) & Secondary (Fri)
Guided by local exhibiting artist Lesley-Ann O’Connell, pupils will experiment with spontaneity and reconstruction to create multi-layered, colourful, and dynamic imagery.
Following a tour of the gallery, Lesley-Ann will share her art making techniques, exploring the expressive possibilities of mark making, watercolour, collage, and framing. Playing with abstraction, pupils will engage through critical thinking that is intuitive and fluid, connecting to self-expression, drawing, paint, and colour while creating a work of art.
A Different Man
FILM
Wed 5 Feb | 7:30pm | €7.50/season pass or bundle
English | USA | 112mins | 2024 | Cert: 15A | Dir: Aaron Schimberg
Edward - an aspiring actor living with neurofibromatosis - undergoes an experimental treatment that cures him and radically changes his appearance. Taking on an alias, ‘Guy’, he begins a romantic and creative relationship with his playwright neighbour Ingrid. Edward initially revels in his new circumstances, but everything is upended when the charismatic Oswald - another actor with neurofibromatosis - arrives in his life. This blackly comic psychological thriller boldly confronts difficult questions around self-perception, beauty, and attraction.
Mary Black On Tour
MUSIC
Fri 7 Feb | 8pm | €39.50
Last year proved to be a remarkable one for Mary as she captivated audiences around the country on her 40th Anniversary Tour. As she looks forward to the future, she invites fans old and new to join her for a new show filled with the songs we all know and love, and a few surprises thrown in too. Backed by the best band in the business, Mary promises one of her best shows yet.
Cut & Collide
LEARNING & ENGAGEMENT
Sat 8 Feb | 10am (150mins) | €20 / €15 (student) | 16+
Inspired by her artistic practice, join exhibiting artist Eleanor McCaughey for an experimental mixed media collage workshop. Following a guided tour of Moments of Being, explore pattern, texture, and shape with various materials to create personal collage, with a focus on the making process rather than outcome. This relaxed workshop will encourage experimentation, inviting you to use impulsive mark-making with pastels and paint to create your work.
Participants with all levels of creative experience are welcome.
Greatest 80s Show
MUSIC
Sat 8 Feb | 8pm | €27.50
Back by enormous demand, get ready to travel back in time with Greatest 80s Show at Solstice Arts Centre.
Featuring your favourite songs from the decade of neon and big hair, experience hits from iconic artists like Duran Duran, a-ha and Spandau Ballet (to name a few). With a set that is both electrifying and heartfelt, don’t miss your chance to relive the decade that defined a generation!
Crossing
FILM
Wed 12 Feb | 7:30pm | €7.50/season pass or bundle
Georgian, Turkish with English subtitles | Georgia, Turkey | 105mins | 2024 | Cert: 15A | Dir: Levan Akin
Retired teacher Lia is trying to find her niece Tekla, a twenty-something trans woman who was banished from their village years before. Achi, Lia’s affable aimless neighbour, claims he knows where Tekla is: in Istanbul. With a half-baked plan and very little money, their search for Tekla sparks an unlikely connection between the two in this humanistic tale that transcends borders and generations.
Sharon Shannon
MUSIC
Sat 15 Feb | 8pm | €30
One of Ireland’s most beloved and internationally acclaimed folk artists, Sharon is a multi-instrumentalist known for her ability to weave traditional Irish music with modern genres. Having released over 20 albums, headlined iconic venues across the globe, and collaborated with the biggest names in music, Sharon continues to innovate. With new music and a series of captivating performances lined up, this tour is set to remind audiences why she remains one of the most respected and admired musicians in Ireland and beyond.
Irish National Opera: Fledermaus
OPERA
Tue 18 Feb | 7:30pm | €30/€27
Man-about-town Eisenstein is supposed to report to jail, his wife Rosalinde is to stay home for the night, and their maid Adele needs to visit a sick aunt. Yet all three turn up in disguise at Count Orlofsky’s extravagant masked ball. As the champagne flows and the waltzes play, mistaken identities and heavy flirting lead to a night (and an early morning) of hilarity.
Famous for his “The Blue Danube” waltz, Fledermaus is Johann Strauss’ most popular opera. Best-known for its tunefulness, upbeat musicality, and Viennese lilt, the hilarious story is packed with disguises, double crossings, and rivers of champagne.
The Outrun
FILM
Wed 19 Feb | 7:30pm | €7.50/season pass or bundle
English | UK, Germany | 117mins | 2024 | Cert: 15A | Dir: Nora Fingscheidt
After 10 years of spiralling into addiction in London, Rona (an extraordinary Saoirse Ronan) returns home to the Orkney Islands off the coast of Scotland, hoping to maintain her recovery. Attempting to reconcile her complex family history as well as her destructive past behaviours, she takes a job with a wildlife conservation charity - allowing her to connect with the nature of her childhood home. This moving film is redemptive, cathartic and utterly riveting.
Artistic Explorers PAINT!
MID-TERM CAMP
Wed 19 – Fri 21 Feb | 10am – 1pm each day | €60 | Ages 8-12
Immersed in an array of artworks in our exhibition Moments of Being, over three days we will explore a range of materials and processes motivated by the works of thirteen contemporary artists. Working mostly in the medium of paint, these artists create landscapes, still life, portraits, and abstract works using the observation of everyday life and culture to inspire.
Using the theme PAINT, we will combine physical, visual, and sensory experiences to transform materials into new artistic creations, with a focus on the making process rather than the outcome.
An Evening with Michael Harding: I Loved Him from the Day he Died
TALK
Thu 20 Feb | 8pm | €25
Michael Harding’s father had a profound effect on his life. In 2023, Michael walked the Camino de Santiago and wrote a volume of memoir entitled I Loved Him from the Day he Died. Join Michael as he brings to life the Camino walk and the father who shaped his life.
A Night of Soul with Dublin Gospel Choir
MUSIC
Fri 21 Feb | 8pm | €26
Prepare to be uplifted and inspired as Dublin Gospel Choir brings their signature sound to Solstice Arts Centre. Renowned for their rich harmonies, boundless energy, and emotional performances, this extraordinary evening promises a celebration of soul, gospel, and heartfelt classics.
From powerful gospel anthems to soulful renditions of popular hits, the choir’s versatile repertoire will move and energise audiences of all ages. Whether performing on festival stages or alongside global icons like John Legend, Kodaline, and Rod Stewart, Dublin Gospel Choir never fails to deliver an unforgettable experience.
Little Folk: On the Road
MUSIC
Sat 22 Feb | 11am | €12 / €40 (family of 4)
Kyle’s back with his wildly popular family concert for young children. Little Folk is perfectly suited for 2-7yr olds and their adults. Featuring his award-winning children’s music and proper sing-a-long songs, it’s super fun for the whole family. The fun doesn’t stop when the show ends either, as each child gets a little musical goody bag so they can join in during the show and then take some of the experience home.
Kyle’s been writing and performing children’s music for over 10 years, bringing his entertaining and engaging show to thousands of families. So bring your rock toddlers, your little boppers, and cool kids to this one of a kind family concert.
When the Moon Spun Round
THEATRE/DANCE
Schools Shows: Fri 28 Feb | 10am & 12:30pm | €8 per pupil | Ages 6+
Family Show: Sat 1 Mar | 2pm | €12.50 (adult) / €10 (child) / €40 (family of 4)
★★★★★ “Joyous… Magical… Visually Spellbinding” – The Irish Times
When the Moon Spun Round is a visually captivating theatrical performance that combines aerial dance, traditional music, and storytelling elements.
Come on an imaginative journey where aerialists dance like waves of the sea, where a fiddler soars high, and where moonlit cloths suspend, float, and fall.
With mesmerising choreography, ethereal lighting, and immersive soundscapes, the performance invites audiences of all ages on a journey to explore what happened when the moon spun round.
MARCH
Creative Clutch
LEARNING & ENGAGEMENT
Sat 1 Mar | 10am (240mins) | €30
A masterclass in still-life composition, join exhibiting artist William O’Neill to explore a fresh approach to objects for painting. Sharing creative considerations, techniques, and knowledge from his own artistic practice, participants will leave with a finished artwork and a contemporary approach to still life.
This one-off workshop is for experienced painters and students. Experience in the still-life genre is not essential. Participants must bring their own painting materials, easel, etc. A materials list will be shared once booking is complete.
The Room Next Door
FILM
Wed 5 Mar | 7:30pm | €7.50/season pass or bundle
English | Spain | 107mins | 2024 | Cert: 15A | Dir: Pedro Almodóvar
Acclaimed author Ingrid (Julianne Moore) learns her old friend Martha (Tilda Swinton) - a successful war correspondent - has cancer. Ingrid visits Martha in hospital and the pair reestablish their dormant friendship. As they reflect on their shared past, a dying Martha asks for one final favour - one which will severely test Martha’s emotional resolve. The first ever English-language feature from Spanish filmmaking legend Almódovar is a compassionate, frank, and at times humorous study of end-of-life care.
Sultan Stevenson Trio
MUSIC
Thu 6 Mar | 8pm | €22/€18
Sultan Stevenson, still at the tender age of 23, has captivated the jazz scene with his incredible performances and original musical compositions.
Over the last 3-4 years he has emerged as the future superstar of the jazz world. He has played sold-out shows around London and the south of England. He also toured in Ireland in October 2023 to great acclaim and now as we enter 2025, he is set to conquer Europe with huge demand from festivals and clubs.
A Londoner with roots in the Caribbean, Sultan is a product of both Tomorrow’s Warriors and the Julian Joseph Jazz Academy. He is influenced by the work of many of the greats of the jazz piano, including McCoy Tyner, Geri Allen, Herbie Hancock and Kenny Kirkland.
Don’t miss this opportunity to see one of the brightest stars of his generation live.
Neil Delamere: Achilles Neil
COMEDY
Fri 7 & Sun 9 Mar | 8pm | €28
Our comedy hero is back on the road with a brand new epic stand-up show. Join one of Ireland's favourite comics as he takes on life's absurdities in his own inimitable way. A celebration of the altogether too frequent weaknesses that make us human. Don't miss the hilarious Achilles Neil.
*Does not contain any actual Greek mythology
Jack Lukeman: Unbroken Songs
MUSIC
Sat 8 Mar | 8pm | €28
Join Jack Lukeman for an unforgettable evening celebrating resilience, hope, love, and dreams through his extraordinary musical journey. Unbroken Songs draw from Jack's 30-year career, during which he's uplifted spirits and touched hearts worldwide, performing through joyful and challenging times.
In Unbroken Songs, audiences will experience the evolution of an artist whose distinctive storytelling and powerful voice continues to captivate. The show features signature tracks and rare gems while marking the 20th anniversary of Jack's seminal album Broken Songs, offering fans a fresh opportunity to revisit this landmark work. "These songs have grown with me," Jack says. "Playing them now feels like coming full circle."
Expect a night of soul, reflection, and dynamic performances as Jack brings his iconic presence to the stage. The Unbroken Songs tour promises to leave you inspired, re-energised, and filled with hope.
Sheer Luck Holmes
COMEDY/THEATRE
Sun 9 Mar | 7:30pm | €55 (show + 3-course meal) | location: Newgrange Hotel, Navan
Dust off your magnifying glasses and prepare to super sleuth your way through a fully interactive murder mystery evening! Join Holmes, Watson, and Mrs Hudson in a laugh out loud comedy caper as they re-enact their latest murder mystery case. Expect deadly twists, dastardly turns, hilarious characters, and a 3-course meal that's simply to DIE for.
Coláiste na Mí: Sister Act
MUSICAL
Thu 13 & Fri 14 Mar | 7:30pm | €20 / €15 (student) / €60 (family of 4)
A woman hiding in a convent helps her fellow sisters find their voices as she rediscovers her own. Sister Act is the feel-good musical comedy smash based on the hit 1992 film that has audiences jumping to their feet.
Anora
FILM
Wed 19 Mar | 7:30pm | €7.50/season pass or bundle
English | USA | 140mins | 2024 | Cert: 16 | Dir: Sean Baker
Anora "Ani" Mikheeva lives in Brooklyn, working as a stripper. When Ani meets Ivan - the young, party-loving son of a rich Russian oligarch - Ivan is smitten. He starts paying Ani to become his live-in partner, and after a few whirlwind weeks of excess, they get married in Vegas. However, everything soon comes crashing in when Ivan’s parents find out about Ani. Winner of the Palme d’Or at Cannes Film Festival in 2024, Anora is an uproarious comedy-drama with a magnetic lead performance from star Mikey Madison.
Jason Byrne: No Show
COMEDY
Thu 20 Mar | 8pm | €26
In 1935, Erwin Schrodinger placed comedian Jason Byrne in a venue with an audience and closed the doors. Was there a show or no show? For those outside without tickets there was simultaneously a show and no show.
Don’t be outside. Get a ticket and watch the master of comic creativity and audience interaction create a show from No Show.
Jarlath Regan: In Bits
COMEDY
Sat 22 Mar | 8pm | €28
After 2 years of making us laugh out loud into our phones, hundreds of millions of views, thousands of seats filled across Ireland and the UK – Jarlath Regan is finally here with a totally new barnstorming standup show like nothing you’ve seen before.
In a world of relentlessly bleak news and constant negativity, take a break, make space for laughter, and watch "a master at work" (Patrick Kielty). The brand-new standup show from the man behind some of the most hilarious viral standup comedy clips is finally here. After selling out every single seat on his "Yer Man" tour in 2024, Jarlath is on the road again and travelling around the world with a completely fresh, never before seen standup comedy show guaranteed to have you "In Bits".
Navan Theatre Group: Calendar Girls
THEATRE
Tue 25 – Sat 29 Mar | 8pm | €22 | Age guidance: 16+
This hilarious comedy-drama is based on the true story of the 11 members of the Women’s Institute, who famously posed nude for a calendar to raise money for the Leukaemia Research Fund in 1999.
Calendar Girls is a heart-warming celebration of friendship, resilience, and the power of community from writer Tim Firth. Directed by Des Lynch.
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The Iron Gates (Gvozdene Kapije)
Barbara Knezevic
VISUAL ARTS
Sat 29 Mar – Fri 30 May | Opening reception: Sat 29 March, 2:30pm
The Iron Gates is an exhibition of new sculpture and film work by Barbara Knežević commissioned by Solstice Arts Centre and supported by the Arts Council of Ireland. The exhibition is a series of sculptural objects and a single-channel film that interprets the history, stories, materiality, and the development of technology in the Iron Gates (Gvozdena Kapije) region, a deep scenic gorge at Derdap on the Dunav (Danube) River on the border of Serbia and Romania. It is also the name of the nearby Iron Gate I Hydroelectric dam completed in 1972 as a collaborative project between the governments of the former Yugoslavia and Romania. The series of large-scale sculptures in the exhibition implement the language of monuments and temporality. They are composed of industrial materials that are then handmade, welded chain, mesh and steel are formed and fabricated alongside intimate, domestic materials such as ceramics, fabric, stone and wood. Sculptures are shown alongside and feature as actors in a single-channel film of the same title, that the artist describes as a ‘sculptural film’.
In Conversation with Barbara Knezevic and Belinda Quirke
LEARNING & ENGAGEMENT
Sat 29 Mar | 2:30pm | Free, no booking required
To open the exhibition, join Barbara Knezevic as she discusses her artistic practice and the themes informing the sculpture and film work in Gvozdene Kapije (The Iron Gates) that place sculpture and personal and family experiences against the backdrop of larger historical narratives of the Danube and the Balkans.
ACCOMPANYING EVENTS
- Gallery Tours using Visual Thinking Strategies for adults, teens, primary & secondary school groups
Various dates/times, free, booking required
- Sensory Connections – for children & adult groups with additional needs
Wednesdays throughout exhibition, 10am (60mins), €5
- Creative Corner – for families
Saturdays throughout exhibition, 11am – 1pm, free, no booking req.
- Azure Tours – for people living with dementia
Last Friday of each month throughout exhibition, 11am (90mins), free, booking required
- The Language of Scripture – adult/student workshop
Sat 12 Apr, 10am (120mins), free, booking required
- Contemporary Balkan Short Films – cinema screening
Wed 7 May, 6:30 gallery open / 7:30pm screening time, free, booking required
- Sculpting with Words – primary school workshop
May (date & time TBD), free, booking required
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APRIL
Conclave
FILM
Wed 2 Apr | 7:30pm | €7.50/season pass or bundle
English | UK, USA | 120mins | 2024 | Cert: 12A | Dir: Edward Berger
When the Pope dies suddenly, Cardinal Lawrence (Ralph Fiennes) must oversee one of the world’s most secretive processes – selecting the new Pontiff. As the Catholic Church’s most powerful leaders gather in isolation within the Vatican halls to hold the conclave, Cardinal Lawrence finds himself at the centre of a web of conspiracies where secrets, sabotage, and revelations emerge. Based on Robert Harris’ novel, Conclave is a riveting thriller packed with twists and turns.
A Night with the Country Stars
MUSIC
Thu 3 Apr | 8pm | €32
Back by popular demand, "A Night with the Country Stars" returns for a night of toe tapping, hand clapping, and a lineup that even Nashville would be proud of. The fantastic bill includes the queen of country music Philomena Begley, the Louisiana man Robert Mizzell, the gentle giant of country Mick Flavin, the wee man from Drumlish Declan Nerney, and Athboy's famous son Matt Leavy. Each performing their trademark hits in the company of Ireland's top backing band Keltic Storm, this a show you won’t want to miss!
St. Mary’s Musical Society: Evita
MUSICAL
Wed 9 Apr – Sun 13 Apr | 7:30pm | €24
Set in Argentina between 1934 and 1952, this show charts the rise and fall of Eva Peron, renowned First Lady of Argentina. With music and lyrics by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice, this iconic musical soars in both song and story, and truly is a show not to be missed. By arrangement of The Really Useful Group.
The Language of Sculpture
WORKSHOP
Sat 12 Apr | 10am (120mins) | Free, booking essential | Adults/students
Through sculpture making and language, join Katarina Stankovic and artist Barbara Knezevic to explore themes within ‘The Iron Gates’. Demonstrating fun conversational introductions to the Bosnian, Croatian, Montenegrin and Serbian (BCMS) languages, participants are invited to respond through clay, connecting our senses through the making process while sharing cultural identities. The sculptures made will then be fired and glazed after the workshop for participants to keep.
Hard Truths
FILM
Wed 16 Apr | 7:30pm | €7.50/season pass or bundle
English | UK, Spain | 97mins | 2024 | Cert: 12A | Dir: Mike Leigh
Middle-aged sisters Pansy and Chantal could not be more different. Chantal is cheerful and empathetic. Pansy, on the other hand, is hypersensitive and full of anger, with her husband Curtley and son Moses bearing the brunt of her outbursts. With Mother’s Day approaching, tensions will continue to rise unless Chantal can somehow help her sister. Acclaimed director Mike Leigh returns to contemporary London for this character-driven family drama.
How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies
FILM
Wed 23 Apr | 7:30pm | €7.50/season pass or bundle
Thai with English subtitles | Thailand | 125mins | 2024 | Cert: TBD | Dir: Pat Boonitipat
M, driven by the desire for a multimillion-dollar inheritance, puts aside his dreams as a hopeful videogame streamer to care for his terminally ill grandmother. However, winning Grandma's favour is no easy feat, and to add to the drama, he's not the only one gunning for the inheritance. M finds himself embroiled in a gripping competition, where he must go to great lengths to become the apple of Grandma's eye before time runs out, all in pursuit of a life-changing, multimillion-dollar inheritance.
The Muddy River Band: The Songs of Bob Dylan, Neil Young & Tom Petty
MUSIC
Fri 25 Apr | 8pm | €25
Step back in time and experience the magic of three of music’s greatest legends; Neil Young, Bob Dylan and Tom Petty, performed by the fantastic Muddy River Band. This talented group of musicians brings to life the unforgettable melodies, poignant lyrics, and electrifying performances that have echoed through the lives of generations of music lovers. Whether you’re a lifelong fan or discovering these legends for the first time, this show will leave you inspired and longing for more.
Sarah McQuaid in Concert
MUSIC
Tue 29 Apr | 8pm | €18/€16
Sarah McQuaid’s lush, chocolatey voice combines with her engaging personality, “subtle mastery onstage” (Huffington Post), and “brilliant musicianship” (fRoots) on guitar, piano, and (occasionally) drum to create a truly immersive experience.
Born in Spain, raised in Chicago, holding dual Irish and American citizenship, and now settled in rural England, she brings the eclecticism of her background to her “captivating, unorthodox songwriting” (PopMatters) and choice of material, spanning genres and defying categorisation.
All this is abundantly demonstrated by her new live album and video series The St Buryan Sessions – but needs to be savoured in person to be fully appreciated.
All We Imagine as Light
FILM
Wed 30 Apr | 7:30pm | €7.50/season pass or bundle
Malayalam, Hindi with English subtitles | India, France | 118mins | 2024 | Cert: 15A | Dir: Payal Kapadia
Nurses Prabha and Anu share an apartment in Mumbai. Despite her husband moving abroad and no longer contacting her, Prabha continually rejects the romantic advances of a friendly doctor working in her hospital. Meanwhile, outgoing Anu is in a passionate relationship with Shiaz - a relationship she keeps secret as it’s socially taboo for her to date a Muslim. A poetic portrait of two women’s lives in contemporary India, All We Imagine as Light overflows with empathy and respect for its central characters.
REGULAR CLASSES
Life Drawing with artist Cáit Moloney
Tuesdays 4 Feb – 11 Mar (6 weeks) & 29 Apr – 27 May (5 weeks) | 7pm – 9pm | €80 (6 weeks) / €65 (5 weeks) | Adults/students
Guided by artist Cáit Moloney, these relaxed, social sessions are an opportunity to flex your life drawing skills and improve your drawing practice. Over a number of sessions, engage at your own pace, focusing on different elements of drawing the human figure with a variation of models and props.
Artists of all levels are welcome. Participants are asked to bring their own drawing materials of choice. Chairs, drawing boards and light refreshments will be provided.
More dates to be added. Visit our website for information.
Silver Swans - Over 55’s Ballet
Wednesdays from 8 Jan | 10am & 11am (60 mins) | €54 (block of 6) / €10 (per class)
Specially designed for older learners, Silver Swans Over 55's ballet classes will help improve your mobility, posture, co-ordination and energy levels. Classes are led by Royal Academy of Dance licensed teacher Michelle Kehoe A.I.S.T.D. who has been teaching ballet for over 25 years.
Sightless Cinema: workshops for blind and visually impaired adults
Fridays | 10am – 1pm | free
Sightless Cinema aims to empower people with sight loss as artistic collaborators and creators in the medium of audio theatre. The project has proved an excellent platform for personal development and social inclusion, while also raising awareness of sight loss in the broader community. Creative Director Ciarán Taylor works with the participants to explore, devise, perform record and present a radio drama.
The project is funded by Meath County Council Arts Office & Creative Ireland
Act Out Youth Theatre @ Solstice
Tuesdays (as per school calendar) | 6pm - 9pm | bookings: 087 237 9893 / ActOutMeath@gmail.com
Act Out is a fresh youth theatre company established in 2017 in partnership with Solstice, under the Artistic Direction of Anthony Kinahan. It is a forum for young people of secondary school age in Meath to learn more about theatre & performance through fun & engaging workshops. The company is guided by the students and involves them as active participants in the running of the theatre.
To find more information on our regular classes, please visit https://solsticeartscentre.ie/whats-on/regular-classes/
Solstice Arts Centre,
Railway Street,
Navan,
Co.Meath
C15KWP1
