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Language Friendly Events

Language Friendly Events

Mother Tongues Festival is committed to widening participation and removing language barriers that may prevent people from accessing cultural events. This is a list of events which include features that make them more accessible:

Can you see it, Can you feel it, it’s all in the Air

21 MAY

Watch now

The world turned upside down, the rule book ripped up. The Deaf Performance Group entered a dream-time. In this 5-minute piece we celebrate the beauty of the ISL (Irish Sign Language). Lorraine Creed, Fiona Ennis, Alvean Jones, Sandra Kennedy, Ann O’Neill and Lianne Quigley came together to explore Irish Deaf Women’s history and contemporary creativity. We set out to dream, to imagine and to create.
Edited by Amanda Coogan with an original score by Áine Fay, this work was supported by the Irish Deaf Society. 

In & Out

Language

Various with English subtitles

Find out more

In & Out has the goal to create a story through images, this story documents how those who came to Ireland for a better life (In) and those who left it for the same reasons (Out), are connected by common conditions and sentiments. We chose from all of these sentiments the one that seemed to be the common thread, that brings us back to what we left behind: nostalgia.

Contatto

Video series with English subtitles

MAY

Language

English with subtitles

Find out more

Contatto is a new video project showcasing the stories of artists living and working in Ireland and focusing on their experiences and challenges entering the arts scene in this country.

Contatto currently consists of 21 video interviews. Each video tells the personal story of each artist – how they trained to become an artist, how they have become involved in the arts scene in Ireland, whether or not they feel the Irish art world is sufficiently inclusive, what challenges and opportunities they have experienced and how they think things could improve for immigrant artists in Ireland.

Walk A While

by Tallaght Community Arts

Language

Any

Find out more

Submissions to the Walk a While project are welcome in any language. Participants have the choice to submit audio in any language or video in a Sign Language of their choice. Videos created by participants are subtitled.

Movimiento

Premiere 17 May

Language

Spanish with English subtitles and ISL interpreting

Watch now

We proudly present a cover version of the song Movimiento. Originally written by Uruguayan musician Jorge Drexler, the song emerged from his TED Talk: poetry music and identity. It explores the inherent quality of human nature: being in constant movement.

Unspoken Tongue

Written Word Performance and Happening

LIVE! 20-22 May

Language

Any

Find out more

Artists Hina Khan and Tomasz Madajczak will engage in a durational written word performance and public happening. The artists are going to write in their native tongues, creating a word art expression. The work will consist of a stream of consciousness, elements of poetry in the artists’ native languages (Polish and Urdu), and the process will be open to public engagement. You will be welcome to take part in the performance by engaging in the writing process, or by influencing the creative process with your presence and interaction.

Changing the narrative

The power of language and media to promote societal change

24 May

Language

English with ISL interpreting

Live on Zoom
May 24, 3 pm

Language is one of the most creative tools at our disposal. We can use language to build peace and reconciliation, to create inclusive environments and celebrate diverse identities, but also to spread hate and division. How can we as citizens promote positive change in our society and counteract hate and division?
This panel, chaired by Joy-Tendai Kangere, will bring together Hazel Chu, Lord Mayor of Dublin, linguist Federico Faloppa, Associate Professor in Italian Studies and Linguistics at the University of Reading, and Zbyszek Zalinski, Diversity and Inclusion Lead at RTE.

Goodbye Papà

Screening of two short films by Teatro Multilingue

10-23 May

Language

English + Italian + Spanish with subtitles in the languages & English + Italian + French with subtitles in the languages

Teatro Multilingue is the only company for multilingual theatre and cinema productions. Based in Italy, they create shows featuring various languages and dynamic characters interwoven throughout each microteatro, short film and long pièce. With their official debut taking place at the Piccolo Eliseo in Rome, their latest project, the #Europe21 trilogy, was introduced early in 2021.

Windowpane & PAL

by Shane O'Reilly

22 MAY

Language

ISL with English subtitles

Plus an exclusive interview with Alvean Jones (this event is only available in Ireland).

PAL (12 min) Originally commissioned by Culture Night 2020. Sal needs to get out of her house for a little bit. Get out of her head. PAL is a slanted exploration of the disorientating noise and lonely echoes that reverberate in the mind of a Deaf woman emerging from a period of isolation… or hibernation.
Windowpane (9 min) Originally commissioned by The Abbey Theatre as part of the Dear Ireland project. Windowpane is inspired by the Edward Hopper painting A Woman In The Sun. The monologue exposes the psychological gymnastics of a Deaf woman imprisoned within her own home during lockdown.

Tongue Twisters

Documentary, Greece, 2018

18-20 May

Language

Greek with English subtitles

Past event

What is a tongue twister? Why do they exist in language? What’s their purpose? What connects some words so thrillingly with laughter? Can documentation about language be a contemporary perception of euphoria? This is a funny-language-educational-fairly-cheesy-tickling documentary by Simos Korexenidis.

Let's Learn English through Creative Drama

Suitable for intermediate learners and above

1, 8, 15 MAY

Language

Suitable for intermediate learners and above

Past event

Creative Drama is an integrative process that develops imaginative thought and creative expression in participants. This workshop will offer a unique opportunity for you to improve your English language skills while exploring your creative side. These workshops will focus on the ‘doing’ rather than on ‘presenting’ activities, helping your imagination and your confidence at the same time. No theatre experience is needed, but it is most suitable for intermediate learners and above.

The Art of Witness

A CREATIVE EXPLORATION OF LANGUAGE, IDENTITY AND CULTURE ON THE ISLAND OF IRELAND

14 May

Language

English with ISL interpreting

Past event

Smashing Times International Centre for the Arts and Equality, in conjunction with the Annual Mother Tongues Arts Festival 2021 are delighted to host ‘The Art of Witness’, a presentation of creative practice and an online panel discussion exploring themes of language, identity and culture on the island of Ireland. ‘The Art of Witness’ takes place online on Friday 14 May 2021 at 7.30pm.

Bilingual events

Bilingual events are open to people who speak English and/or another language.

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