The 21st annual Culture Night (Oíche Chultúir) takes place across Ireland on Friday, 18 September 2026, offering public access to thousands of free cultural events, exhibitions, workshops, and live performances.

Stewarded by the Arts Council in partnership with local authorities and supported by the Department of Culture, Communications and Sport, the nationwide initiative spans music, theatre, dance, visual arts, literature, film, and Irish-language programming. Cultural institutions, galleries, libraries, heritage sites, and community spaces across every county extend their opening hours late into the evening.

Special features for the 2026 programme include the return of the "Culture Night Late" series to support nighttime creative activities, as well as local transport initiatives, including free culture buses running in urban centers such as Cork City. In Dublin, the Arts Council is opening its Merrion Square headquarters to showcase selected works from its visual art collection, which spans from 1978 to 2024.

First established in 2006 as a local Dublin initiative involving 40 venues in Temple Bar, Culture Night has expanded into a national event that draws hundreds of thousands of attendees across cities, towns, and rural communities each year.