We love audiences and we want as many people as possible to experience the talent and creativity on our stages and our walls at glór. We have developed a range of initiatives to encourage people to make the trip – including discounted and free tickets, and social networks to plug into. So come on over! You have no excuse!
Cultural Companions
Many of us would probably go to a lot more plays, films, shows, concerts, exhibitions, or other events if we had someone to go with. There’s a thriving social and arts scene out there to be enjoyed if only we had someone with the know-how, the transport or the shared interest to get us going. That’s where Cultural Companions comes in.
Testimony from Dublin Cultural Companions’ member
“It’s been great being part of something like Cultural Companions. For me, it’s just great now knowing what’s going on from month to month. I’ve met some really nice people over the past few months and there is a small group of us who now phone each other all the time and go to various shows together or even meet up for a coffee sometimes. What I wanted to get from Cultural Companions was to meet new people and get out more. It’s that simple for me.” Marie Ryan, Cultural Companions member.
Cultural Companions is an Age & Opportunity Initiative comprising a network of older people interested in arts and culture who attend events together as a group. Its aim is to provide increased opportunities for older people to engage with Ireland’s vibrant arts and cultural scene. Volunteer members are facilitated by the Clare Age Friendly Programme to draw up a calendar of events to choose from every two months. All Members receive the calendar of events, posted out by the volunteers, and independently book and pay for those events they wish to attend. The members meet up at an allocated time prior to each event and attend together usually with a social get together built in. Membership is FREE.
The Clare Cultural Companions initiative is supported by the Clare Arts Office and Clare Older People’s Council.
How it works…
When it comes to Cultural Companions, the emphasis is on peer support, independence and choice. Members can use the network at two different levels, depending on your needs at a particular point in time:
1. Be part of the larger network by attending regular, organised Cultural Companions events.
2. Network independently, using the Membership Directory.
Become a Member
If this sounds like something you might like to join then, find more information here, or please contact Karen Fennessy in Clare Co. Council:
Tel: 065 6846489 or Email: kfennessy@clarecoco.ie
Become a Volunteer Companion
By recruiting Volunteer Companions (people who enjoy socialising, have an interest in the arts or regularly attend events themselves), we hope to facilitate a more active social life for older people who wish to broaden their horizons, meet new like minded people and get out more. A Cultural Companion could well be the additional stimulus someone needs to decide to go to something, to participate, to get involved. Volunteer Companions can be any age but we would especially welcome older volunteers.
All Volunteer Companions will be Garda vetted.
If you would like to become a Volunteer Companion or would like more information then please contact Karen Fennessy in Clare Co. Council:
Tel: 065 6846489 or Email: kfennessy@clarecoco.ie
BYOK – Bring Your Own Kids!
We appreciate it can be an expensive night out when you have to pay for a sitter as well as everything else – so every season we offer some shows that are suitable for well-behaved children to attend, for a parents-child date night! Half price tickets for under 18’s – Please see age guidance on events and look out for the symbol BYOK, (limited capacity).
glór arts for schools programme – GASP
glór is initiating a new pilot programme to provide further support for schools in County Clare to access arts performances at glór in 2018. glór’s goal with this programme is to increase engagement for pupils and students by reducing some of the financial obstacles that may be a barrier for attending ticketed performances off-site at glór. We are currently partnering with 6 primary schools and 2 secondary schools from across the County in 2018/2019 to pilot this initiative. GASP is supported by The Arts Council and Creative Ireland.
Community Tickets
Where there is availability and the flexibility, we like to offer local community groups we are connected with, free or discounted tickets to attend shows, with the objective of providing access to glór’s programme to a range of individuals who may not be in a position to otherwise access tickets.