The Soft Space and Vanishing Point
Culture Night in Tallaght Cultural Quarter
Commissioned by South Dublin County Council (SDCC) and curated and produced by NOISE Music and Sofft Productions, Tallaght Culture Night featured two special events, The Soft Space and Vanishing Point, promoting accessibility and inclusivity in the arts.
With a focus on young audiences and neurodiverse communities, the events scheduled to take place at several Tallaght venues on Friday, 22nd September were free of charge for the public to attend.
The Soft Space was designed to be a decompression space with uniquely designed elements to help facilitate a sensory experience. Taking place at the cultural quarter at Tallaght’s Culture Night, the unique space was immersive and offered a serene space for relaxation where attendees could visit and escape the festival atmosphere. Created by Sofft Productions to promote inclusivity through innovation, the result was an experience that is suitable for all audiences including neurodivergent children and families.
In a first for these sensory spaces, Sofft Productions and NOISE Music teamed up with the cutting-edge virtual reality experience ‘DEEP VR’, a meditative VR game controlled by breathing. Through stable, slow, and deep deliberate breathing players explored the mesmerizing and hypnotic world of DEEP. The experience was designed to bring people from their existing emotional state to one of relaxed calmness and has been clinically validated to regulate anxiety.
There was plenty on offer for all the community, including art and ecology workshops with Karen Aguiar and Sam Noonen, Tai Chi with Kate Lee, music workshops with Aicia Raye, the collaborative art project with The Autistic Art Club and a live music set with iUS.
Programming took place at The Soft Space throughout the day and evening and was curated by South Dublin County Council’s Arts Office, NOISE Music, and Sofft Productions, and includes:
Vanishing Point was a unique DJ experience. Born out of the exploration of sensory space, this experiential zone combined ambient sounds, soothing lighting, and comfortable seating, with the aim of promoting restful rejuvenation and mindful introspection. Designed by lighting designer Conor Jacob of Sofft Productions, and curated by NOISE Music and Dublin Digital Radio, the space featured a line-up of talented DJs delivering curated sets across the night, including: BALIBOC (Jack Colley),R.KITT (Robbie Kitt), MAXIU (Matthew Xie) and DREAMCYCLES (Jenn Moore)
This programme highlighted the importance and relevance of ambient spaces which promote relaxation, emotional wellbeing, clarity, creativity, and productivity. Sofft Productions are advocates for ambient spaces in clubs, leading to a more inclusive clubbing experience. The space was created with this in mind while also contributing to the artistic landscape pioneering an experiential event.
Speaking about the events at Tallaght Culture Night, Natasha Duffy, Creative Director at Sofft Productions, says, "We believe passionately in crafting memorable and inclusive events that celebrate the rich tapestry of culture and provide an opportunity for neurodivergent children and adults to participate. As a neurodivergent person, I understand only too well how accessible festival spaces play a crucial role in contributing to community engagement, social interactions, and cultural enrichment, and this inspires my work every day. I’m encouraged by South Dublin County Council’s commitment to collaboration through its various programmes to make these spaces a reality for Culture Night.”
Gerry Horan, Programme Manager at NOISE Music, states,“As an initiative of the South Dublin County Council’s Arts Office, NOISE Music is delighted to contribute once again to Culture Night in Tallaght, continuing our commitment to providing young people with opportunities to participate in making and performing music, and experiencing live performance events."
Robbie Kitt, DJ and Producer, comments,"It's an honour for me to DJ in this unique, inclusive space at Vanishing Point, where music brings us all together. I hope that this is the first step towards ambient spaces becoming an integral part of clubbing and cultural experiences in the future."
Karen Aguiar,socially engaged Artist & Producer, adds, "It has been a pleasure to work on this activation and I’m excited to welcome families and children, especially those from the neurodivergent community to experience what The Soft Space has to offer during Tallaght Culture Night."
These events for Tallaght Culture Night 2023 werw funded by South Dublin County Council through its Arts Office and by The Arts Council and produced by Sofft Productions in partnership with NOISE Music.
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