GOWNA GLOWS 2026 (photography by anna wiercioch)

Gowna community centre was transformed into a magical landscape of light, colour, and creativity during Gowna Glows, a community-led event celebrating participatory art, imagination, and collaboration.

Under the artistic direction of Anna Wiercioch, the project brought together people of all ages to create an impressive 121 handmade lanterns, all produced by participants during a series of creative workshops in the weeks leading up to the event. Using recycled and mixed materials, the lanterns explored themes of underwater worlds, light, shadow, and storytelling, turning the exhibition space into an immersive night-time experience.

Workshops were facilitated by Ani Morton, Lorraine Donohoe, Anna Wiercioch, and Raquel Montero Calero, who guided participants through lantern making, recycled art, shadow theatre, and light-based installations. Alongside the community creations, the exhibition also featured installations by eight open-call artists, adding artistic depth and showcasing a wide range of creative approaches. Exhibition included work of Elena Duff, Alla Shmygovska, Ani Morton, Ewa Cyfert, Lorraine Donohoe, Raquel Montero Calero, Anna Wiercioch and Harveen Chinatamunnee 

One of the most exciting elements for children was the fluorescent art, which truly came alive after dark. Bright glowing colours reacted to light, creating moments of wonder as young visitors watched their artworks transform within the exhibition space. This interactive element quickly became a highlight for families.

A specially created musical soundscape accompanied the exhibition, produced by Anna Wiercioch in collaboration with 5th and 6th class pupils from Gowna National School, giving students a meaningful role in shaping the atmosphere of the event.

Another highlight of the evening was a giant puppet, designed and created by Anna Wiercioch and brought to life through performance by Harveen Chinatamunnee. The puppet performance delighted audiences of all ages and added a strong theatrical and visual presence to the programme.

The evening also featured a powerful fire show by Babylon Inferno, drawing large crowds and adding excitement and drama to the night.

Gowna Glows was organised by Gowna Tidy Towns. The event was funded by Cavan County Council and Creative Ireland, with generous support from local businesses Whites Pub and Gowna Spice.

More than an exhibition, Gowna Glows celebrated creativity, connection, and community pride—demonstrating how art, when created together, can truly light up a place.

Gowna Glows was the largest creative community event delivered in Gowna to date, bringing together residents of all ages for an inspiring celebration of light, creativity, and togetherness.

The project centred on a series of lantern-making workshops followed by a large-scale public exhibition, transforming the community space through handmade illuminated artworks created by children, young people, adults, and local artists. Using paper, light, and recycled materials, participants explored creativity, collaboration, and shared ownership of a landmark community event.

Gowna Glows demonstrated the power of creativity to strengthen community connections, activate shared spaces, and encourage participation across generations. The project was made possible through the dedication of artists, volunteers, and the Gowna Tidy Towns group, with strong local support throughout the process.

Gowna Glows was proudly supported by Cavan County Council and Creative Ireland through Creative Cavan’s Creative Communities programme, with additional support from Whites Wine Bar, Loch Gowna, and Gowna Spice.

During our Creative Winter Art Workshops, the children got to work on many different aspects of creativity including portrait painting, photography, music, drama, circus skills, and filmmaking.  Below are two short videos.  This video is a montage of all the workshops we held (filmed by Anna Wiercioch).  Funded by Creative Cavan, Creative Ireland, CMETB, and the Government of Ireland.