The Orange Door

New Arts Documentary to Launch in Luan Gallery . Tuesday, 19^th July in the Luan Gallery sees the launch of an exciting new radio programme devoted entirely to artists living and working right here in Athlone. ‘The Orange Door’ is a radical new programming concept which will begin airing on Athlone Community Radio from Wednesday, July 20^th.

Funded by the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland under the Sound and Vision programme, ‘The Orange Door’ will air in 15 minute segments over ten weeks on Athlone Community Radio’s ‘For Art’s Sake’ programme, which goes out every Wednesday evening between 6 and 7.  The programme takes its title from the distinctive front door of ‘Making Space,’ the multimedia arts collective which burst onto the Athlone scene a few short years ago, and has been dramatically changing the cultural landscape ever since.

Based in Custume Place, Making Space has become a haven where artists and writers can work and share experiences in an environment which is positive, nurturing and fun. Creative people from all over the Midlands and beyond have flocked to it‘The Orange Door’ takes an in depth look at those who have come through the doors of Making Space, and it examines the exciting and surprising things which happen when a collective such as this comes to a place like Athlone.  The creation of hubs like Making Space has contributed to more Irish artists choosing to stay and work at home. But who are these people and what impact are they having on their community?

The 15 minute segments will focus on a new individual artist each week, and the series proper will conclude with an hour long panel discussion on the arts, recorded in the Luan Gallery and featuring a range of experts, chaired by Paul Gill.

The variety of creative work being done right here in Athlone is incredible, and ‘The Orange Door’ shines a revealing light on all of it. There’s the brilliant childrens’ book writing partnership of ‘Lulu Rose,’ the storytellers of Flannery’s Bar, film makers like Karen Kelleher, and the valiant bards of ‘Poetry in the Park,’ recorded on location in Burgess Park.    The assembly of local artists who have come through ‘The Orange Door’ is both surprising and inspirational, and their stories make for exciting radio, so tune in to ‘The Orange Door’ on ‘For Art’s Sake,’ Wednesday evenings from 6-7 on Athlone Community Radio 88.4FM.

This programme is the brainchild of Erica Follows-Smith, a producer with Athlone Community Radio. It was funded by the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland with the Licence fee.   The Orange Door is presented by Catherine Ivers, Sound Engineering is by Kyle McCallan, assisted by Johnny Gunning. The Editor is Johnny Gunning, vox pops are produced by Mark Kearns and the theme music was written and performed by another very talented local artist, Trish Nolan.