Month: April 2024

Two three storey ‘parachute cloth’ style murals have been installed by East Belfast Enterprise

Two murals, covering three storeys of the City East building at the gateway to East Belfast, on Newtownards Road, have been officially launched by Lord Mayor of Belfast Cllr Ryan Murphy.

Created by cross-community groups with direction from local artist Dee Craig, the installation promises to encourage curiosity among Belfast’s citizens about the industrial past of our city while we visualise our future.

The project — Connecting Communities Through Art — is the brainchild of East Belfast Enterprise, a charity and social enterprise focused on bringing advantage to disadvantaged communities by encouraging entrepreneurship, and Belfast Mural Arts, bringing together numerous demographics from the area including people from the two main traditions and new immigrants in the community, to depict the diversity of living in the east of the city.

Using a US mural method known as The Parachute Cloth Technique, the concept includes artwork of cross-community groups in the Ballymacarrett and Short Strand areas specifically incorporating design ideas from the wider diverse East Belfast community, including school children, people living with disabilities, the elderly and ethnic minority groups.

The mural design was developed during a series of more than 30 workshops in which the groups discussed themes to reflect the lives of those living in East Belfast.

Their designs also pay homage to the east’s strong industrial heritage as well as its future potential. Created by painting directly onto parachute cloth, the artwork has been installed on two sides of City East building, and Belfast Mural Arts are the only artists in Europe that specialise in the parachute technique, which gave scope for the entire mural project to be participant friendly with local people actively engaged in painting sessions.

Belfast Mural Arts installed the artwork in a jigsaw-like technique using super strength glue to give it a lifespan of up to 25 years before requiring maintenance.

Speaking about the launch of the mural installation, Jonathan McAlpin, Chief Executive of East Belfast Enterprise, which owns the City East building, said: “We occupy an iconic site on Newtownards Road so our vision was to create something iconic that would exude passion and captivate passers by, filling them with pride and inspiration. I’m hoping that they will pause and take a moment to appreciate the murals and take time to reflect and aspire as they view the subject matter. After months of discussion, planning, painting and engagement with Belfast Mural Arts I’m proud that we can now see the project we envisaged coming to life. For East Belfast Enterprise to be at the forefront of creating a piece of art with Connecting Communities Through Art that tells the true story of modern-day East Belfast, its business heritage, diverse culture, unity and future potential, is a testament to our commitment to this area, its people, remembering its past with fondness and looking with optimism as we journey through its future.

“This mural installation is an artistic reflection of the East Belfast community made while breaking boundaries, building relationships and challenging negative perceptions that lead to division and associated anti-social behaviour in this part of the city. I believe the imagery celebrates and embodies the values that define us and the dreams that unite us.

“Our objective was to celebrate the successes of East Belfast recognising the historic economic achievements from this area while looking to a future that can tap into the latent innovation, talent and entrepreneurship that rests within this community and I believe we have achieved this from the art that is now hanging on the walls of our building at City East. I believe these two murals will create a positive legacy and forge connections in the community. They are a permanent visual presentation of our community’s vision of and for East Belfast. Where there is inclusivity and cohesiveness, there are also productive outcomes and art is a powerful medium to bring people together.”

The murals have been installed with equipment from Briggs Equipment and have been made possible by funding through collaboration with Apex Housing, Belfast City Council, Clanmil Housing, Connswater, George Best Belfast City Airport, NI Community Relations Council, Northern Ireland Housing Executive and Radius Housing.

For more information on the Connecting Communities Through Art project visit www.eastbelfast.org; https://www.facebook.com/thefoundrybelfast; https://www.instagram.com/eastbelfastandfoundry; https://www.linkedin.com/company/east-belfast-enterprise-agency and https://twitter.com/teamfoundry

WATERFRONT HALL, Sunday 17 NOVEMBER

Best Selling Author, TV front man and podcaster Ant Middleton has today announced a brand new 18 date tour for autumn 2024 – including at date at the Waterfront Hall, Belfast on 17 November.

It’s hard to believe that it has been three years since Ant has been on stage in the UK with his Zero Negativity Tour in 2021, and yet within that time it has been both a tumultuous and exhilarating ride.

This year, Ant Middleton returns to the UK stage to talk all things K2; from the gut-wrenching experience of leaving his family to travel to one of the most dangerous mountains in the world – and the consecutive obstacles he had to surmount – to the summit itself. This will be an emotive look into the journey which was both life affirming and defining.

From the glitz and glamour of Dancing with the Stars in Australia, the stunning and dangerous stunts of SAS: Australia, to the skills and emotional intelligence developed during his time served in the Special Forces; this new and raw behind the scenes look at the summit to K2 is an exploration of the self which reveals a side of Ant that will surpass anything you ever expected.

Speaking about the tour Ant said:  “Having travelled extensively since my last UK tour – spending time in Australia working on some incredible shows and stage tours – it feels good to finally get my boots on the ground, take a beat, and spend some time on home soil. 

 So much has happened in that time; my life and career has continued to grow, flourish and evolve. I have worked relentlessly on shows such as SAS: Australia to make it hugely popular and successful, with each series outperforming the last. 

And of course I had the honour to summit K2.  It was by far one of the biggest achievements of my life to date; turning the love for my family into my strength to power me home from this perilous trip, this tour is my opportunity to finally tell my story. 

Using unseen exclusive footage, journeying from fear to elation, I will tell my story of how I used everything I had – from all my life experiences to date – to make it back home.”

Tickets for Ant’s new Waterfront Hall, Belfast show go on sale Friday 26 April at 10am via www.waterfront.co.uk & www.ticketmaster.ie

VIP Packages are also available at www.sjm-vip.com.

ANT MIDDLETON UK TOUR

Thu 24 Oct 24            Glasgow SEC Armadillo

Sat 26 Oct 24             Edinburgh Usher Hall

Mon 28 Oct 24                        York Barbican

Tue 29 Oct 24            Halifax Victoria Theatre

Wed 30 Oct 24                       Sheffield City Hall

Thu 31 Oct 24            Oxford New Theatre

Sat 02 Nov 24             Bournemouth International Centre

Sun 03 Nov 24                       Leicester De Montfort Hall

Tue 05 Nov 24                        Ipswich Regent

Wed 06 Nov 24                       Liverpool Empire Theatre

Fri 08 Nov 24              Wolverhampton University at The Civic Hall

Sun 10 Nov 24                       London Eventim Apollo

Mon 11 Nov 24                       Salford Lowry Lyric Theatre

Tue 12 Nov 24                        Newcastle O2 City Hall

Fri 15 Nov 24              Plymouth Pavilions

Sun 17 Nov 24                       Belfast Waterfront Hall

Tue 19 Nov 24                        Southend Cliffs Pavilion

Fri 22 Nov 24              Brighton Centre

 

ABOUT ANT MIDDLETON

 

With a remarkable career in the UK’s elite forces, including the Marines, 9 Parachute Squadron, and Special Boat Service, Ant’s journey is nothing short of extraordinary.

 

Ant’s insatiable appetite for adventure has seen him at the forefront of numerous hit shows.  Synonymous SAS: Who Dares Wins Ant went on to host the captivating ‘Mutiny,’ heart-pounding survivalist program ‘Escape,’ and the incredible ‘Extreme Everest’ plus the wildly popular ‘Straight Talking’ and ‘Million Dollar Island’.

 

Ant’s literary prowess has also reached staggering heights, with over 2.3 million copies of his books sold worldwide from non-fiction bestsellers—’First Man In,’ ‘The Fear Bubble,’ ‘Zero Negativity,’ ‘Mental Fitness’ and ‘The Wall’ to his debut fiction thriller, ‘Cold Justice.’

 

His Head Game Podcast regularly reaches number 1 in the Australian podcast charts and features incredible guests with stories of human resilience and fortitude in the face of adversity and challenges.

 

Beyond the screen, Ant mesmerises audiences across the UK since 2017 with his electrifying live shows, ‘Mind Over Muscle’ and the recently successful Australian 2024 Tour ‘Fear Bubble: Your Life, Your Time’.

 

Tickets on sale Friday 26 April at 10am:

www.waterfront.co.uk
www.ticketmaster.ie 

The screening will run from Saturday 20^th April until Monday 20^th May in the Planetarium’s prestigious Copernicous Hall 

Armagh Planetarium has launched a screening of a digital film poem by Csilla Toldy, award-winning writer and video artist/experimental film-maker.

Ec(h)o is supported by the National Lottery through the Arts Council of Northern Ireland with a Digital Artist Development Award.

Speaking about the film-poem Csilla Toldy, MA said: “Echo in Greek mythology is the nymph whose own voice is never heard. She is cursed to repeat what she hears, thus she is ignored by all. This is an analogy for present-day attitudes to ecology. Eco-activists are not heard, they are cursed to repeat themselves endlessly.

In this 16-minute-long film, I focused on the elements that create our world: air, water, earth and fire. Thanks to the three screens in the Copernicus Hall of Armagh Planetarium, the viewer can have an immersive, multi-sensory experience of nature, sound, and animation. It is particularly fitting that the film screening is alongside the Planetarium’s exhibition on climate change.”

Matthew Malcolm, Creative Industries Development Officer, Arts Council of Northern Ireland, commented, “The Arts Council of Northern Ireland is excited to see Csilla Toldy’s new work in the Armagh Planetarium; supported by the National Lottery Individual Artist Digital Evolution Programme.  We are committed to encouraging work that crosses artform boundaries and this piece of immersive, multi-screen art brings together poetry, sound design, filmmaking, and animation.

 

Exhibiting at the Armagh Planetarium encourages consideration and discourse of the synergies between science and the arts; both rooted in observation, interpretation, and communication.  Thanks to National Lottery players this funding is a game changer in enabling the Arts Council to support thrilling and innovative projects like this.”

 

The film is screened in a loop and visitors will be able to engage with the artwork in the next four weeks between 20^th April – 12^th May. Csilla Toldy is giving an artist talk on Saturday 27^th April at 1:00pm talking about her process and the ideas behind the artwork.

 

A women in tech organisation set up by Northern Ireland entrepreneur Mairin Murray is set to bring their hugely popular AI Roadshow to Belfast.

The roadshow follows on from the success of the recent TechFoundHer Bootcamp in Dublin, a one day innovation summit for female founders.

The AI Roadshow taking place at The MAC, Belfast on Wednesday May 22 will include the premiere screening of the Los Angeles produced award winning movie Show Her The Money, a powerful and uplifting film dedicated to shedding light on the challenges and triumphs of women entrepreneurs in their quest for funding.

The film, produced by Catherine Gray and directed by Ky Dickens, takes audiences on an emotional journey through the lives of resilient and visionary women who have defied societal norms, shattered glass ceilings, and overcome obstacles to build their businesses. Cathering Gray and investor Wendy Ryan, featured in the movie, will be attending the roadshow from the US to do an after screening panel plus Q&A. 

The TechFoundHer AI Roadshow has an inspirational lineup of speakers who will lead a series of motivational talks with practical takeaways about the power of tech and the AI revolution that’s underway

TechFoundHer founder Murray said she is delighted to be bringing a prestigious lineup of speakers to Belfast and added that it’s been a goal to run Northern Ireland based events for a number of years.

She added: “TechFoundHer is on a mission to ensure women have the opportunity to fully contribute as tech entrepreneurs and innovators.

“Women are currently massively under-represented as the founders of tech companies. This has to change. Tech has no gender, and it’s time we come up with bold solutions to address the underinvestment in women’s startups.

“AI is happening now and women founders need to be embracing all the opportunities it presents as quickly as possible.”

TechFoundHer was set up by Mairin Murray earlier this year with the mission to “unlock the potential of women to start and lead tech companies for the benefit of our economy, society and world” she explained, adding: “We build tech competence. We advocate for entrepreneur equality and system change. We are data driven and ask questions and look for answers. We connect impact focused women tech founders in our network with peers, champions, supporters and allies.”

Speakers include producer, advocate and She Angels Founder Catherine Gray, diversity champion and CEO Kadabra, Wendy Ryan, innovator and entrepreneur, Dr Lollie Mancey, Belfast based media and marketing expert Tina Calder of Excalibur Press and Mairin herself with more to be announced over the coming weeks.

TechFoundHer AI Roadshow is supported and sponsored by Belfast City Council, Ormeau Baths, DogPatch Labs, PorterShed, Republic of Work, RDI Hub and Excalibur Press.

For information and to book tickets go to techfoundher.com. 

Get ready for an unforgettable evening with singer-songwriter Niall McCabe as he wows audiences at Roe Valley Arts Centre on Saturday 11 May.

Raised on a remote Irish island, Niall McCabe brings a unique blend of self-effacing humour and poignant storytelling to his performances.

With intricate guitar work and a distinctive voice, McCabe effortlessly transports listeners to the heart of his island upbringing, weaving tales of isolation and wisdom into his soulful melodies.

A seasoned musician and accomplished finger-style guitar player, Niall has lent his talents to the renowned Irish trad-fusion band ‘Beoga,’ touring extensively across Ireland, Europe, and the USA.

His most recent album, ‘Rituals’, was released to critical acclaim in February 2023, and features soul-stirring tracks that have earned him a loyal fanbase worldwide.

This is set to a memorable evening of musical discovery as Niall McCabe shares his captivating melodies and heartfelt stories at Roe Valley Arts and Cultural Centre.

This event will be cabaret-style seating and a BYOB.

Tickets for Niall McCabe are £17 for full admission and £15 for concessions.  These can be purchased in advance through the Roe Valley Arts Centre website or by calling the Box Office on 028 7776 0650.

After finding fame on Facebook back in 2016 with his character Big Bernie Greene, Michael Mulcahy has gained over 180k followers.

His comedic sketches see a whole host of his ingenious characters play out scenarios set to make anyone laugh, and his new show, Belfast Girls: On the Run is no exception.

Bernie finds herself in hot water with the police after flogging the latest weight loss pill to half of Belfast! So, Bernie, Betty and Michelle find themselves on the run! And what better place to hide than the local convent? Surely no one’s going to look for her there… right?

Grab your mates and your Blossom Hill and come and find out! You don’t wanna miss out on the craic!

Featuring all the Belfast GIRLS favourite characters Big Bernie Greene, Michelle, Shankill Joe and Ma and introducing brand new characters.  Packed with the songs from the Belfast GIRLS page this comedy play will have you dancing in the isles.

This show contains strong language and adult material. Recommended age 16+

‘Belfast Girls: On the Run’ will be on stage at Armagh’s Market Place Theatre on Wednesday 1^st May at 8pm. Tickets are priced at £20

Tickets for all shows can be booked online at www.visitarmagh.com/marketplacetheatre or through the Box Office on 03300 561 025.

THE NATIONAL THEATRE’S MULTI-AWARD-WINNING PRODUCTION OF WAR HORSE COMES TO THE GRAND OPERA HOUSE IN FEBRUARY 2025

The National Theatre’s global smash-hit production of War Horse, the unforgettable theatrical event based on Michael Morpurgo’s beloved novel, will embark on a major 18-month UK Tour and will take to the Grand Opera House stage for its Northern Ireland premiere in February 2025.

War Horse will run at the Grand Opera House for two weeks from Tuesday 4 February to Saturday 15 February 2025, and tickets go on sale today for Gold & Silver Friends, Wednesday 17 April 2024 for Bronze Friends, and general on sale is this Friday, 18 April 2024.

War Horse, adapted by Nick Stafford and originally directed by Marianne Elliott and Tom Morris, has become the most successful play in the history of the National Theatre, winning more than 25 major awards and has been seen by over 8.3 million people worldwide. This new tour is co-produced with Michael Harrison, Fiery Angel, and Playing Field.

War Horse tells the remarkable story of a young boy called Albert and his horse Joey, set against the backdrop of the First World War. This powerfully moving and imaginative drama is a show of phenomenal inventiveness, filled with stirring music and songs, featuring ground-breaking puppetry work by South Africa’s Handspring Puppet Company, which brings breathing, galloping, charging horses to thrilling life on stage and has inspired a generation of theatre-makers since its premiere in 2007.

Director, Tom Morris said, “It is a huge privilege to be invited to revisit War Horse and to share this powerful story once more with audiences around the country. Michael Morpurgo’s brilliant idea, to explore the crushing violence of war through the experience of a horse, makes his story as powerful and resonant today as it has ever been. And in this time of increasing commercialism in theatre, it’s worth remembering that the production which carried War Horse to an international audience was a wild experiment, developed through workshops at the National Theatre Studio, the unique theatre laboratory where ground-breaking hits from Coram Boy and London Road to The Witches were devised. It has been an enormous thrill to return there in recent months to reunite Adrian Kohler’s magnificent puppets with designer Rae Smith, composer Adrian Sutton and other members of the original cast and creative team to start the process of bringing Joey back to the stage.”

Author, Michael Morpurgo said: “I am so delighted the National Theatre’s iconic production of War Horse is back! When Covid closed the show down in 2020 in Australia in the midst of its second World Tour, many thought, and I was amongst them, that we’d never see War Horse on stage again. Now it’s really happening – we will hear the music and songs, be amazed by its design and lighting, live Joey’s story again. War Horse is about the tragedy of war and about a horse and his boy, but it’s also so many other things – it’s about family and community, courage and loss, hope, and most importantly reconciliation.”

At the outbreak of World War One, Joey, young Albert’s beloved horse, is sold to the Cavalry and shipped to France. He’s soon caught up in enemy fire, and fate takes him on an extraordinary journey, serving on both sides before finding himself alone in no man’s land. Albert, who remained on his parents’ Devon farm, cannot forget Joey. Though still not old enough to enlist he embarks on a treacherous mission to find him and bring him home.

This tour of War Horse marks 110 years since the start of the First World War and follows the 40^th anniversary of the publication of Michael Morpurgo’s global best-selling novel, which has now sold over 35 million copies world-wide and in 37 different languages.

Executive Director of the National Theatre, Kate Varah said: “We are delighted that we are able to launch this major new UK tour of War Horse. This moving and spectacular production has captured the imagination of millions of audience members across the world since it was first performed on the Olivier stage in 2007 and we are deeply appreciative and excited, to be working with our co-producers to make this possible in the current landscape. We look forward to connecting with our partner venues with this much-loved story, that appeals to all ages and which beautifully showcases the magic of live performance.”

Creative development for the tour is being led by Tom Morris with revival director Katie Henry, featuring reimagined designs by Rae Smith and additional music by Adrian Sutton. Puppet design and fabrication is by Basil Jones and Adrian Kohler for Handspring Puppet Company, lighting design is by Rob Casey, movement and horse choreography is by Toby Sedgwick with puppet direction by Matthew Forbes. Animation and projection design is by Nicol Scott for 59 Productions, John Tams is songmaker and sound design is by Christopher Shutt. Casting is by Jill Green CDG and associate designer is Will Fricker. Casting is to be announced.

War Horse received its world premiere on 9 October 2007 at the National Theatre, where it played for two seasons before opening at the New London Theatre in March 2009. Since then, War Horse has been seen in 97 cities in 14 countries, including productions on Broadway, in Toronto and Berlin, with touring productions in the UK and Ireland, North America, the Netherlands and Belgium.

For more information visit WarHorseOnStage.com.

War Horse on tour is supported by Charles Stanley, the National Theatre’s Touring Partner.

North Down Museum recently opened a new exhibition ‘Trains, Boats and Planes,’ exploring and celebrating modes of transport through objects from the museum’s collection.

The museum’s collection possesses a wealth of paintings and artefacts relating to transport and the curated display is a celebration of the movement of people by rail, sea and sky.

Visitors can see an array of artistic interpretations of magnificent vehicles, from the Coronation Scot train to the de Havilland Rapide aircraft flying over Bangor, to tall ships and warships in Bangor Bay. Many of the items have been put on display especially for the exhibition, offering a unique opportunity to view them.

Highlights include paintings by Bangor-born artist Norman Whitla and original travel and tourism posters that were issued by British Railways to promote Bangor in the 1950s.

Speaking about the exhibition, North Down Museum’s Manager, Arlene Matthews said: “This exhibition highlights the huge impact that transport has made in shaping the history of our borough. Transportation has facilitated the growth of industry and opportunity in our towns and villages and continues to play an essential part of our daily lives.”

Trains, Boats and Planes is open in North Down Museum’s Long Gallery until Sunday 16 June. Admission is free.

For more information visit: www.andculture.org.uk