Teenagers are being invited to pitch their tents and enjoy a night of ‘creepy’ camping at the MAC as the Belfast arts venue hosts its first ever sleepover next month. Fright Night is one of a series of creative events for young people taking place during the week-long MADE festival, proudly supported by Coca-Cola, which begins at the MAC on 7^th October.

Returning for a second time after a hugely successful debut last year, MADE sees the MAC being handed over to 14 to 18-year-olds for a host of fun activities, ranging from live performances and gigs to craft workshops and film screenings. The festival will take place from 7^th – 13^th October and has been organised with help from the DEN Collective, a team of 14 to 18-year-olds who help shape what happens for young people at the MAC and lead the  popular dedicated youth space – The Den.

Taking place on Saturday 12^th October, Fright Night will see Halloween come early to the MAC as teenagers gather for a double bill of cult horror films, Blair Witch Project and Hitchcock’s Psycho, then take part in a ‘creepy’ backstage tour before camping with supper around a virtual campfire on the top floor of the building.

The MAC has teamed up with a host of talented local partner organisations to deliver a fantastic festival line-up, which also includes workshops with renowned Irish sculptors Ursula Burke and Karl Burke, currently on show in two different exhibitions in the MAC’s galleries. MADE also welcomes the Volume Control team back to the MAC, with their monthly all-ages gig on loan from its usual home in the Oh Yeah Music Centre, for a night of back-to-back mini gigs organised and managed by the teenagers involved in the Volume Control team.

Gillian Mitchell, Director of Programmes at the MAC, said:

“The MAC is an arts venue for all ages to enjoy and we are very proud of the offering we provide for young people. We are delighted to once again launch MADE, a festival dedicated to teenagers which offers them the opportunity to attend live events, take part in workshops or simply hang out with their friends and enjoy the many free activities taking place during the week. Fright Night should be lots of fun and we can’t wait to host the MAC’s first ever sleepover.

“We welcomed over 1,500 young people through the door during MADE’s debut in 2012 and our Den Collective team has helped to once again produce a fantastic line-up and a programme full of innovative activities. Large groups of young people always bring an exciting dynamic to the MAC and we are confident many festival-goers will learn new skills and perhaps be inspired to forge a career in the arts.”

Other events taking place during the festival include ‘Not So Ceili’, a Ceili with a twist led by bodhrán player Eamon Murray, who is currently producing the Not So Trad series of music events at the MAC, and Busk the MAC – which will see Belfast’s best young busking talent invited to perform for an afternoon in the MAC foyer.  Tickets start at just £3 with lots of free activities also available.

Noirin McKinney, Director of Arts Development, Arts Council of Northern Ireland, commented:

“It’s great to see the return of MADE, the MAC’s innovative and varied festival for 14 to 18-year-olds.  As principal funder, the Arts Council is fully supportive of the MAC’s work with local young people through education and outreach programmes.  We welcome all opportunities to make the arts accessible to the youth of today, regardless of background, and to give them the chance to experience and enjoy all that the arts have to offer – the MADE festival is the ideal vehicle for doing this.”

Zoe Cunningham, Communications Manager for Coca-Cola HBC Northern Ireland, sponsor of the festival, added:

“At Coca-Cola we are committed to supporting initiatives which enhance our local community and encourage youth development.  We are very proud to be involved with the MAC’s MADE festival and can’t wait to see the musical, artistic and creative talents of the young people of Northern Ireland showcased during this innovative and inspiring programme of events.”

The MADE festival runs from 7th-13th October. To find out more about the festival and ticket offers visit themaclive.com or call 028 9023 5053.

The University of Ulster spin out company HidInImage Ltd led by CEO Dr Joan Condell has secured significant additional funding to commercialise its research into digital watermarking.

A team of Ulster academics based at the Intelligent Systems Research Centre at Ulster’s Magee campus, have developed digital watermarking technology to ensure the security of transmitted data through hidden software messages.

HidInImage is the product of a decade of research into steganography  –  the science of writing hidden software messages in such a way that only the sender and intended recipient realise they exist.

HidInImage was the first university spin out company in Northern Ireland to get funding from the Ulster Innovation Fund, part of the NISPO fund (Northern Ireland Spin Outs) managed by eSynergy.  NISPO is an initiative launched by Invest Northern Ireland to provide financial support to start ups and businesses in the early stages of development.

Now the company has secured an additional £125,000 in the second round of NISPO funding, with additional support from a private investor.

According to Dr Condell, digital technology gives a 21^st century twist to the ancient science of steganography and presents new and exciting opportunities for embedding and disguising messages within computer files.

She said that the digital watermarking technology developed by HidinImage has many potential applications, such as hiding personal or sensitive data in photo images, identity cards and other digital media.

Dr Condell explained: “HidInImage technology could be used in many different situations, such as authenticating identity to tighten security at airport checks-ins and other public access points; securing watermarking for forensic photographic and video evidence transmitting sensitive information like medical records securely; as a means of strengthening protection of copyright; or guaranteeing that images and videos have not been tampered with.

She continued: “The digital watermarks are embedded directly into the content of a digital image so, although the watermarks can’t be seen by the human eye, they can be recognised and read by enabled software and/or hardware for authenticating,tracking or monitoring purposes.

“The embedding technique used by HidInImage is impervious to image and data compression so the image can be copied and moved around without anyone knowing that the text exists.”

Tim Brundle from Ulster’s Office of Innovation said the ISRC’s research into the security of digital technologies has great potential as a commercial venture:

“HidInImage is a platform technology with many exciting market opportunities. It is thefirst of a number of Innovative digital Technologies being developed withinUlster’s Intelligent Systems Research centre which have significant commercial potential.

This commercialisation of research has been endorsed by Professor Hugh McKenna, the University’s Pro Vice Chancellor Research and Innovation who said:

“Ulster’s aim is to develop further a culture where research, discovery, creativity and innovation are encouraged and appropriately supported. Hidinimage is a perfect example of how world leading research can be commercialised to make a positive impact on the economy and society. This is an exciting company and one that is really at the cutting edge of futuristic technology.”

Computer Science research at the University of Ulster was placed amongst the top universities in the UK in the last Research Assessment Exercise. It was ranked 15th for research power, moving up from 49th place in the previous RAE.

The University of Ulster’s submission of 41 staff was the 8th largest in the UK, with 55% of the submission judged to be world-leading or internationally excellent, and 90%internationally recognised.

Computer Science is a highly competitive discipline – the 3rd largest unit of assessment in the UK, involving all of the leading universities.

Further details can be obtained from Dr Joan Condell, j.condell@ulster.ac.uk

Fermanagh Live is proud to present some of the finest local amateur writing talent – a group who have been putting pen to paper since 2009, providing support and encouragement to each other and creating opportunities to perform and share their highly entertaining work whenever possible.

Over 2 sessions during the festival, Fermanagh Writers will share with audiences their writings on life and love and all the things that make up the dramas of everyday life – the humour, the tragedy and the romance. They capture the highs and lows of life in works of fact and fiction and in writing that blurs the boundaries between both. You’ll discover short stories, poems and reminiscences that are as diverse as the authors, and that are funny, moving, reflective, satiric and thought provoking.

This latest performance, set in a relaxed and informal atmosphere, follows regular showings at festivals and literary events and the publishing of their first collection of stories, memoirs and poems, Tuesdays at Charlie’s, which was shortlisted in “Writing Magazine’s 2012 Writers Circle Anthology Contest.”

Fermanagh Writers was formed in March 2009. Originally Fermanagh Creative Writing Group, the name was shortened in March2012 to fit easily on the spines of their books. A small but active group, its members’ diverse backgrounds, writing goals and experience has created a unique entity in Fermanagh. Some members are just discovering their writing voice while others are regularly published, seasoned scribes. Their prose and poetry will entertain, amuse and give the listener or reader pause for thought.

Join Fermanagh Writers for A Patchwork of Words, an informal afternoon of poetry and prose, on Friday 4^th at 4pm and Saturday 5^th October at 1pm in the Presbyterian Hall, where you can also see Piece By Piece – A Patchwork Story.

Find out more at FLive.org.uk, like facebook.com/fermanaghlive or follow @fermanaghlive on Twitter – #FLive2013.

The Belfast Waterfront will be rocked to the core as never seen before on Friday night October 4^th at 8pm, when the American Wrestling Superstars invade Belfast City.

Coming from successful tours in France, Spain, Japan, Germany, the United States, Mexico and beyond, this night promises to leave your hair standing, heart pumping and your blood boiling!

Sport? Entertainment? We make no bones about it; our business is all about the adrenaline rush, the emotional journey and feelings, which you will experience during this epic night!

We’ll take you on a high; make you feel alive, as you cheer on the fan favourites. But don’t be fooled, there are plenty of bad guys in toll to keep you on the edge of your seat! So stand up, scream and shout, and let out all of your stress due to the current recession – yell loud and proud for the whole world to hear!

So be sure to come along and be part of the show, your involvement and participation from ringside is what sets WRESTLING apart from every other form of Sport and Entertainment on the planet!

Ensure you buy your tickets while stocks last, as disappointment will be a certainty if left until the midnight hour. Don’t miss out on this once in a lifetime experience. Don’t be the only one to let this pass you by. And DON’T be the last in line.

The event will take place in the prestigious Belfast Waterfront and at present, there is limited seating left. We urge everyone to buy now to avoid disappointment! Some tickets are still available at only £15 and can be purchased on 028 9033 4455.

For more information please call 07516 823 626 or visit www.wrestling.ie – Witness the passion of the dedicated athletes perfecting their craft and have a great night out with your friends and family at an affordable price. Be there!

Join Bob Quick and the Big Brass Swing Band at the Ardhowen Theatre to take a journey through some of our best loved and most toe tapping music – finishing with an incredible Elvis Spectacular!

Fresh from the Limavady Jazz and Blues Festival with his Big Band, Bob Quick joins us at FLive for musical extravaganza that’s sure to have you rocking in the aisles. The Deputy Director of the WELB Music Service, Bob has written and arranged a show that traces the history of popular music through the 20^th century, from its Irish and Scottish folk roots through strong influences from African music.  The story then moves on to the Blues, into Swing and the Rat Pack, to a spectacular Elvis finale.

From Big Bands to ‘Tell Me Ma’ to the undisputed King of Rock & Roll, the story unfolds through the power of the brass band and the refinement of a jazz combo. This big, brassy, swinging band features 4 trumpets, 2 horns, 2 euphoniums, 4 trombones, an Eb bass, a full rhythm section and 4 singers – more than enough to lift the roof off the Ardhowen Theatre!

The brass players come from 2 of the North West’s best known bands, the fabulous Derry based Britannia band and the mighty Strabane Concert Brass – this year’s N.I. Senior champions. The rhythm section of Paul Maquire, Ronan McKee and Mike McGinnity are simply the best there is, while Strabane male vocalist Gareth Devine is joined by Katrina Gormley, Jenny Grant and Gerarda Mc Cann, all professionally trained singers working with Bob Quick for the W.E.L.B. music service.

Bob Quick studied trombone at London’s Royal Academy of Music before playing with the BBC Concert Orchestra, the BBC Northern Ireland and Ulster Orchestras. In 2005 he performed the Irish premier of a new Trombone Concerto [Earth’s Fury] in Christchurch, Dublin. He has appeared 3 times as the featured soloist at the Cork International Trombone Conference. This year he opened the Limavady Jazz and Blues Festival with his Big Band.

It’s set to be an incredible night and tickets are sure to go fast – get yours for just £7 each (£5 concession) right now at FLive.org.uk.

Find out more at FLive.org.uk, like facebook.com/fermanaghlive or follow @fermanaghlive on Twitter – #FLive2013.

Theatre at The Mill is delighted to present a miscellany of musical treats this autumn in the form of concerts, classical performances and new musicals.

Recently formed company Pintsized Productions open their new musical Departure Lounge on Friday 4 October. Premiering at Theatre at The Mill, Departure Lounge is a coming of age story of four less-than-innocent ‘inbetweeners’ delayed at Malaga Airport after a week in the sun. The hormonal teenagers’ differing individual recollections of the holiday become clear – especially when it comes to matters of romance.

David Hull Promotions present Finbar Furey and Allan Taylor in concert on Friday 11 October and Charlie Landsborough in concert on Tuesday 5 November at Theatre at The Mill. Finbar, all-Ireland uilleann pipe and whistle champion, was frontman for The Fureys for over thirty years. His live show, with special guest singer/ guitarist Allan Taylor, offers great music and good humour. Charlie Landsborough, whose catalogue includes success in the UK, America and Australia, is back at Theatre at The Mill performing material from Silhouette, a stunning album of new recordings.

Award-winning Jimmy Buckley and His Band, one of the top entertainment shows in Ireland, appear at Theatre at The Mill on Wednesday 16 October. Jimmy continually plays to packed houses and his show features old style traditional country music, Irish ballads, original material and tributes to the great Hank Williams and Charlie Pride.

Seabright Productions presents Julie Madly Deeply on Wednesday 30 October. Featuring songs from Mary Poppins, The Sound of Music and My Fair Lady, and anecdotes from the life of Julie Andrews, Julie Madly Deeply is a cheeky and affectionate cabaret style show, starring West End actress Sarah-Louise Young.

There are classical treats in the form of opera and ballet and Theatre at The Mill will delight audiences with some of the most iconic classical music with two different productions of Bizet’s Carmen and one performance of Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker. Audiences are in for a treat, whether they prefer the dance of The Sugar Plum Fairy or the prance of the Toreador.

Opera Theatre Company visit Theatre at The Mill with their urban based Carmen, sung in English, on Saturday 26 October and Ballet Ireland visit days later on Friday 1 November with their new ballet of Carmen, set to Bizet’s sizzling score.

Ballet Theatre UK perform their critically acclaimed adaptation of festive classic The Nutcracker. Set to an unforgettable score, this timeless adventure is beautifully told through the magic of dance on Wednesday 6 November.

Tickets for all performances can be booked online via Theatre at The Mill’s website or by phoning the theatre’s Box Office on 028 9034 0202

The Ulster Bank Belfast Festival at Queen’s will be popping up all over Belfast  this weekend (Friday 20th September- Monday 23rd September)  with a taster of what is in store for this year’s event which takes place from 17th-27th October.

Supported by Arts and Business Northern Ireland Pop Up Festival will be visiting Victoria Square, Connswater Shopping Centre, The Kennedy Centre, Queen’s University and Culture Night throughout the weekend with tickets, entertainment and much more. For more information visitwww.belfastfestival.com.

Topics as diverse as Irish sportsmen’s contribution to the Spanish Civil War and Hare Coursing in Victorian Connacht were down for discussion at the 9th Annual Conference of Sport History Ireland at the University of Ulster’s Magee Campus.

The Sport History Ireland Society was established in 2005 to promote the study of the history of sport in Ireland and its impact on Irish life and society. This year, for the first time, the conference was held inNorthern Ireland and attracted the largest ever number of delegates.

There was a particular focus on Ulster’s rich and unique sporting heritage with contributions from leading scholars in sports history from home and abroad.

The keynote address was given by Dr Dónal McAnallen who explored issues surrounding the past and present commemoration of historical events by sports bodies during the present ‘decade of centenaries’.

“The specific events individual sporting bodies will either choose or not choose to commemorate over the next ten years will provide aninteresting insight into both past and contemporary issues within those organisations,” said Dr McAnallen.

Dr David Hassan of the University’s Sport and Exercise Sciences Research Institute and chairman of the organising committee said Dr McAnallen’s presentation was stimulating and thought provoking.

“It highlighted some of the many issues facing sporting organisations, such as the recent excess of commemoration surrounding the GAA’s 125th anniversary in 2009 which created something of a distortion concerning the popular view of the Association’s early history.

Dr Hassan continued: “We are absolutely delighted to have been able to attract this prestigious event to Magee and that so many local sporting enthusiasts were able to attend.

“Following on from a memorable night at the Magee campus earlier this year to mark the 125^th anniversary of Derry GAA, the conference underlines the important role the University performs in engaging with the local sporting public.”

Not surprisingly, during the 125^th Anniversary of the founding of the GAA in the host county of Derry, work on that organisation remained prominent throughout the conference programme.

Other highlights from the event emerged when Tom Hunt, who has been commissioned to write the official history of the Olympic Council of Ireland, spoke about the battle between Irish Olympic officials and the International Olympic Committee to achieve Olympic sporting jurisdiction over a 32 countyIreland.

Dr Ida Milne of the Oral History Network of Ireland presented her novel work on the largely undocumented contribution of Irish Protestants within the GAA in twentieth century Ireland.

On a similar theme, Eoghan Corry, one of Ireland’s most prolific sports writers, discussed how religion has so often influenced both the participation in and reporting of specific sports in modern Irish history.

Sport History Ireland Chairman Dr Richard McElligott presented a fascinating paper on the almost total collapse of the GAA in 1890s Ireland and the remarkable parallels between its near destruction then, and present difficulties the organisation faces in a time of recession and mass emigration.

In his presentation, Dr Hassan spoke about the sporting legacy of Dick Fitzgerald, the famous Kerry captain who was perhaps Ireland’s first domestic sporting superstar, and the resonance of his early writings on themodern face of Gaelic football.

Fermanagh Live are delighted to welcome Paul Murray to talk about Bram Stoker, his influences and impact on popular culture over the last 100 years as part of the fantastic FLive line-up!

Be part of the audience as Paul Murray shares his fascinating insight on the man who created Dracula, looking at what influenced one of the most gripping and enduring stories of our times.

Today, the Twilight series continues a love affair with Vampires that has fascinated people since ancient times. Though it can be said that this latest love affair started with Bram Stoker’s Dracula over 100 years ago in 1897.

A graduate of Trinity College, Dublin and with an illustrious career in the diplomatic service spanning 40 years, Paul Murray is also an award-winning writer and novelist, whose biographies include ‘A Fantastic Journey: The Life and Literature of Lafcadio Hearn’ and ‘From the Shadow of Dracula: A Life of Bram Stoker’.

It’s when talking about Bram Stoker that Paul really comes into his own, delivering engaging lectures that are also entertaining. He has appeared on radio and television and in a number of documentaries, while continuing to publish on the subjects of both Lafcadio Hearn and Bram Stoker.

Bram Stoker, originally from Ireland and a minor but distinguished Victorian novelist, took six years to write Dracula. Published in 1897, it cleverly unfolds in a late Victorian England of plate cameras, phonographs and other nascent technologies. The contemporary setting thrilled his readers, bringing an element of reality to an otherwise darkly supernatural tale. Paul will take you through the novel’s extraordinary literary influences, which ranged from east European travel books to scientific tracts on South American blood-sucking bats.

Join Paul for this free event on Thursday 3^rd October, 6pm at Enniskillen Library to find out more about the man who wrote Dracula, a story that continues to grip the world so irresistibly.

Find out more at FLive.org.uk, like facebook.com/fermanaghlive or follow @fermanaghlive on Twitter – #FLive2013.

The Northern Ireland Tourist Board (NITB) has put together a list of 10 exciting things to do in Northern Ireland over the next week (September 23 – 29).

• Basement Gallery Art Exhibition, Castle Coole, Enniskillen, Co. Fermanagh, September 21 – 29.  The historic Basement Rooms at Castle Coole provide the perfect setting for this art exhibition where visitors will have the opportunity to admire and purchase wonderful pieces of art from renowned artists.

• Aspects Literature Festival, various venues across Bangor, Co. Down, September 25 – 29.  Bangor prepares to rub shoulders with the literati at the 22^nd Aspects Irish Literature Festival which will showcase as many forms of writing as possible.

• Junior Ranger Club, Lurgan Park, Co. Armagh, September 25.  An after school activity for budding park enthusiasts.  Learn about birds and wildfowl, trees, bugs and study nature with a fun workbook to complete.

• Belly Laughs, various venues across Belfast, September 25 – October 6.  Continuing to go from strength to strength, this year’s Belly Laughs sees a whole heap of new venues, some hilarious stand-up comedy, bus tours and a dash of comic theatre.

• Murder of The Dis-Orient Express, The Courtyard Theatre, Newtownabbey, Co. Antrim, September 26 – 27.  Join this Murder Mystery evening and as you enjoy your dinner onboard the train journey from Istanbul to Constantinople things take a turn for the worst.  When the train stops in Byzantium a man is found dead.  With six suspects to chose from, can you work out who killed him?

• The Bjorn Identity, Market Place Theatre, Co. Armagh, September 27.  Probably the finest Abba show this side of Sweden with all the greatest hits including Mamma Mia, Dancing Queen, Super Trouper, Waterloo and Dancing Queen.

• The 1^st Annual Tattoo, Odyssey Arena, Belfast, September 27 – 28.  This historic event will showcase some of the finest musicians and dancers from across Ulster in a two hour event which will allow the artists and bands to feature and showcase their talents.

• The Beekeepers Gathering and Honey Show, The Guildhall, Co. Londonderry, September 28.  A full day of interesting talks by a wide range of speakers for novice, beginner and experienced beekeepers as well as a wide range of exhibits from all over Ireland including honey cakes and mead.

• The Extra Ordinary Ella Fitzgerald, The Alley Theatre, Strabane, Co. Tyrone, September 28.  An all-star line up to include some of the most prominent names in the UK and Irish jazz scenes, celebrating the life and music of the great Ella Fitzgerald.

• Belfast Day, City Hall, Belfast, September 29.  A day of diversity to celebrate the city of Belfast including music, culture, sports, food and family fun.  Make sure you take the unforgettable Nearly True Tour of the City Hall and meet captivating and eccentric characters along the way.