{"id":17178,"date":"2019-03-19T10:46:27","date_gmt":"2019-03-19T09:46:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/whatsonni.com\/news\/?p=17178"},"modified":"2019-03-19T10:47:03","modified_gmt":"2019-03-19T09:47:03","slug":"cultural-differences-celebrated-in-human-chain-youth-performance-at-the-mac-belfast","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/whatsonni.com\/news\/2019\/03\/cultural-differences-celebrated-in-human-chain-youth-performance-at-the-mac-belfast\/","title":{"rendered":"CULTURAL DIFFERENCES CELEBRATED IN HUMAN CHAIN YOUTH PERFORMANCE AT THE MAC BELFAST"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Human\nChain, a performing arts project organised by cultural diversity charity\nArtsEkta, will see more than 60 young people from diverse communities across\nNorthern Ireland perform together at the MAC, Belfast on Tuesday 19th<\/sup>\nMarch, 2019 at 7.30pm. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Using the poetry\nfrom Seamus Heaney\u2019s last book as a springboard for conversations, Human Chain\ncaptures the experiences of these young people using drama, music, movement and\nvisual art to explore what it is to be growing up at this time, in this\nplace.  Their stories are full of joy, anger, frustration and hope,\nhighlighting the complexities faced by our young people as they navigate\nthrough their formative years, trying to make sense of the world in their own\nunique way<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Aoife\nNic an tSaoir, Outreach and Engagement Officer, ArtsEkta who organised the\nevent says:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe\nwanted to provide a creative space for young people to explore and express\ntheir culture and their identity.  Seven groups from across Northern\nIreland were selected for this initiative with initial workshops in January.\nThis was followed by the development of short scenes that reflected the\nparticipants\u2019 experiences. As well as these individual pieces, the groups have\ncome together to create ensemble pieces where they have the opportunity to work\nwith young people from different cultures and traditions, highlighting both the\nsimilarities and the differences that exist amongst the young people.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Matt\nFarris, Creative Director of this ArtsEkta project says: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

 \u201cIt\nis the opportunity to come together and work alongside people from across\nNorthern Ireland – to share stories, hear the stories of others and develop a\ngreater understanding of the diversity that exists within Northern Ireland and\nthe way in which this enriches everyone’s experience. It is the opportunity to\nshowcase the work carried out during the workshops and to provide the participants\nwith a platform on which to have their voices heard, their opinions\nacknowledged and feel that their views are contributing to the changes being\nmade within their own communities and across Northern Ireland.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHuman\nChain is young people telling it how it is for them as they navigate their way\nthrough these formative years of their lives – the challenges they face, the\nhopes they have, the changes that they want to make. It is by them, for them,\nand for those of us who maybe don’t have the opportunity to hear what the\nyounger generation has to say about Northern Ireland in the past, present and\nfuture.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The\nseven groups selected for this project which was funded by The Executive Office\nthrough the T:BUC Scheme – Together Building United Committees are:  <\/p>\n\n\n\n