Local Young People Encouraged to Release their Creative Skills

02/08/2007

If you want to kick off your shoes and dance or get those mitts messy with paint then the Arts Council of Northern Ireland is delighted to announce that there is an array of activities taking place throughout Northern Ireland in August. A host of activities are open to young people, offering experiences into the colorful world of the arts such as theatre, stories, sound, photography and dance.

Gavin O’Connor, Youth Arts Development Officer, Arts Council said, “Artistic expression is a key tool for young people to learn, interact and develop. We commend those organizations who have lined up a host of summer activities in which young people are encouraged to express their natural creativity and have a chance to try new things. I am sure that a range of excellent and imaginative work is being presented during the fun filled summer.”

Highlights of the August Youth Arts line-up include:

• 6th – 18th August - ‘Summer’s Cool Art School’ workshops for 4 -19 year olds at Millennium Court Arts Centre in Portadown will offer an array of exciting workshops to include Journalistic Photography, Story-Telling and Boat Building and Performance and Visual Art Workshops for all ages.

• 12th August and 26th August - Belfast based children’s theatre company, Cahoots NI is on the road in Ballycastle (12th August) and Bangor (26th August) with the Flea Pit – an original production that takes place in a miniature, mobile theatre space, which used to be a horsebox. The mini stars of the show have specially adapted this sensational circus show.

• 18th August - The Armagh Rhymers will provide strolling performances at Oxford Island in Craigavon and will continue to the MCAC Summer Arts Festival on the River Bann in Portadown where a number of interactive performances with young people will take place.

• 20th – 25th August - Lisburn based Ulster Association of Youth Drama, in partnership with the Island Arts Centre, introduces DramaWeek, a series of daily acting and drama workshops which are open to 12-19 year olds and will culminate in a showcase performance.

• North Down based, Kids in Control will be supervising recruitment physical theatre workshops for 12-15 year olds. Workshops will be held every Saturday in August at Ballymagee Primary School in Bangor and will close with a physical theatre production in December.

For further information on the events and other art programmes taking place click here.