Sleeping Beauty at Lyric Belfast

Sleeping Beauty runs on the Danske Bank Stage from 5 December 2014 to 4 January
2015. Tickets are £12.50 for children and £18 for adults or buy a Family Ticket for
just £54 (1 adult and 3 children or 2 adults and 2 children). 
To book contact the Lyric box office on 028 9038 1081 or online at
www.lyrictheatre.co.uk

Sam T McKee as ‘Prince Antoine’

Kathryn Aiken – as the magical fairy ‘Firefly’

 Jo Donnelly as the evil fairy ‘Roselyn’ 

The cast of Sleeping Beauty

Beccy Henderson as ‘Princess Rose’

Tommy Wallace as ‘Fang’ and Richard Ashton as ‘The King’ 

A Mid-Summer Night's Dream by C21

After the success of Romeo and Juliet in 2013, c21 brings Shakespeare’s clever comedy to the stage in the autumn.

This new adaptation, directed by Arthur Webb, and specially edited for schools and lovers of the Bard’s language, captures all the essence of love, intrigue and humour and is performed by a cast of six talented actors: Adrian Cooke, Ruth Jennings, Richard Priestly, Thomas Martin, Megan Armitage and Gerard McCabe

The play contains some strong, courtly, confused lovers, a band of good- hearted thespian workmen and some vengeful punk fairies but with the help of some love juice, an ass’s head, a wall and a lion, the domestic squabbles in the forest of Athens, are magically resolved and the play ends with celebration and marriage.

Don’t miss c21’s new and exciting ‘Dream’ production.

Touring to:

Braid Arts Centre on Monday 13th October - To book tickets click here
Antrim Grammar School on Tuesday 14th October
Riverside Theatre on Wednesday 15th October - To book tickets click here
Down Arts Centre on Friday 17th October - To book tickets click here
Methodist College on Tuesday 21st October
Baby Grand from Wednesday 22nd - Saturday 25th October - To book tickets click here

Tom Doughty at the Black Box 30 October at 8pm

Fresh from gigs at the Royal Festival Hall, Southbank and the Liverpool Music Festival, Tom Doughty is performing a one off gig in Belfast to raise money for Arts Care, before playing the International Guitar Festival of Great Britain. 

In a world where music and musicians are rigorously categorised for marketing purposes, Tom Doughty presents a challenge... 

How do you pigeonhole someone who has played, studied and shared stages with US blues guitar master Woody Mann; Australian classical guitar maestro Craig Ogden; Indian slide guitar genius Debashish Bhattacharya; and UK pedal steel King BJ Cole?

A solo artist, half a duo, with a band or indeed as 2014 saw in Qatar Opera House, a soloist in a unique orchestra, Tom ignores boundaries.

A performance by Tom Doughty seamlessly blends all these influences with his own improvisational style to create a unique experience for the listener. A 1920s blues classic might be followed by a new take on a Marvin Gaye number; a hauntingly evocative original instrumental gives way to Cole Porter, the Beatles, or Randy Newman. An instantly recognisable slide guitar style, passionate vocals and a relaxed, wryly humorous line in stage patter take the audience on a unique musical journey, echoing the diversity of the family record collection that made such an impression on the young Doughty.

“Just the right amount of laidbackness” – John Renbourn

A self taught guitarist from the age of seven, Tom Doughty had literally to reinvent a way to play guitar after a serious injury in 1974 left him with limited use of his hands. Frustrated at hearing music in his mind which he could not physically produce on his instrument, Tom’s tenacity and creativity helped him discover a route back to being a musician. His sensitivity of touch allows him to pull every ounce of emotion from the instrument, as if he has somehow become one with the guitar.

“Tom Doughty is possessed of a deep musical soul” – Bob Brozman

With numerous radio and TV appearances and four critically acclaimed CDs to his name, Tom’s reputation as a musician, singer, songwriter, teacher, writer and workshop leader is international. He performs regularly in the UK and Europe at clubs, concert halls and festivals, and has toured the USA and Canada and the middle East.

“Possesses a level of communication with his audience that is by no means limited to his guitar playing... it feels like a large collection of friends have called round to Tom’s place for a chat and some songs” – Review, Acoustic magazine

So forget preconceptions and put labels and marketing hype aside; Tom Doughty plays and sings real, organic music that comes from the soul.

30th October at 8pm, Black Box Belfast
Tickets for the event can be purchased online by clicking HERE.

All proceeds to Arts Care. Please consider making a small contribution to this worthwhile charity.
To make a donation and for more information, please see:
https://www.justgiving.com/slideguitarworkshop

A Historic Screening at Belfast City Hall 8th August

At times like these men were wishing they were all kinds of insects - The MAC Belfast

The starting point for Graham Gingles WW1 commemorative project was the simple act of the MAC gifting a decorative brass box to the artist, the same brass box sent by Princess Mary to members of the British, Colonial and Indian Armed Forces at Christmas in 1914.

Graham has dramatically scaled up his intimate and enigmatic wall-hanging sculptures, usually enclosed in meticulously crafted wood and glass boxes, in order to occupy the entirety of the Sunken Gallery at the MAC, where the walls of the gallery become the form of enclosure. The work deals with themes of memory and loss and is both theatrical and sculptural, presenting the viewer with a totally immersive experience. Dark and compelling, this piece invites the viewer to come close and examine the intricacies of the various compartments and corridors within this room.

The title of the work is taken from the War Diaries of Robert McGookin from Larne, Northern Ireland who spoke of the men’s wish whilst under shell fire to become like insects like a worm burrowing into the trenches.

For more information on this commission, and other related projects in the UK, please see 14-18 NOW.

The exhibition runs at the MAC Belfast until 17 August 2014

Competition: Win £1000 for your artistic skills at #BelFest

The Project

Love treasure hunts?  Like surprises? We’re leaving lots of artworks around Belfast City Centre and other areas for you to find.  Follow our clues on social media and see if you can spot a prize. Don’t forget to let us know that you’ve found it via Facebook or Twitter. Be creative with your thank you for a chance to win a bigger prize.We will also be leaving a piano for you to play at various locations including Culture Night, so bring your best music, your fancy fingers and your toe tapping rhythms. Why? Because we believe in the power of art and we want to embrace you with music and give back some love.Follow #BelFest for clues

What we need

We are sending out 200,000 postcards to advertise the Free Festival Friday campaign. In addition we will need labels, transfers and a design to brand the piano.

Artist brief

Can you come up with an artistic design to encourage people to engage with the project? We’re thinking fun, quirky, energetic, musical and embracing.We want everyone to get involved in the art treasure hunt - adults, kids, young people, parents and older people. Can you create a design that will encourage all of them to take part?   We want the piano to be engaging – can you make your design so enticing that members of the public will be compelled to sit down and play?Your design will also be applied to the overall branding online and on social media channels.

Format

You can supply your artwork in any visual medium preferably A3 size. Our designers will work with the winning artist reproduce the image as best they can for different formats.    

Brief Terms and Conditions

To enter the competition, your design must meet the following brief criteria - The design must be family friendly e.g. no nudity, swearing or adult themes.The design must be submitted in an appropriate format.Prize will be £1000. The winning design will be used as part of the Free Festival Friday campaign across the print, online and social media channels.Artist must be available to take part in a photo call on Friday 5th September and to accept their prize.Any submissions made by artists for the Free Festival Friday Prize, must be open to their work being accessible and promoted as part of the #FFF14 campaign and for Ulster Bank Belfast Festival at Queen’s in the future, and utilised for social media and further promotions.

Click here for more information

Culture Babies launched

Young at Art is have announced the launch of CULTURE BABIES, a new creative playgroup for under 4's this Summer.

Based in CastleCourt shopping centre this event is FREE for parents of children and groups from 0-4 years to attend. It will be jam-packed with fun activities changing every week, and led by experienced artists to specially cater to very young children.

Sessions include; baby yoga, dance, drama, messy play, music and much, much more. The range of interactive and creative experiences of Culture Babies supports young children’s creative expression, enabling them to try new things, and giving them the freedom to get as messy and as creative as they want, in a safe, fun and welcoming environment.

The activities behind Culture Babies will help to build very young children’s self-confidence, interpersonal and technical skills as well as offering and a wonderful way to bond with your child.

The group are planning to meet every Thursday morning between 10am - 12 noon from 10th July until provisionally September.

Schedule:

10th July: Make Your Own Fort

17th July: Make an Aquarium

24th July: Playing with Plasticine

31st July: Baby Yoga

7th August: Make Your Own Musical Instrument

14th August: Messy Painting

21st August: Wall Collage

28th August: Baby Dance Session

11th September: Baby Drama Session

This is a FREE, drop-in group with no booking necessary.