Threads …

What is normal? … We are here … This-abled.”
On 3 December 2011, the Ulster Museum and Open Arts will celebrate the International Day of Persons with Disabilities through a showcase of new artwork, creative writing, and performance! Over the past few months, different groups of people with disabilities have been busy creating new work to share with Belfast. The Threads Project inspired each member of 2 visual arts groups to explore and reflect in order to identify events and experiences which had a lasting effect, changed their direction or shaped their daily lives. The Creative Writing Group similarly searched out threads, which are woven into the fabric of their life stories. The devised performance, This-Abled, will take you on a journey as it challenges stereotypes and asks the audience to consider again how “together we can make a better world for all,” the international theme for 2011. The writing and visual work will be on display in the museum as well. This-Abled is wheelchair accessible and suitable for the whole family. Show times are 2:15, 3:15, and 4:15. Art and written work is on display for the whole of the following week.

The Open Arts summer scheme took place at the Ulster Folk and Transport Museum, as requested by the young people.  We worked in a lovely courtyard which had 3 separate rooms and this was our base from Tuesday to Friday.

From there we made excursions to the draper’s and weaver’s, the doctor’s surgery and the school, where drama, music and art were created, inspired by the atmospheric surroundings.

art at the museum

On Friday the courtyard became the site of our exhibition and music performance, and from there the audience was encouraged to join the actors at the different performance sites for three devised pieces of drama.

A great time was had by all and everyone agreed they wanted to come back next year. The only change they wish to make is to ensure the scheme lasts longer.

Open Arts Crescent-based classes resume in the week beginning 12th September.  Please note, this is a week later than the Crescent classes start, to suit some of our participants.   If you attend the Friday art class, this is the only class to begin earlier.  It starts on Friday 9th September. We are looking forward to seeing all our regulars again and meeting new participants.

Luminous Soul Dance Development  Day in The Playhouse, Derry

Saturday 1st Oct from 1 – 6 pm with Caroline Bowditch and Naomi Murray from Scottish Dance Theatre.

This is the last opportunity to audition to get involved in this wonderful project.

If you are interested in attending please go to Luminous Soul page for a Registration Form or phone Una McCann on 02890240765.

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Residential 3 will be taking place in the MarketPlace Theatre Armagh from Sunday the 13th to Friday 18th November.  We are very excited to have Mark Brew to facilitate this week for us alongside 2 other very experienced dancers and choreographers- Nadia Adame and Lorraine Jamieson.  We will have a performance of work on Friday the 18th at 3pm in the Market Place.  All are welcome and it is free of charge.

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Belfast Continuation Classes will run from 23rd Sept 2011 until 28th Oct 2011, facilitated by Jennifer Jordan.

Northwest Continuation Classes dates are to be confirmed.

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Congratulations to our Belfast Luminous Souls who gave a wonderful performance at the Belfast City Hall for the LTUK Open Weekend on the 23 July 2011.  Our DVD of the performance following Candoco’s residential was also shown on the big screen for all of Belfast to see.  This movie will be available for you to see soon.

New from the Open Arts’ young people’s team, workshops in music-making with the gamelan and in drama skills.  Both are designed to help you prepare for the great Open Arts Summer Scheme coming to you for a week on August 1st. Workshops take place every Tuesday from 24th May to 28th June. For further details contact Kate or Bev.

Open Arts integrated group of young people with and without disabilities and from all backgrounds went to the Opera House on Friday 29^th April, when others were watching a certain wedding.  We were ‘Going on a Bear Hunt’.  We arrived in good time and filed in to the best seats in the house.  The actors turned up, entering through the auditorium and we were transported, with father, baby, brother, sister and dog, to a land of grass, water, mud, caves and finally bears. The music carried us away as successfully as the simple props and we all had the chance to participate, though the artists probably weren’t as keen on the water sport as the young people were.  After the show we were off on a hunt of our own to the Shakespeare Rooms where we were surprised by a visit from the cast.  The baby, a large puppet with an almost bald wooden head, was a great success and everyone who wanted had the chance to make him walk, turn his head or wave.  When the cast had gone we started on a workshop and we soon perfected the singing of the Bear Hunt song, among other tunes.  We also had a discussion about plans for a piece of musical theatre of our own.  It has to be scary.  We’ve set the date for the Summer Scheme so keep the week of Monday  August 1^st to Friday August 5^th free.

All open Arts workshops have resumed.  If you want to join VIP Art then Friday 13th 10.30 -12.30 at the Crescent Arts Centre is your last chance this term. Work will be starting on a clay project.  If you want to join drama then you need to attend on Friday 13th, 11 -12 a.m. or Monday 16th 11-12 a.m  or 2- 4 p.m. All  these workshops take place at the Crescent Arts Centre.  The creative writing deadline is Tuesday 17th May 11- 12 Crescent Arts Centre.  Otherwise join us in September.

At 10.00 am (or a little before) 20 excited children and their adults turned up at the music department of Stranmillis College to enjoy a day of arts activitiy.  The gamelan had pride of place in its own room and the recital room was ready for drama.  First everyone had to offer suggestions on what to do in the Summer. There were pictures which people signed up to: walking in the hills and museums (particularly the DS museum which we’ll have to build first) were very popular, though the circus also received a large number of votes and Disney-Land and the USA featured in many suggestions.

Then it was down to work to create physical and musical stories. The younger group (blueberries) started with a word story and suddenly there were five red clowns building a skyscraper in the desert because the tents they had been living in had no toilets and also were full of clippy bugs.

The older ones created Rankar, a frightening monster, half elephant and half dinosaur; some humming birds, an evil peacock, a giant mouse, who was good, a storm, a waterfall and some quiet water.  Their story began musically with the different instruments of the gamelan providing the inspiration.

The blueberries’ story developed musically as a lion appeared to help the clowns, because clippy bugs can fly and the skyscraper couldn’t  keep them out. Then the lion got very thirsty from eating the clippy bugs because they are very salty, so a dolphin and a water snake and a camel appeared from the oasis to give him water.  The clowns were so grateful to the animals that they build them a restaurant  ‘The Animal’s Rest’ at the base of the skyscraper and they all lived happily ever after.

The raspberries story was dramatised as it emerged that poor Rankar had no heart, because all his race was destroyed by the an evil mouse, which is why he hated the good giant mouse.  The humming birds led Rankar to the healing waterfall, and his heart was restored, then they pretended to be a peacock and induced the evil peacock to visit the waterfall where he was reformed.  The storm broke and the good mouse, wafted it over the quiet water with his stinking cheese breath until all was calm. And they all lived happily ever after.

Both stories were interpreted musically and dramatically.  Each group acted out their story for the other group and then in the gamelan room they performed it musically for one another and a few parents who had arrived early.

Before we knew it the day was over and everyone went home well satisfied.  Now we just have to plan the summer scheme and here’s a hint.  We’re unlikely to be going to the USA!

Many thanks to all the staff of  Stranmillis College for their on-going  support

A big thank you to Croi Glan for an excellent Dance Development Day on Wed 16th Feb. We had a great day’s dancing in the Crescent Arts Centre and have selected 4 new bodies to join our team of trainees. Congratulations to the new folk! Photos to follow!
Next up – a showing of work by the Belfast Luminous Souls on 4th March at 4pm in Studio at the Crescent.

Love Arts Day 15th February

If you’re 5 to 11 years old, then come to our Love Arts Day on February 15th in Stranmillis College from 10.00 to 3.30 p.m. It’s completely inclusive, so we provide support workers. There’s music, story making and drama. You need to book though, so get your mum, dad or guardian to ring Kate on 02890240765