Young at Art

The YAA Collective have been busy this month!

They were back in The MAC last Sunday, reflecting on their favourite experiences in the Collective so far. What has stood out most to them? What have they tried and what did they love? They wrote down their reflections and created collages to represent some of the activities they took part in.

The Collective were joined at this session by Board Champion, Anna, who noted their comments and thoughts to feed back to the Young at Art Board.

If a young person in your life would be interested in joining the YAA Collective we'll be recruiting later this summer so watch this space for details!

The Ragdoll Foundation

Join us 19-24 August for The Grand Opera House, Belfast's Grand Family Festival!

You'll have the opportunity to design and take-away your very own, theatre-loving tote-bag, create a mini theatre in a box inspired by the Grand Opera House's 2024 pantomime and bring the art of puppetry to life with your own hand puppet creation.

For more information on these workshops (and what else is on offer!), check out the full schedule of events here: https://www.goh.co.uk/grand-family-festival

Last Thursday, pupils from Naiscoil na bhFal joined us in Cultúrlann McAdam Ó Fiaich for an Extended Experience, as part of the Creative Child project!

Our visitors got a very special tour of the venue, exploring behind the scenes and even stepping onto the stage to let their imaginations loose. ⭐

Thank you to Foras na Gaeilge for their support in making this visit happen and to Cultúrlann McAdam Ó Fiaich for hosting us!

Post-Festival sessions as part of our Young People's Wellbeing project are well underway!

Over the past few weeks, the groups taking part in this project have been exploring the themes of BCF24 show I...um I, discussing their interpretations of the performance and creating their very own safe spaces in visual art workshops ⭐

Arts Council of Northern Ireland

The YAA collective had a blast last Sunday on their visit to the Vault Artist Studios at Shankill Mission!

They explored the artist collective, toured the building, and scouted locations for their music video. Plus, they chose costumes, got their faces painted, and co-directed their own music video, becoming the stars of the show! 🎬🌟

The Ragdoll Foundation

Our General Manager Kelly-Anne recently attended the Arts and Business Blueprint Programme development session in Dublin!

She spent two jam-packed days hearing from inspirational fundraisers, exploring concepts and culture of philanthropy, tools for strategic fundraising planning and learnings from cultural leaders.

Thank you to the team at Arts and Business NI for organising these inspiring few days!

Andersonstown Traditional & Contemporary Music School Belfast Photo Festival The Duncairn Fighting Words NI GoldenThread Gallery In Your Space Circus Kids In Control Maiden Voyage Dance Replay Theatre Company Seacourt Print Workshop Terra Nova Productions Theatre and Dance NI University of Atypical for Arts and Disability Vault Artist Studios

Last Sunday, the YAA Collective were joined in their creative hub, The MAC, by Festival Family Day Out favourite, magician Caolan McBride! 🪄

In this spellbinding session, the Collective were wowed by sleight of hand and learned some tricks of the trade to try out themselves! They enjoyed card tricks and magical moves, and quizzed Caolan on how he pulls it all off. But they won't be giving away the secrets any time soon...

The Ragdoll Foundation

We are recruiting!

Young at art are recruiting a Box Office, Marketing and Administration Assistant, to support its senior management team.

Key responsibilities will be to support the Marketing & Communications Manager in the delivery of Young at Art’s marketing and audience development plan for our annual Belfast Children’s Festival and other programmes of activity and be the main point of contact and responsible for the festival box office, as well as supporting the Director and General Manager with clerical duties.

To download the application form and read the full job description, follow the link here 👉 https://youngatart.co.uk/young-at-art-are-recruiting/

Deadline for applications: 9am, Wednesday 5 May 2024.

This role is a permanent full-time post. Funding for this post is received from the Arts Council of Northern Ireland and Belfast City Council.

Arts Council of Northern Ireland Theatre and Dance NI Community Arts Partnership NICVA Belfast City Council

Yesterday, the YAA Collective met after their Easter break in The MAC!

The group played drama games to recall their favourite bits of the Belfast Children’s Festival, and previous sessions. They created their own take on “I um I” and performed them for each other (their recall of the details of the show was amazing!)

The session ended with a game show to find out the Collective's favourite bits of the BCF24 shows!

The Ragdoll Foundation

Our General Manager and Sustainability Champion, Kelly-Anne is taking part in the Green Arts NI group!

With a membership of over 40 cultural and creative organisations and individuals across Northern Ireland, Green Arts NI will be helping to shape the Belfast City Council Cultural Strategy for 2020-2030.

Members include Oh Yeah Music Centre, Lyric Belfast, Stephen Beggs and Young at Art and the group is calling for interested arts organisations and individual artists to join. To find out more, contact [email protected].

Just before Easter, we said goodbye to Fine Art student, Amelie Dobson who joined us in December for a four month internship. She supported our Education and Engagement Coordinator Becca on the Festival’s engagement programme.

Here's what she had to say about her time at YAA (and a look at the circus themed cake she baked and brought in on her last day!)

“Endless fuzzy orange fabric, a fantasia of theatre, and the most wonderful small but mighty team, I am the most privileged art student to complete industry experience at Young at Art.

My final industry report for Loughborough University will be wholly informed by the magnificent work I never thought I could do since choosing to study Fine Art. So many doors have opened, and I can’t wait to join the creative scene again in Northern Ireland when I graduate. Thank-you Young at Art.”

We look forward to following Amelie’s future career.

Wishing a safe and happy Easter to all those who celebrate! 🐥🌼

The Young at Art office will be closed for a break from tomorrow, Friday 29 March. We'll be back on Wednesday 3 April.

See you then!

Shout out to U105 competition winner Patricia who took her Granddaughter, Mia and Grandson, Jayce to see the gorgeous 'Club Origami' in The Crescent Arts Centre on the final day of BCF24. She said, 'our little grandson Jayce who has autism thoroughly enjoyed it'.

They also enjoyed an overnight stay with dinner, bed and breakfast in by Wyndham 😍which coincided nicely with Patricia's 44th wedding anniversary!

Thanks for sharing these beautiful images with us, Patricia!

Our Marketing Manager Julie's niece Hannah is Kiddy Céilí ready! Are you?

We've still got some tickets available on the door for the 2pm and 3.45pm Céilís, at Belfast Cathedral.

Belfast TradFest
City Council Council of Northern Ireland

The weather for our Family Festival Day Out, 16 March is due to be wet and windy…so we’re moving indoors! ⭐️

Don’t worry, we’re still bringing you all the fun of the circus…indoors from 1pm-4pm.

Check out our updated schedule here: https://youngatart.co.uk/events/festival-family-day-out/

Huge thanks to Cathedral Quarter Belfast and Victoria Square for their support for Family Day.

Cathedral Quarter Belfast Victoria Square Belfast Cathedral The MAC Ulster University

Join us at Victoria Square tomorrow from 1pm-4pm for ‘Under the Dome’ and create your own cardboard structure!

Check out the rest of the Family Day schedule here: https://youngatart.co.uk/events/festival-family-day-out/

Thank you Ballysillan Primary School and Nursery for joining us in Lyric Belfast yesterday!

Catch BullyBully at The Lyric this Saturday 👑

Book tickets here: https://youngatart.co.uk/events/bullybully/

BullyBully welcomed their first audiences today, with schools visits from classes in our Creative Child and Creative Teacher programmes! 👑

The groups had a blast following the first awkward encounter through to heartwarming resolution in BullyBully. From tantrums to diplomacy, laughter filled the theatre at moments of slapstick humour🥸......Oh, and a dance off!

You can catch BullyBully in Lyric Belfast this Saturday 16 March, to find out what a toddler and a world leader have in common!

Book BullyBully here: https://youngatart.co.uk/events/bullybully/

Maas Theater En Dans

Chief Executive of Starcatchers Rhona Matheson talks to Lynette Fay about creating work for young audiences. Listen in from 38 minutes.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m001x667

If you're an artist, student or practitioner or you're interested in work for young audiences, you can hear from Rhona as part of the Belfast Children's Festival Creative Conversation series, at 2pm on Friday 15 March.

Register for your place at https://youngatart.co.uk/events/creative-conversation-with-rhona-matheson/

Arts Council of Northern Ireland
Theatre and Dance NI
Community Arts Partnership

This week we were thrilled to announce a partnership with Square Belfast.

We'll be bringing family fun to Northern Ireland’s premier retail and leisure destination from 1-4pm on Saturday 16 March as part of our Family Festival Day Out.

Read more about the partnership on U105 Radio https://lnkd.in/eVTNSZap

Looking for something to do on this wet afternoon?

There's still one more chance to catch Grand Soft Day from Branar in Lyric Belfast! Join us for this beautiful show all about the seasons at 4pm, for a perfect experience for the whole family! 🍃🌧

Check out what audiences had to say about yesterday's performances.

Book Grand Soft Day here: https://youngatart.co.uk/events/grand-soft-day/