Latest from Young At Art

We're delighted to announce the return of Culture Babies as Gaeilge this Spring! Tue 12 Feb - 12 March, 10am-12pm

Looking for a gift idea? Want to avoid panic-buying nonsense? Why not purchase a gift voucher for a family & friends outing to the next Belfast Children's Festival?

Check out this special fundraising event in support of Fighting Words Belfast hosted by the Tenx9 team in the stunning surroundings of Titanic Drawing Office on 22 Nov

Young at Art in partnership with Cultúrlann Mc Adam Ó Fiaich are delighted to announce the return of Babaithe Cultúir (Culture Babies 'as Gaeilge') this Autumn! The interactive arts session for 0-4 yr olds and their parents/carers starts Tues 25 Sept 10am-12pm, for 5 weeks.

Explore Botanic Gardens on a walking tour with a difference at this year's Belfast City Council's Autumn Fair on Sat 15 and Sun 16 Sept.

Meet Brian Botanic, the expert, who will astound you with his knowledge and penchant for botanical themed jokes. He really needs your help to track down some curious botanical creatures and collect answers to 6 questions.

You can design your own school crest with everything you are excited about getting back to school or make a funky quill pencil to wow your classmates! Also check out our fabulous facepainter and balloon modeller.

Come join us on Thursdays and Fridays in August for fun Wizard of Oz themed workshops In Victoria Square Belfast!

SIAP Arts Council of Northern Ireland Information Session on Weds 1 Aug 10am-1pm in the ARC (off Donegall St) Community Arts Partnership - open to artists working collaboratively with communities/ in socially engaged practice. Get in touch with Gabri to book free space. #arts #artist #funding #support

The office is closed Thurs 12 and Fri 13 July. We will have reduced capacity to answer phone, email & facebook enquiries Mon 9 - Weds 11 July, due to various staff being on holidays

We're delighted to be delivering ISLAND Arts Centre Children’s Arts Festival this year. Art Camps proving very popular.  Week 1 & 2  FULLY Booked. Ltd availability on Week 3. £65 / child / week.  Discounts available on multiple bookings. Check it out!

New Irish language Culture Babies during May!
An chéad ‘Babaithe Cultúir’ as Gaeilge i mBealtaine!

Tell us what you thought of Belfast Children's Festival (9-14 March) and be in with a chance to win £50 gift voucher for Easons!
We would like to find out how you found out about Belfast Children's Festival, what you thought of it, and any comments you may have. The survey will take 10-15 mins of your time.
Your opinions help us to understand what is working well, what we could do better, and help us plan for the future #BCF18

One of the gems of this year's #BCF18 programme is the UK and Irish Premiere of Horses, produced by renowned Belgian dance company kabinet k and hetpaleis. 
5 children and 5 adults playfully explore how we want to be a grown-up and yet remain a child, and examine notions of belonging and community. It will resonate with tweens, teens and adults, as it will reaffirm the value of our relationships, even if these boundaries are tested. 

We're really excited to be bringing the Irish Premiere of Penguins to #BCF18. The co-production between Cahoots NI, Birmingham Repertory Theatre and Prime Theatre was inspired by the true story of Roy and Silo, 2 chinstrap penguins who went on to hatch a chick. It's a story about love and the ever changing meaning of family.

We're packing up the van for this Saturday's Lord Mayor's Day celebration at City Hall, 12 -5pm. 
We have 3 art workshop activities, suitable for all the family. You can get the chance to design your own Mayor's chain, or create a Coat of Arms, or take part in painting a huge portrait of The Lord Mayor.
Also adding to the fun atmosphere are rather inquisitive characters on a quest to find the 'good citizens' of Belfast. And we have a great storyteller for the younger folks.

Beat those back to school blues, be inspired and let Young at Art be a one-stop shop for all your creative learning needs this year. Book a free creative writing workshop with our Fighting Words Belfast project, a schools package to the Belfast Children's Festival (4-9 March 2016) and/ or sign up for some creative teacher training and classroom resources - http://www.youngatart.co.uk/who-we-are/press-media/beat-back-school-blues

Looking for ideas to do with the family this Bank Holiday weekend? Young at Art and Fighting Words Belfast will be offering a graffiti t-shirt printing and creative writing workshop at the Ballymac Funday on Saturday and getting creative at the Open House Festival's annual Bluegrass picnic in Ward Park, Bangor on Sunday. Click here to read more: http://www.youngatart.co.uk/whats-on

Excited about the launch of the Culture Night 2015 programme today - our Fighting Words Belfast team will be taking part this year attempting The Longest Story Ever Told ....http://www.youngatart.co.uk/whats-on/longest-story-ever-told

Calling all Fighting Words Belfast volunteers - have you signed up for our next training session yet? Thursday 10th September 6-8pm at the Skainos Centre. Read more: http://www.youngatart.co.uk/whats-on/volunteer-training-session

Are you organising a Christmas 2015 event? From santa's grottos at local shopping centres to festive family fun days to reward your staff ... Young at Art is here to help and add an extra special dash of magic and seasonal sparkle to your Christmas experience ... click on the link to find out how we can help - http://www.youngatart.co.uk/christmas

Some pics from Young at Art's Baby Rave at Belvoir Player's Studio this weekend as part of the Eastside Arts Festival... If you would like to book a rave for your venue/ festival/ event get in touch : http://www.youngatart.co.uk/projects/baby-rave

As part of the Eastside Arts Festival, come and enjoy some story making with the Fighting Words Belfast team at the creative writing centre for children and young people at the Skainos Centre tomorrow - Tuesday 25th August between 12.30 and 3.30. Make up a brand new story, listen to tales of high adventure or illustrate a character from your favourite book. Find out more: http://www.youngatart.co.uk/whats-on/making-it

Are you enjoying Baby Rave at the Belvoir today as part of the Eastside Arts Festival? Make sure to share your pics/ videos with us Young at Art #BabyRave

Join the Young at Art team at the Meadows Shopping Centre, Portadown tomorrow - Saturday 22nd August between 12-4pm for some perfectly pre-historic family fun. Meet Professor Dina Sore and become a palaeontologist for the day. Dig deep into your very own fossil pit to discover creatures from the ancient past, big and small, weird and wacky. Read more: http://buff.ly/1J6UBeo

We are very sad to be saying goodbye to our wonderful intern Chloe Lanier this week. Click on the link to read the lovely testimonial she left us about her time at Young at Art as she sets off to start an exciting new job at Le Louvre-Lens museum in the North of France. Good luck Chloe!! Gros bisous xxx http://www.youngatart.co.uk/who-we-are/press-media/one-year-young-art

All set to boogie with your baby at Baby Rave this Saturday? Young at Art in partnership with the Eastside Arts Festival will be presenting the music and dance phenomenon for under 4's and their parents at the Belvoir Players Studios. Read more: http://www.youngatart.co.uk/whats-on/baby-rave-0

Missing Young at Art's Tea & Tales at Eastside Arts Festival today? Don't worry ... another session is planned for this Saturday at the Cregagh Library. Click here to read more: http://www.youngatart.co.uk/whats-on/tea-and-tales-1

Join one of Young at Art's professional story-tellers for Tea & Tales this Thursday in Short Strand Community Centre as part of the East Side Arts Festival.With comfy bean bags and lots of books, children and parents can choose to listen to stories read from the best of contemporary children’s fiction or simply relax in a quiet cosy area. Read more: http://www.youngatart.co.uk/whats-on/tea-and-tales-0

Join the Young at Art team at the Meadows Shopping Centre, Portadown this Saturday 15th August between 12-4pm to go digging for dinosaur bones! Click here to read more: http://www.youngatart.co.uk/whats-on/digging-dinosaurs

Best of luck to all those getting results today! Remember - whatever the outcome, your imagination and big thoughts will take you anywhere.

Fighting Words Belfast is running a free creative writing workshop at the Duncairn Centre at 12.30 today. The event is presented as part of the New Lodge Arts Festival - click here to find out more - http://www.youngatart.co.uk/whats-on/fighting-words-belfast-workshop-0

Lovely comments from our friends at Save The Children;)

Flicking through some of the lovely 'evaluation tree leave' feedback from children attending events in our Office of Important Art over the past year ... how lovely!
The Office of Important Art is currently homeless. If you think you can offer it a home and support click here: http://youngatart.co.uk/who-we-are/press-media/office-important-art-clos...

Some beautiful pics taken by Neil Harrison of Young at Art's Once Upon a Time show being performed at the Save the Children NI 'Read On Get On' event yesterday. Find out more about booking this performance here: http://www.youngatart.co.uk/projects/once-upon-time

Office of Important Art closed for now, but not forgotten ...Save the Children NI’s ‘Read On, Get On’ event, including a special performance of Once Upon A Time, was a fitting send-off for a space that over 20 months has been a venue for laughter, play, experimentation and fun. During Young at Art’s residency in CastleCourt the Office of Important Art hosted 51 free events and workshops attended by some 3,000 people, provided a studio space for a local visual artist in residence, and a free development and rehearsal space for 7 different projects and productions. In celebration of this time we want to highlight some of the wonderful events that have taken place and say thank-you to CastleCourt and all the partners, artists, staff and volunteers for their support in making these wonderful events happen. Read more: http://www.youngatart.co.uk/who-we-are/press-media/office-important-art-...

This report says that reading promotes empathy - our ability to recognise and understand the feelings of others. We think this is a vital life skill for children and adults, how about you? http://readingagency.org.uk/news/media/reading-for-pleasure-builds-empat...

Young at Art will be performing Once Upon a Time in the Office of Important Art at CastleCourt today for Save the Children NI 'Read On, Get On' event encouraging children to start reading - join us from 11am ... http://www.youngatart.co.uk/whats-on/read-get

Save the Children NI will be taking over our Office of Important Art on Monday with Peppa Pig, Ben & Holly and Topsy & Tim to create ‘story starters’ – activities with pictures and words to help get toddlers talking. - See more at: http://www.youngatart.co.uk/whats-on/read-get

Calling all budding writers. Enjoy a fun-packed Fighting Words Belfast creative writing workshop and leave a published author. Presented as part of the New Lodge Arts Festival next week ... Read more: - http://www.youngatart.co.uk/whats-on/fighting-words-belfast-workshop-0

'ONTO THE PAGE AND INTO THE LIVES OF CHILDREN' - Fighting Words Belfast featuring in The Ireland Funds magazine 'Connect' this month ... Find out more about the project here: http://www.youngatart.co.uk/projects/fighting-words-belfast

Join the Young at Art team at the Meadows Shopping Centre, Portadown this Saturday 1st August between 12-4pm for some creative family fun. You will get the opportunity to transform scrap materials and cardboard into an amazing fort to play in - read more ... http://www.youngatart.co.uk/whats-on/build-your-own-fort

Baby Raving, digging for dinos and the longest story ever told are among some of the events coming up from Young at Art. Click on the link to read more about our latest news and events for August... 

Free drop-in eco-friendly art workshop as part of the Meadows Shopping Centre Summer programme for families this Saturday 25th July between 12-4pm. Families will get the opportunity to transform recycled scrap materials into unique artworks. http://www.youngatart.co.uk/whats-on/litterbugs

Young at Art artist and facilitator Stephen Beggs has recently returned from a trip to Schaffhausen in Switzerland to develop his ACES project.

Stephen enjoyed an intense and challenging, but hugely enjoyable few days with Theater Sgaramush director Stefan Colombo to devise an initial rough version of the show.

Read more here ... http://www.youngatart.co.uk/who-we-are/press-media/my-fathers-chair

Some pics from our first-ever Fighting Words Belfast workshop in the Duncairn Centre with young people from the Poleglass Summer scheme. The girls created the magical tale of Princess Toe Fooon and some pesky flip-flops! For more information on getting involved with Fighting Words Belfast click here: http://www.youngatart.co.uk/projects/fighting-words-belfast

Keep your eyes peeled for 'One Story, Many Endings' now published. The book is written by more than 200 children from 12 different countries, including P5 children from St Bernard's PS, Belfast who took part in an extra special Fighting Words Belfast workshop to produce their story ending for the publication. Find out how your school or youth group can get involved with Fighting Words Belfast this Autumn here: http://www.youngatart.co.uk/whats-on/fighting-words-belfast-workshops-0

Baby Rave tickets now on sale for the Eastside Arts Festival! 

Our Assoc Artist Stephen Beggs has just finished his first day of a week working with Stefan Colombo of Theater Sgaramusch in Schafhausen, Switzerland- part of his ACES programme supported by ACNI.

Digging for dinosaurs, eco-friendly crafting, tea & tales, baby raving and much more ... The latest news and events this Summer from Young at Art 

Another busy weekend for the Young at Art team - out and about this weekend at the Comber Potato Festival and Tall Ships buzz - lots more creative family fun coming up this Summer, keep an eye on our website to see what events are coming up next - http://www.youngatart.co.uk/whats-on

Get creative with spuds and come and help the Young at Art team celebrate the harvest of the famous Comber Early Potato in Comber Square this Saturday 4th July between 10am - 4pm for #ComberPotatoFestival2015.

Fighting Words Belfast patron Glenn Patterson has welcomed Kyle Clifford (The Ireland Funds, Vice-President of Major Gifts, New York office) to Skainos for an extra special workshop on 29th June. Local children from St Patrick's and Ballymacarrett Primary School have taken part in free creative writing workshops that allowed them to embark on an inspirational story-writing journey. Click here to read more about Fighting Words Belfast and their next workshops : http://www.youngatart.co.uk/projects/fighting-words-belfast

She did it!! On Sunday Hannah successfully pedalled her way 108 miles from Dublin to Belfast. You can still help her towards her fundraising target - money raised will be shared between Co-Operation Ireland and Fighting Words Belfast. Click here to support her and donate: http://igg.me/at/FWB/x/11181143

Think you know Young at Art? In the last four years, we have mentored, supported & commissioned over a dozen individual artists. Here's our current associate artist Stephen Beggs talking about his involvement in the ACES programme, a fund to support individual artists run by ACNI
http://www.artscouncil-ni.org/mobile/news/siap-2015-in-focus-stephen-beggs

Tattooed pirate Mary & her parrot Polyester - or Polly Esther?

Great job! Thank you!

This Sunday, Hannah will be taking part in the Co-Operation Ireland Maracyle, attempting to pedal the 108 miles from Dublin to Belfast.

Hannah, who works as Project Co-ordinator for new creative writing project Fighting Words Belfast, was previously a volunteer with Fighting Words in Dublin : "I used to bring my bike down on the train to Dublin every week to cycle the short distances between stations, and when I turned up at Fighting Words there'd always be a joke made about me cycling the whole way home. So when I heard about the maracycle, it seemed like the perfect way to raise awareness and funds to support the project."

Money raised will be shared between Co-Operation Ireland and Fighting Words Belfast. Click here to support her and to donate : http://igg.me/at/FWB/x/11181143