A DATE FOR YOUR DIARIES: Culture Night Belfast returns on Friday 24 September 2010, 4pm - 10pm.

JosephN
29 June 2010 - 5:56pm
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Tagged as:

• Arts
• Children and families
• Communications
• Community development
• Education and training
• Men
• Older people
• Urban regeneration
• Women
• Young people

It’s back! Following the massive success of last year, Culture Night Belfast returns to the city on 24 September 2010, 4pm - 10pm.

Last year’s Culture Night attracted over 15,000 people – individuals, families and community groups - to the Cathedral Quarter of Belfast as dozens of public areas, streets, and buildings were totally transformed for just one evening. Hundreds of local artists, organisations and businesses took part, offering absolutely FREE theatre, gigs, exhibits, events, talks and tours throughout the evening for members of the public to enjoy in what proved to be an exhilarating, unprecedented celebration of the cultural life of the city.

Last year’s proceedings kicked off in larger-than-life style with a giant puppet parade from the City Hall to Writer’s Square. A few of the many, many highlights throughout the evening of free activities were the magical percussive thrills of Gathering Drum and a cast of hundreds, musical mayhem with Grimes and McKee in the Writer’s Square Marquee, the wheelie bin street disco on Hill Street and dancing in the streets across the Cathedral Quarter, from High Street to North Street and from salsa to hip hop! Every gallery, public space and business in the area had an exhibition, a musical performance, a demonstration or a workshop which allowed visitors both new and familiar to fully immerse themselves in the Culture Night experience.

Culture Night participants also had the opportunity to go on a series of thrilling city centre adventures: an alternative walking tour of Belfast, a late night art tour, the historic tour of the Cathedral Quarter and a jaunt through Belfast City of Sin, not to mention the spooky lure of Nightmare Alley courtesy of the Belfast Film Festival.

Throughout the day, there were a multitude of workshops for children, families and adults alike, including the Beat Initiative’s colourful carnival arts workshop in Cathedral Park where kids of all ages could take part in making puppets and flags. The Black Box Café ran arts workshops and hilarious puppet shows for the kids while mums and dads took a well-earned coffee break. New Belfast Community Arts transported families back in time as they helped them make their own 18th century headgear and make-up. At Catalyst Arts, American collective Hideous Beast delivered fun and offbeat workshops for junior artists. Then, after getting the chance to make their own milkshakes and cookies, youngsters could round off a fun-packed day with Tea and Tales courtesy of the Belfast Children’s Festival. When it was bed-time for the kids, celebrations continued long into the evening in one of the biggest and most inclusive free events the city has ever seen.

Arts Showcases and exhibitions ran alongside the Community Arts Forum ran in the same dazzlingly diverse programme as the fiery Chili-fest and Wine, Women and Song in the Deers Head. Among the other highlights there was “Theatre in the Pothouse”, world music in the Premiere Inn, opera in St George’s Church, acrobatic antics at Belfast Circus School,, “Music by Gaslight” in St Patrick’s Church and a very special architecturally-themed barber shop quartet in the historic Tivoli’s Barbers in Garfield Street.

While planning for Culture Night 2010 is still at an early stage, Programme and Production Manager Kresanna Aigner promised that visitors to this year’s event would be in for a memorable evening.

“We don’t know just yet exactly what weird and wonderful things will be happening this year but people can look forward to another magical evening of discovery, art, entertainment and fun: The very best of Belfast. And once again, we’re pleased to say that it’s all totally free and absolutely everybody is welcome.”

If you would like further information on Culture Night Belfast 2010 or want to find out how you might be able to participate, contact Kresanna Aigner at kresanna@culturenightbelfast.com