Belfast Children's Festival 2008 - Latest News

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Mon, 26 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The Coca-Cola Cinemagic International Film & TV Festival for Young People

18th Nov - 4th Dec 09

Enjoy New & Classic Family Films at Cinemagic.....

Family Film Showcase

Classic Cartoons (6+)

Saturday 21st November / 11.00am / ODEON Cinemas, Belfast

Finding Nemo (U)

Saturday 21st November / 3.00pm / Movie House Cinemas, Yorkgate

Sunshine Barry & The Disco Worms (8+)

Sunday 22nd November / 2.00pm / Movie House Cinemas, Yorkgate

Treasure Planet (U)

Sunday 22nd November / 3.00pm / Movie House Cinemas, Dublin Road

Matilda (PG)

Sunday 22nd November / 4.00pm / ODEON Cinemas, Belfast

Moonbeam Bear & Friends (3+)

Saturday 28th November / 10.30am / ODEON Cinemas, Belfast

All Dogs Go To Heaven (U)

Saturday 28th November / 3.00pm / Movie House Cinemas, Dublin Road

Gnomes & Trolls - The Secret Chamber (8+)

Sunday 29th November / 3.00pm / Movie House Cinemas, Yorkgate

The Tigger Movie (U)

Sunday 29th November / 3.00pm / Movie House Cinemas, Dublin Road

TICKET PRICES: £4.00 / £3.50

FESTIVAL BOX OFFICE: 028 9024 6609

BOOK ONLINE - WWW.CINEMAGIC.ORG.UK

Look out for us in the Bow Street Mall on Saturday for some butterfly workshops (all ages) - 1pm -3pm.

Thu, 15 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Primary Schools from Lisburn City will get the opportunity to help conserve and preserve butterflies when they visit Bow Street Mall, 17 October 2009, and hear how they can do their bit to help prevent them from declining. It's part of an environment campaign by the shopping centre, in partnership with the Ulster Wildlife Trust, aimed at raising awareness to help to protect the species, which also plays a big part of the centre's logo.

We'll be there too! Belfast Children's Festival will also be getting in on the act when we will provide FREE butterfly mask making at Bow Street Mall between 1-3pm

Hope to see you there!

Fly Butterfly Family Weekend - 17 & 18 October 2009 - Belfast City Hall

Sat, 10 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

SATURDAY 17 OCTOBER FLY BUTTERFLY CARNIVAL 12pm-4pm

An outdoor spectacle event for Belfast City Hall reopening where caterpillars transform to butterflies on the City Hall wall and a giant butterfly opens its wings for flight. Make your own caterpillar or butterfly mask in our Family Workshops, join the Caterpillar Parade through the city centre, dance to some music or watch the acrobatic delights of Fly Butterfly aerial display.

SUNDAY 18 OCTOBER FESTIVAL GOES TO BELFAST CITY HALL 12pm-4pm

Belfast City Hall will be a hive of activity for families and children of all ages, with lots of art workshops, butterflies and flowers, face painting, Baby Rave, buzzing insects, Tea and Tales - a special children's reading area, Storytelling, entertainment from Premiere Circus with the Magilligans, the Tree Lady, Paul Currie and much, much more.

Come along for one of the many drop-in activities happening throughout the day or book tickets for one of the exciting events below;

BABY RAVE- BABY SKA

0-4 years

Length: 60mins

Due to its popularity Baby Ska is Back! Get your two-tone outfits on, as it's black and white all the way. The DJ and dancers will help you and your babies move and groove to the two-tone beats of The Specials.

Pre-Booking required

12pm, 1.30pm & 3.30pm (GET YOUR TICKETS NOW! THEY'RE GOING QUICKLY)

TALL TALES WITH NIALL DE BURCA

5 years+

Length: 45mins

One of Ireland's greatest storytellers will captivate you in this thrilling, exciting and hilarious performance of his favourite tall tales. A highly entertaining show for young and old alike.

Pre-Booking required

12pm & 3.15pm (SOLD OUT!)

NEARLY TRUE TOURS

7 years+

Length: 25mins

Take a trip back in time, meet madcap characters along the way and discover the true and not so true secrets of Belfast City Hall. Developed by the organisers of the Belfast Children's Festival this tour is specially created for children.

Pre-Booking required

12.30pm, 1.45pm & 3.15pm (SOLD OUT!)

THE BIG PICTURE

All ages

Length: 100 mins

Belfast Film Festival present some family friendly entertainment with a selection of the best children's films, as they begin their two week programme to celebrate the re-opening of Belfast's City Hall.

Pre-Booking required

1pm (SOLD OUT!)

For information & ticket booking go to Belfast Welcome Centre, 47 Donegall Place, Belfast, BT1 5AD or call Belfast Welcome Centre on 028 9024 6609

Look out for us this weekend - we'll be in a shopping centre near you!

Sat, 10 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Look out for us in the Kennedy Centre, Belfast, on Saturday 10th October 1pm - 3pm where we will be making some beautiful butterfly and bug puppets with lots of glitter and sparkle.

On Sunday 11th October we will be in Victoria Square, Belfast, adding a touch of sparkle to the centre as we decorate some more butterfly and bug puppets - an activity suitable for All ages!

Then next weekend, Saturday 17th October, we will be visiting the Bow Street Mall in Lisburn to make some Butterfly and Bug Masks from 1pm - 3pm during the shopping centres special Butterfly Day.

Hope to see you there!

We need your school's HELP!

Wed, 30 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Young at Art, organiser of the Belfast Children's Festival, have been asked to host a special family day called Festival goes to Belfast City Hall on Sunday 18th October from 12pm-4pm. Belfast City Hall will be a hive of activity for families and children of all ages with lots of free arts activities and free entertainment .......but we really need your school's help!

As its theme, Belfast City Hall will be transformed for its reopening family weekend into a home for caterpillars and butterflies emerging from their chrysales, symbolising its own re-awakening after two years' closure. We're inviting children all over the city to help transform the City Hall into a butterfly garden by making their own decorations for the building.

If you get your pupils involved in making decorations, Young at Art is offering ten schools in Belfast the opportunity to have a visit from the Lovegrubs - Belfast City Hall's very own resident Butterfly and Caterpillar - who will tour classes and collect any bugs, butterflies and flowers created by the children.

To Download your resource pack and get busy making your bugs go to our schools page and click on the grey box at the bottom of the page. Simply download our resource pack and get your pupils to start making some beautiful butterflies and caterpillars.

A lot of visitors from all over Northern Ireland are expected and we want Belfast City Hall to look as beautiful as possible, drawing inspiration from the imagination and creativity of the city's youngest citizens.

Culture Night was a roaring success thanks to EVERYONE who was involved!

Wed, 30 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT

A very big 'thank you' to everybody who helped to make Culture Night Belfast such a magnificent success! Whether you were a participant or a volunteer, whether you came down on the evening or even helped to spread the word, it all contributed to an amazing and magical evening.

Together we managed to totally transform a small corner of Belfast for one night and proved just how culturally rich, diverse and exciting our city can be. The streets of the Cathedral Quarter really came alive you couldn’t turn a corner without discovering something new and surprising happening.

To be in the thick of it was absolutely thrilling - the streets were buzzing with life! We exceeded all expectations, did our city proud and proved that we're right up there with Dublin and the rest.

So here's to next year's Culture Night Belfast - even bigger and better - see you all there!

CULTURE NIGHT 25 September: tiny trans presents Rock'n'Roll High School

Mon, 21 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT

As part of the the first ever Culture Night Belfast, which will be held in the city's historic Cathedral Quarter on Friday 25th September, tiny trans presents Rock'n'Roll High School.

4pm-8pm

(Suitable for kids aged 6-12 and their parentals)

For kids who like to rock, we salute you. Tiny trans is taking youngsters under their rock'n'roll wing at the Waterfront this Culture Night, transforming them into real life rockstars. If your young one loves music, dancing and dressing up (rock star/diva tantrums optional), then they're going to love our rock school.On our one of a kind, rock'n'roll production line, kids will learn how to make their own instruments, have their faces painted (think David Bowie and Gene Simmons), visit the dress-up box, get their hair done, have their photo taken by the AU photographer and join other young folk in a battle of the bands, Rockband style.

While the cool dudes are getting down, parents have the chance to chill out in the cafe and terrace areas with a nice cup of tea or a cold beer, before exploring the rest of what Culture Night NI has to offer.

NB Adults are also allowed to dress up if they want

Fly Butterfly Family Weekend 17 & 18 October 2009

Wed, 16 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Belfast City Hall will emerge like a beautiful butterfly from a chrysalis after two years of renovation. In celebration Belfast City Council invites all children and families to Fly Butterfly Family Weekend in association with Beat Initiative and Belfast Children’s Festival.

To mark this very special occasion, all events are absolutely FREE both inside and outside but pre-booking may be required. For information & ticket booking go to Belfast Welcome Centre, 47 Donegall Place, Belfast, BT1 5AD or call Belfast Welcome Centre on 028 9024 6609

SATURDAY 17 OCTOBER FLY BUTTERFLY CARNIVAL 12pm – 4pm

SUNDAY 18 OCTOBER FESTIVAL GOES TO BELFAST CITY HALL 12pm – 4pm

Belfast City Hall will be a hive of activity for families and children of all ages, with lots of art workshops, butterflies and flowers, face painting, Baby Rave, buzzing insects, Tea and Tales – a special children’s reading area, Storytelling, entertainment from Premiere Circus with the Magilligans, the Tree Lady, Paul Currie and much, much more.

Come along for one of the many drop-in activities happening throughout the day or book tickets for one of the exciting events below;

BABY RAVE- BABY SKA

0-4 years

Length: 60mins

Due to its popularity Baby Ska is Back! Get your two-tone outfits on, as it’s black and white all the way. The DJ and dancers will help you and your babies move and groove to the two-tone beats of The Specials.

Pre-Booking required

12pm, 1.30pm & 3.30pm

TALL TALES WITH NIALL DE BURCA

5 years+

Length: 45mins

One of Ireland’s greatest storytellers will captivate you in this thrilling, exciting and hilarious performance of his favourite tall tales. A highly entertaining show for young and old alike.

Pre-Booking required

12pm & 3.15pm

NEARLY TRUE TOURS

7 years+

Length: 25mins

Take a trip back in time, meet madcap characters along the way and discover the true and not so true secrets of Belfast City Hall. Developed by the organisers of the Belfast Children’s Festival this tour is specially created for children.

Pre-Booking required

12.30pm, 1.45pm & 3.15pm

THE BIG PICTURE

All ages

Length: 100 mins

Belfast Film Festival present some family friendly entertainment with a selection of the best children’s films, as they begin their two week programme to celebrate the re-opening of Belfast’s City Hall.

Pre-Booking required

1pm

For information & ticket booking go to Belfast Welcome Centre, 47 Donegall Place, Belfast, BT1 5AD or call Belfast Welcome Centre on 028 9024 6609

CULTURE NIGHT 25 September 2009

Wed, 09 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT

We're delighted to be involved in the first ever Culture Night Belfast, which will be held in the city's historic Cathedral Quarter on Friday 25th September.

Taking place in the University of Ulster Tea and Tales will offer children and parents the opportunity to choose to listen to stories read on the hour from a selection of the best children's fiction or simply relax in a quiet comfy area to choose something to read for themselves.

University of Ulster (foyer)

All Ages

4pm - 9pm

Also in the University of Ulster drop-in Art Workshops will be on offer to all ages, come along and get creative and crafty and have some fun with local artist Emma McClintock.

University of Ulster (foyer)

All Ages

4pm - 9pm

A little later on join us under the Merchant Hotel in Ollie's nightclub for some spooky Tales by Torchlight. One of Ireland's finest storytellers, Fra Gunn, invites you to listen to some chilling tales down in the gloomy surroundings, where the only light will be the glow of a torch.

Don't forget to bring your torch!

Ollie's nightclub (beside Merchant Hotel)

7years+

6pm, 7pm & 8pm

Banzai Chess will bepopping up throughout the Cathedral Quarter, help the black king and white queen find the knights, rooks and even their chess board to have a gruesome battle in the streets.

All Ages

4pm - 9pm

All events are FREE and No Booking is required. but spaces are limited so come early!

Give yourself a pat on the back!

Thu, 25 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Young at Art has successfully run a Volunteers Programme in conjunction with their annual Belfast Children's Festival since 1998 and extended it to include young volunteers in 2007. In 2008 the festival became the first Northern Ireland-based arts organisation to be awarded an accreditation from "Investing in Volunteers", the UK quality standard for all organisations involving volunteers.

With a real commitment to volunteering, volunteer management policies and procedures that meet nationally recognised standards Young at Art shows how volunteering amongst young people has long proven to have a variety of positive outcomes for not only the individual but also their wider community. Young people can build the skills, experience and confidence which will benefit them throughout their lives and enable them to remain involved in the community.

In 2009 the Young Volunteer Programme was more successful than ever due to help from the Youth Justice Agency of Northern Ireland. A record number of volunteers were involved with the festival, 45 in total helped at a range of events during the Belfast Children's Festival 22 May - 31 May 2009.

We would like to take the time to thank ALL the volunteers who helped with the 2009 festival and hope to see you again in 2010!

Thank you for coming to this year's festival!

Wed, 10 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Please take a few moments to tell us what you thought and be entered into a Prize Draw to win a Golden Ticket for the 2010 festival.

What did you see?
Did you enjoy it?
Were staff and volunteers helpful & friendly?
Do you think your festival visit was value for money?
What did we do well and what could we do better?

CLICK HERE to fill out our questionnaire and enter our free prize draw to win a Golden Ticket for the 2010 Belfast Children's Festival.

We greatly appreciate all your feedback!

Thank you for your time and Good Luck!

The Belfast Children’s Festival isn’t over yet! There’s still loads more to see….

Fri, 29 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT

WORLD PREMIER….Twinkle Twinkle

There was a crooked man, in a crooked house...

A world premiere based on the children’s nursery rhyme. Puppetry and live music combine to tell a charming story about a little crooked bass player who lives in a little crooked house and whose only friends in the world are the moon and the stars.

· Sat 30 May 11am, Sat 30 May 3pm, Sun 31 May 11am, Sun 31 May 3pm

· Age: 3 - 7 yrs

· Tickets: £7

· Family ticket: £24

· Family plus ticket: £34.50

Queen

A story about love, power and sound effects

The majestic story of the bitter fight for the English throne between Elizabeth 1 and Mary Stuart set in a radio studio. This humorous theatrical radio play reduces a complicated story to its essential elements and is told in a way everyone can understand, with galloping coconut-shells and a storm in a bucket. Of course at the end Mary loses her head. Or was it just an apple?

· Fri 29 May 10:15am, Fri 29 May 12pm, Sat 30 May 12:15pm, Sat 30 May 2:30pm, Sun 31 May 12:15pm, Sun 31 May 2:30pm

· Age: 10 yrs +

· Tickets: £7

· Family ticket: £24

· Family plus ticket: £34.50

AND THERE’S MORE award winning author Ann Bryant is putting on a free event in No Alibis on Saturday at 2pm and Ian Sansom (the Author of the truth about babies) is doing a special free reading of King Matt the First at the Waterfront on Saturday, 4pm.

AND EVEN MORE FREE FUN….

Listen to specially composed pieces by internationally renowned artists as you move through the award-winning Silver Sounds exhibition. Drawn from over 300 pieces in the Queen’s silver collection, many of these pieces have not been accessible to visitors for many years. Children will be able to explore and interact with the silver on display using a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), using technology developed by SARC and Fällt. Before or after the tour, experiment with your own non-precious silver. Create dragons, masks, even your own hallmark at a free drop in workshop with local artist Heather Wilson.

Under 4's spoilt for choice

Mon, 11 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT

This year the Belfast Children’s Festival (22 May – 31 May), run by Young at Art, has an exciting international programme guaranteed to get dominos in motion and have even the tiniest tots toppling into the city for some festival fun. The under 4's - an often overlooked age-group, will be spoilt for choice at the Belfast Children’s Festival this May.

Baby Rave - Baby SKA

Dance to the toddler two-tone

The first Baby Rave in the world returns to its home with a new theme for 2009. From the two-tone beats of The Specials, it’s black and whites all the way as the DJ and dancers help you and your babies move and groove.

What a Wonderful World

Hop on the sleeper train & dream of a new world

Before anything new is made it must first be dreamed. Come on a magnificent journey through the world of dreams, explore the universe and get your hands on the stuff of creation. You'll get a big bang out of it! Following the success of Egg and Spoon, Lyngo Theatre Company returns.

Concertos para bebes (Concerts for babies)

A big party of sounds, music and colour

Sit on comfortable, colourful cushions surrounded by musicians and singers and listen to the wonderful mix of sounds in this special concert for babies. With lots of smiles, dancing and clapping of hands this is a light-hearted introduction to the world of classical music for the tiniest ears.

Twinkle Twinkle

There was a crooked man, in a crooked house...

We offer groups visiting the festival a special discount rate of £4 per ticket and for every 10 tickets bought you get 1 free;

· School/Group discounts – up to 40% off full price tickets available to all schools and groups with no minimum number required

· Friendship Fund – tickets as low as £1 for groups experiencing hardship

· Free teachers tickets – one free for every ten tickets purchased.

· Free Carers tickets – available only to group bookings with patrons with special needs. Maximum 5 per group.

The Belfast Children’s Festival runs from 22 May – 31 May. For further information and to book tickets go to the website www.belfastchildrensfestival.com or call Box Office on 028 9033 4455.

Champion of the Child exhibition and workshop

Mon, 27 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Champion of the Child tells the moving and inspiring story of Janusz Korczak (1879-1942). A pioneer of children’s rights and a key influence on the 1979 UN Convention on Children’s Rights, Korczak devoted his life to the rights and wellbeing of children, regardless of nationality or religion. The exhibition shows how his teachings on the treatment of children continue to resonate around the world today and chart his efforts to protect children from the horrors of the Warsaw ghetto before his death in Treblinka concentration camp. The exhibition features drawings by Itzhak Belfer, now an Israeli artist of international renown and one of the children saved by Korczak.

To mark the 30^th anniversary of the UNCRC, a workshop aimed at children aged 10 – 13 yrs and led by staff from the Northern Ireland Commissioner for Children and Young People (NICCY) will explore the UN Convention. The workshop is available for schools and groups visiting the exhibition and supports the school curriculum under Personal Development and Mutual Understanding and Local and Global citizenship strands.

If you are interested in one of the Workshops please go to the Schools section of the Young at Art website and download the booking form from the grey downloads box at the bottom of the page.

There is limited availability please contact Young at Art on 028 9023 0660 for further details.

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More of it than we think 3 winners announced

Fri, 01 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Thanks to everyone who entered submissions to the Belfast Children’s Festival and University of Ulster “More of it than we think 3” exhibition. We are delighted to anounce the winners!

This is the third year of the programme and our first working in partnership with the University of Ulster. We were delighted to see the level of commitment, originality and skill evident in the work submitted. We were also delighted by the variety of topics, artforms and media used.

Drum roll please.....

And the winning groups are

Portrush Primary School
Linenhall Arts Centre
Positive Futures
National Deaf Children's Society
Wheelworks
St Mary's Primary School
Millennium Court Arts Centre

Well Done to everyone!