Director's Report
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
DIRECTOR’S REPORT YOUNG AT ART 2001 A FESTIVAL FOR YOUNG PEOPLE MAY 18TH-27TH CONTENTS INRODUCTION PROGRAMMING/VENUE STAFFING PRESS & MARKETING OUTREACH BOX OFFICE & AUDINCE FIGURES CONCLUSION 1 INTRODUCTION The fourth Young at Art festival took place from 17-25th May 2001. The timing, increase in programme and additional staffing has made a significant impact on the festival which is now viewed as one of the major children’s festivals in Europe. The quality of events, brochure and the additional staffing made this years’ festival the smoothest run and most efficient to date. Funding was tighter than ever but used to the maximum. This year we invited international producers and promoters of young people’s work to the festival and were rewarded by Imaginate booking Puppet Magic to perform at the Lycium and the Traverse Theatres in Edinburgh during the children’s festival in May 2002. This now means that a Young at Art commission from Northern Ireland has toured on the international stage for the last three years. This year Young at Art presented 24 different projects, over 100 separate events with additional 28 workshops and 22 performances presented as outreach projects. We received more television and radio coverage than ever before and received very positive feedback about our brochure and distribution. This year’s market research shows that the average attendance overall was 78% - the best so far. However, owing to the very small numbers able to fit in to our partnership venues the number of attenders was not as high as last year. Outreach work and workshops during the festival were all sold to capacity and we still enjoy our largest audiences from the early years with 78% attendance. As usual a third of our audience is made up of first time arts/theatre attenders and two thirds say they are returning following previous festivals. We are delighted with the continued support and commitment from the public and schools throughout Northern Ireland. We now believe that Young at Art has become the kite mark of quality for children’s live arts . 2 PROGRAMMING The programme for the 2001 festival has been the most exciting and challenging to date. The theme Co-ordinates worked extremely making events easier to promote and giving the media a concept to work around. The range of medium, the quality and provision for all ages and tastes worked very successfully with a balance of international and local projects. Last year the key needs were to: Continue to develop programme (NI wide if possible) Continue to develop indigenous work Continue to develop technology and art projects Continue to develop relationships with venues Continue to make partnerships Continue to develop international profile Continue to develop participation Develop a viable year round programme Develop web-site with young people Develop school contacts through the young review Develop training opportunities in conjunction with Stranmillis How successfully were these recommendations addressed? Continue to develop programme (NI wide if possible) Several tours were undertaken this year with Puppet Magic being performed in venues in Cookstown, Lisnaskea, Armagh, and L’Derry. Also Washday was performed in Coleraine and Armagh. Continue to develop indigenous work The festival commissioned two new pieces from local performers; Puppet Magic by Paul McEneaney for 6yrs+ and a family show “Recipe for Disaster” by Will Chamberlain. The family friendly day focused on local artists, storytellers and performers. Continue to develop technology and art projects Building Frames project with Rita Duffy engaged young people to record and present the changing landscape of the architecture and buildings in Cathedral Quarter though photography and digital manipulation. This project was open to all ages to encourage empowerment through the creative experience. Continue to develop relationships with venues Stranmillis University College was the venue for the Farmyard Recital performance by Da Capo and Stranmillis Theatre was used for Sleep Tight. The Group Theatre was used for the first time as a Saturday venue for Washday and Puppet Magic. Belfast Circus School was used for the first time as the venue for Wash Day. Other venues for storytelling included the LinenHall Library and our partnership with Belfast Parks continued with a Tepee in Botanic Gardens. 3 Continue to make partnerships New partnership was made particularly with new venues above as well as the touring venues. We also consolidated previous partnerships. and developed a very successful Play-Zone at Old Museum arts centre that proved to be very popular. Continue to develop international profile The International profile during festival was raised with performances by Gruppe 38 from Denmark and Theatre Triebwerk, Germany. This year we invited several international producers on the family friendly day to offer a platform for NI work. This has resulted in Puppet Magic being selected to go to the Lyceum and the Traverse in Edinburgh for the Scottish International Children festival in May 2002 with a view to promoting it for the American market thereafter. Continue to develop participation The Co-habitation project encouraged the participation of 18-25 yrs over to develop several installation pieces for Habitat on the Family Friendly Day. Numerous free projects including, resident musician sessions, storytelling art workshops as well as the family activities helped increase participation. Over 2000 children also enjoyed the outreach programme. Develop a viable year round programme We have successfully begun our year-round programme of activity with the outreach work (see outreach section) that also involves the Young Review and workshops in schools, the best friends scheme and school friends scheme, a Halloween storytelling event at Lagan Weir for schools and public. Five projects that will involve schools and youth groups to contribute to the Unlocking Creativity programme and the forthcoming Share Centre Project for disabled and able bodied children in Lisnaskea Develop web-site with young people This is to be developed in conjunction with a sponsor. Develop school contacts through The Young Review A School’s Friend Scheme is being set up and will be implemented for school year 2001/2 Develop training opportunities in conjunction with Stranmillis Da Capo Music Training workshops are hosted in Stranmillis. Additional training sessions will take place on the lead-up to the international Conference 2002. Staff training has also started on a regular basis with workshops covering aspects that range from ‘Young people’s needs’, ‘ how to facilitate workshops with disabled young people’ and ‘what makes good quality theatre for young people. BRIEF SUMMARY OF ACTIVITIES 4 Hansel & Gretel Gruppe 38, Denmark 7yrs+ Old Museum arts centre UK & Ireland Premiere This was a highly technical and sophisticated rendition of the famous fairy tale. Definitely one of the best quality pieces of theatre for children or adults. The company helped host a Talkshop discussion on the nature and exposition of theatre for young people. This has led to Open Space a forum for professionals working with young people to meet and talk organised by Young at Art. Moby Dick Theater Triebwerk, Germany 10yrs+ Old Museum arts centre UK and Ireland Premiere Imaginative & humorous introduction to this classical adventure by Hamburg’s ‘Theater Triebwerk’. This award winning production proved to be highly accessible and thrilling for all the audience. Resident Musician All Ages Paul Marshall was our resident musician and conducted a series of imaginative workshops for all ages during the festival on boats, in Omac and out and about on our family friendly day. He is becoming the first Da Capo Music facilitator in Northern Ireland. Young at Art paid for his initial training so that he could develop his skills and lead music for under 5’s throughout NI. Farmyard Recital Suite 3yrs+ Da Capo workshops led to this highly successful performance following Da Capo training early year’s teachers and pupils with Ulster youth orchestra Sleep Tight Theatre-Rites, England 3-5yrs Stranmillis Theatre Ireland Premiere Theatre-Rites returned with the best work available for under-fives. Performed at Stranmillis College Theatre. Once again the quality and production value of their work were outstanding. Washday Little Big Top Theatre Co 4-9yrs Belfast Circus School/The Group Theatre & Outreach venues A journey through the outer limits of laundry by a local company. This production toured to Armagh and Coleraine. A performance from a very new NI company, which had, lots of lovely images, some confusions but potential for good new work in the future. International Storytelling African Tales with Tony Agogo, Indian Tales with Nisha Tandon and Native American Tales by Laura Simms and Traditional stories and music with Willie Drennan. Family fun day A wide range of events were held on the Family Fun Day making it the most successful yet. New events included a series of art, puppet and map making workshops introduced in Castlecourt, Botanic and Stranmillis. All led by local artists. 5 Puppet Magic Paul ‘Bosco’ McEnaney 6yrs+ Old Museum arts centre/Group Theatre & tour UK & Ireland Premiere A YAA commission funded by ACNI National Lottery. Magic and puppetry combined with original music created a really first class piece of theatre. This production travelled to four venues across NI for outreach performances. The fact that it had no words made it accessible to all. A Recipe for Disaster Will Chamberlain Family Old Museum arts centre UK & Ireland Premiere A YAA commission. This 45-minute production brought together the best in traditional and modern clowning. Local audiences loved this show and it is clear that ‘clowning’, as a familiar form is a successful audience attraction. Building Frames Rita Duffy All ages Northern Whig House/Downpatrick This project engaged young people in recording the changing landscape of the architecture and buildings in Belfast’s Cathedral Quarter through photography and digital manipulation.