North East Peace III Partnership, Northern Ireland | Coleraine | Ballymena | Ballymoney | Larne | Limavady | Moyle | SEUPB

2010 March Archive

Programme 9b – Cultural Fusions

“Painting Across the Divide”
Flowerfields Art Centre
25th March 2010, 7.00pm – 9.00pm

Programme 7a

“A Taste of the World”
The Braid, Ballymena
27th March 2010, 5.00pm – 8.00pm
Free Admission

DVD gives voice to family loss during the Troubles.

A PEACE III Cultural Fusions taster event took place on 4^th February at the Joey Dunlop Leisure Centre in Ballymoney during which a screening of WAVE Trauma Centre’s DVD, entitled ‘Unheard Voices” took place. The event was well attended by community group members from Ballymoney and further afield.

The ‘Unheard Voices’ screening took place as part of the North East PEACE III’s Cultural Fusions programme (9b), and gives voice to the stories of six individuals from a variety of backgrounds who either lost a family member in the Troubles or were brutally injured themselves. Following this screening Maureen Hetherington from The Junction in Derry facilitated an audience discussion reflecting on the loss experienced by those featured in the DVD while also examining how the Cultural Fusions programme can contribute to peace building and reconciliation efforts across the North East cluster. Velma Irvine from the WAVE Centre in Ballymoney also introduced the audience to a selection of art objects produced by those who attend the WAVE centre, highlighting the valuable role that arts and cultural activity can play in addressing the conflict while also enabling learning about the past.

Cultural Fusions taster events are organised to engage groups who have expressed an interest in participating on this arts and cultural programme, but they also endeavour to engage members of the general public. Amongst those who attended the ‘Unheard Voices’ taster event were members from Ballymoney’s WAVE Trauma Centre, members from the Cloughmills Golden Oldies Club, as well as committee members from Ballykelly’s Shackleton Aviation Museum, reflecting the diversity of groups wishing to participate in this 6-council wide Cultural Fusions programme.

Throughout February a number of taster events took place across the North East, including a workshop highlighting the individual visual culture and shared tradition of banner production and parading within the Orange Order and Ancient Order of Hibernians and a drama production entitled ‘The Parting’.

Sharing Culture through Banner Imagery

A unique banner event organised by Causeway Museum Service on behalf of the Cultural Fusions project consortium took place in Coleraine Town Hall on Feb 17^th. This event highlighted how both the Orange Order and the Ancient Order of Hibernians use banner imagery to communicate their allegiance and histories to the wider public.

The event demonstrated that banners do not exist merely to add colour to parades, but have several levels of meaning. During the event a selection of banners from both traditions were on display and the shared and individual visual culture of banner imagery was explored.

Wilbert Patterson talked about the iconography used in Orange Order Banners as well as the artistic practices involved in the production of them. John O’ Kane spoke about the histories depicted in Ancient Order of Hibernians’ banners and about his efforts to revive the AOH institution. A mediator was present to facilitate discussion during this event.

North East PEACE III Partnership Cross Border Residential Workshop

Pictured are members of North East PEACE III Partnership that participated in a cross border residential workshop which was held in Donegal in February 2010.

Programme 9b

Cultural Fusions
Larne Museum and Arts Centre
23rd – 25th March 2010, Time 9.30am-11.00am and 12noon-2.00pm

This series of puppet making workshops are themed around the legend of Irish Giant Finn McCool and the Scottish Giant Benandonner.

The 2 hour workshops are targeted at local primary schools and aim to explore the similarities and difference between the Irish and Ulster Scots traditions. The workshops include construction and manipulation of puppets and combine expressive arts skills such as drama, music, storytelling, craft, design and technology. Two workshops are being held each day with a maximum of 30 children per workshop.