July 2010
New Multiple Realities Coordinator
Wheelworks is excited to welcome Karen McIlvenny who is the new Multiple Realities Programme Coordinator! The Multiple Realities project recently completed a project in which they worked with young people aged 7 -12 from the Travelling Community within the Armagh area in conjunction with BELONG and the Armagh Travellers Support Group. The project was a great success, two professional artists worked with the group helping them to explore issues of identity and diversity. (See images). Well done to everyone involved!
“I love being a Travelller because I just do!”
(Young person from Armagh Traveller Support Group)
Multiple Realities have just begun a new project where they will work with young Traveller children aged 7 -12 from the Newry area as part of a Newry Summer Scheme organised by BELONG. Watch this space for more information…
April 2010
WheelWorks Move to New Premises
Wheelworks is delighted to announce that we are now tenants of the newly refurbished Crescent Arts Centre!
Please see our new address and phone number below – all our email addresses stay the same.
We’re all looking forward to an exciting new phase of WheelWorks’ development in the creative surroundings of the Crescent, and we’d like to bid a fond farewell and express our gratitude to all at Volunteer Now, Shaftesbury Square (formerly VSB) who have provided such support over the past five years.
WheelWorks
Crescent Arts Centre
2 – 4 University Road
Belfast BT7 1NH
02890 244063
April 2010
Gold Award for WheelWorks & VOYPIC!
A WheelWorks film created by young people from Voice of Young People in Care (VOYPIC) has won a Gold Award at the Belfast City Council Community Safety Young People’s Awards. The film, ‘Rejected,’ won in the Thomas Devlin category, awarded to projects which addressed community safety issues through the arts.
‘Rejected’ was created by 10 young people aged 12 – 18 and explores issues around community relations including domestic violence, homophobia and drug & alcohol abuse. The young people created all aspects of their film and were guided through the process by 3 professional WheelWorks artists from the fields of drama, film making and visual art. The film will soon be available on our Gallery page but in the meantime please contact us if you’d like a copy.
The ‘Rejected’ film project was supported by the Youth Council for Northern Ireland CRYSS Scheme.
March 2010
All Aboard with Translink & WheelWorks!
WheelWorks is working with Translink on the Rail Safety Competition 2010.
Three successful groups will be selected to take part in a FREE WheelWorks film & visual art project, resulting in a 60 second film promoting Rail Safety.
The films will then be showcased on the Translink website, with friends & family encouraged to vote for their favourite. The winning film will be announced in September. Closing date for submissions: 30th March 2010.
To find out more and to enter please visit the following link:
http://www.translink.co.uk/translinkrailsafetycomp2010.asp
Good Luck!
‘This project is supported by Translink and Arts & Business through the Reach Investment Programme.’
February 2010
WheelWorks launched the Pix & Beats Bout Our Streetz project to celebrate what has been a very exciting collaborative project between Concorde Community Centre, WheelWorks and Belfast Exposed. The launch showcased photography and soundscapes exploring issues of diversity and respect created by the young people involved. We were honoured the have the Right Honourable, the Lord Mayor Councillor Naomi Long and Councillor Nelson McCausland MLA present to celebrate with us at the event.
A big thank you to everyone involved who made the project such a success and well done to everyone in the group who created a fantastic collection of images.
Photographs created from the project can be viewed in the online gallery.
Sept 09
High Tech Tastic!
The WheelWorks team is happy to announce that we have just purchased brand new digital arts software, Apple Mac computers, digital cameras and other high tech goodies for use on all our arts activity throughout Northern Ireland. WheelWorks artists can’t wait to introduce young people to the new equipment as it allows even more scope for artistic innovation in film, digital imaging, photography and music! This new, industry standard equipment comes courtesy of the Arts Council of Northern Ireland Equipment Grant, with additional support from the Youth Council for Northern Ireland.
Aug 09
Artcart at the Mela
Once again the WheelWorks ArtCart will be heading up to the Belfast Mela Festival, on at Botanic Gardens this Sunday, 30th August 09. Come aboard to try your hand at digital music making and create your own Bollywood beats with WheelWorks’ state of the art computers and software. Have a go at making personalised ring tones for your mobile. A WheelWorks artist will be on hand to help! Drop In workshop runs from 2.30-5.30pm, suitable for 7 years and above. For more info on the Mela go to www.belfastmela.org.uk
May 09
Layers Global Music Exchange
WheelWorks is delighted to be part of ‘Layers’, a Global Music Exchange Composition project, in partnership with Beyond Skin and Caribeworld.
This is a global internet exchange project to celebrate World Music Day on 21st June 2009 – for more information please click on the links below or visit http://www.caribeworld.net
http://www.homelyplanet.co.uk/includes/audio/layers-track1.mp3
http://www.homelyplanet.co.uk/includes/audio/layers-track2.mp3
http://www.homelyplanet.co.uk/includes/audio/layers-track3.mp3
Feb 09
Respect Progress Update - World Community Arts Day 2009
Photo: Sean Michael
WheelWorks Respect project is currently taking place at Poleglass Bytes with young people from the area. As one of their photography workshops falls on World Community Arts Day 2009 we asked them what they thought of it so far:
''I think the session's went sweet. I enjoyed learning about taking pictures and taking the pictures.'' ''I think that the course was good…I would take part in a project like this again.''
The group are working with photographer Ursula Burke using the photography technique of multiple exposures to express how they see themselves and how they feel they are seen by others. The group will be working on graphic design and post production next with multi media artist Ken Armstrong to put their words and images together
This project was supported by YCNI Short Term Programme.
December 08
The WheelWorkers are busy and excited about a whole range of new projects that are in the pipeline. Highlights from the Multiple Realities Programme include a photographic project with the National Deaf Children’s Society starting in the New Year. The group will take the lead and choose their theme while learning new skills. ‘What I want to be when I grow up’ is the theme of a challenging film project with budding film makers from St Gerard’s Educational Resource Centre. Young people from Face Inclusion Matters will be getting their groove on and making music CD from scratch with the help of professional musicians and state-of-the-art music production software. Watch this space!
Respect Project
The high profile Respect project is back with great work being produced by young people from Poleglass Bytes who are exploring the idea of respect through Photography and written/spoken word. The New Year will be a very productive time for all youth groups involved when these projects will be up and running.
October 08
Digital music from a ‘Diverse City’!
A group of young people from Asian and African backgrounds recently ‘jammed’ with two Belfast-based musicians as part of the ‘Diverse City’ project aimed at exploring the cultural diversity of our capital city.
WheelWorks, in conjunction with the Northern Ireland Community of Refugees and Asylum Seekers (NICRAS) organised the groups first ever arts project. The group used Ableton Live software to produce a music CD filled with tracks that cover all music genres from hip hop and beat boxing to dance.
25th August 2008
ArtCart On The Road
The WheelWorks ArtCart has been busier than ever recently, with taster workshops in Digital Imaging and Music delivered to new groups throughout Northern Ireland. Recent events include workshops with six new community groups in north Belfast, the Belfast Children’s Festival 08 at the WaterWorks, an NI Water event in Shimna Valley, taster music sessions in rurally isolated communities in the Newry area, an Irish language music workshop and open workshops at the Belfast Mela 08 Multicultural festival!
20th June 2008
‘Feeling Good’ at Concorde!
Art work created by the After Schools Group at Concorde Community Centre, Ardoyne, Belfast was recently launched at the centre by Nelson McCausland MEP. The launch was attended by families and friends of the young people as well as community leaders and MP Nigel Dodds. The project focused on health, well being and cultural diversity and was carried out in partnership with Concorde and Artsekta and supported by the Belfast City Council Development and Outreach Initiative. The resulting self portraits, masks and wall hangings are now on permanent display in the Concorde centre.
16th July 2008
Tribute to WheelWorks Digital Imaging Artist
WheelWorks was saddened to learn of the recent death of one of its longest serving artists, Andy Berndt. Andy contributed significantly to the growth and artistic development of WheelWorks through his delivery of innovative photography and graphic design projects with young people throughout Northern Ireland. Andy was involved in the pioneering Respect Project and will be greatly missed for his professionalism, enthusiasm and commitment to the artistic development of young people.
1st April 2008
Children's Commissioner Launches WheelWorks Respect Exhibition
The latest incarnation of the WheelWorks Respect programme was launched by the Northern Ireland Commissioner for Children & Young People, Patricia Lewsley, on 31st March 2008 at the Square Space Gallery, Belfast. The exhibition includes traditional and digital photographic images created by young people who have experienced and/or witnessed domestic violence from Women's Aid, Belfast, and young gay men and transgendered women from the Rainbow Project, L'Derry.
31st March 08
Launch of 'The Uncovering Guide' at Flowerfield
An innovative new WheelWorks publication created by young people from the WAVE Trauma centre, Ballymoney, was launched on 19th March at Flowerfield Arts Centre in Portstewart. The event, which was planned and presented entirely by young people, showcased the text and art work produced during a two month project which introduced participants to Dadaist poetry, Polaroid and medium format photography.
1st June 08
Digital Arts in Education International Partnership
WheelWorks has just completed a three year partnership programme with ARX Children’s Arts Centre in Hameenlinna, Finland and Kinnobus Mobile Cinema in Tallinn, Estonia. Supported by the EU E-Learning Programme, this international venture saw the three organisations share information and resources, culminating in presentation of art work and methodology at a global conference for teachers and artists in Finland in December 07. WheelWorks staff and artists also took part in training visits to Estonia and Finland, where Finnish young people at the Hippalot Children’s Festival took part in bi-lingual film workshops facilitated by WheelWorks artists through interpreters.
Art work produced during the programme is showcased online at www.hameenlinna.fi/arx/DigiArts/wheelworks
The Digital Arts in Education programme was supported by:
