Derry youths' artwork to light up Hallowe'en

Children from Fountain Primary School and Gaelscoil Eadain Mhoir taking part in the Light Vs Dark digital animation project. The childrens creations will be part of the Creatures Under a Samhain Moon installations to be projected at Hawkins Street and Free Derry Corner as part of Awakening the Walls from Sat 28th- Mon 30th October from 6pm-8.30pm.

Artwork by local children and young people is to be projected onto key locations as part of a supernatural illuminated spectacle for Hallowe'en this weekend.

‘Under A Samhain Moon’ is a collaborative project between local schools, youth clubs and arts organisations which involved young people working with industry experts, Guerrilla Shout to create several installations across the Bogside/ Bishop Street and Fountain Urban Village areas.

The installations will be live at Free Derry Wall and New Gate Cultural Centre in the Fountain for three evenings before Hallowe’en from Saturday until Monday from 6pm to 8.30pm, as part of the Awakening the Walls trail around the City Walls.

Light Vs Dark is an innovative projection mapping project supported by principal funders, Arts Council NI (ACNI) through Lottery Funds and Urban Villages.

Gareth Stewart of Celtronic, one of the partner organisations involved as part of the Gasyard Wall Feile and Bluebell Arts Project, said: “The project enabled the children and young people to engage with their area and take ownership on a creative level, shaping the final visual pieces/ installations which may be seen by thousands”

Pupils from Gaelscoil Éadain Mhóir, Longtower PS, Fountain PS and young people from Pilot’s Row, Cathedral Youth Club, Youth First and Longtower Youth Club took part in the project.

John Kerr, Arts & Culture Manager, Derry and Strabane Council, said: “We’re very much looking forward to the big reveal and would like to thank the funders for their support.”

ACNI, through Lottery funding, is supporting a number of key events as part of this year’s Hallowe’en festival in partnership with Derry City and Strabane District Council. Through the Challenge Fund, ACNI is the Principal Funder in bringing Luke Jerram’s touring installation, Museum of the Moon to the city’s Guildhall from October 28th- 31st. The installation is a fusion of lunar imagery, moonlight and surround sound composition created by BAFTA and Ivor Novello award winning composer Dan Jones and this is its first time in Northern Ireland.

Fionnuala Walsh, ACNI’s Head of Community Arts, said: “We are so delighted to see Arts Council of Northern Ireland National Lottery Funding going towards such a fabulous project. The Museum of the Moon is an amazing, creative arts installation to be enjoyed by communities across Derry City, doing exactly what the Arts Council’s Challenge Fund was designed to do – to bring great art within everyone’s reach. The Challenge Fund has also supported the Council’s Light vs Dark event, a digital video mapping project that has targeted all ages in hard to reach communities across the Derry City and Strabane District Council Area.

“This type of local engagement can help bring communities closer together, and involves people producing their own creative content for festivals, helping them to take ownership and actively participate in civic events. We thank the Council for taking up the Challenge Fund and matching their funding to Arts Council funding, allowing artists and citizens alike to make a major contribution to this festival and to others in the North West.”

For full details of the Derry Hallowe’en programme of events taking place from October 28th-31st, visit www.derryhalloween.com