Playhouse Street Talk showcase in Derry’s Waterside next week

Local young people will hold a one-day interactive public art showcase exploring human rights and the rights of a child next week.
Young participants in The Playhouse Street Talk Project Kevin McDaid (Left) and Chaise Shelford (Right) get ready for their interactive public art showcase, Rights in Sight, on Tuesday August 24 in St Columbs' Park House Walled Garden.Young participants in The Playhouse Street Talk Project Kevin McDaid (Left) and Chaise Shelford (Right) get ready for their interactive public art showcase, Rights in Sight, on Tuesday August 24 in St Columbs' Park House Walled Garden.
Young participants in The Playhouse Street Talk Project Kevin McDaid (Left) and Chaise Shelford (Right) get ready for their interactive public art showcase, Rights in Sight, on Tuesday August 24 in St Columbs' Park House Walled Garden.

Participants in The Playhouse Street Talk Project have organised the Public Art Showcase, ‘Rights in Sight’, which takes place on Tuesday August 24 in St Columbs’ Park House Walled Garden in Derry from 12pm-3pm.

Currynierin Youth Club, Tullyally Youth Club, VOYPIC, Include Youth and YMCA have teamed up with the Street Talk Project for the programmes of issue-based art workshops.

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A team of artists and educators including Caroline Devenny, Polly Garnett, Sarah McNabb, Jack McGarrigle, Brent Young and Ciaran Flanagan have been hosting multi art form workshops in drawing, sculpture, textiles, printmaking, photography, and circus skills. “These are the first Street Talk groups to meet face to face since coming out of lockdown, so the play, interaction and social element was very important in the project,” Kieran Griffiths at The Playhouse said. “The theme of the showcase is human rights and the rights of a child which the young people creatively explored in relation to their own lives, with one group linking issues of needing a play park, with the right to play.”

Niamh Mc Laughlin VOYPIC Voices of Young People in Care said: “The project has given the young people a focus, especially throughout the Summer, and an opportunity to socialise with their care experienced friends. It’s the first group work since COVID and they’ve really enjoyed it. They got to know the Playhouse as their local arts organisation and got to know a young artist, Sarah McNabb and they have come to see her as a role model and been inspired by her. One of the young people has now decided that they want to pursue fine art as a career.

“All of the young people have been really engaged. They got to experience a wide range of different art forms. It’s been a pleasure to work with the Playhouse.”

The project helped to make the young people more socially aware and engaged in community issues such as the lack of free recreational activities for teenagers, she added.

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An array of art installations in the garden, on the grass, and mobile artworks will be on display at the showcase, which was jointly organised by the young people and The Playhouse. The event will also include art workshops, circus skills performance by the young people with In Your Space Circus School, a live DJ session along with DJ workshops with Moving Music Academy, and a vintage photo booth with props, where people can dress up and get their portraits taken.

The Playhouse Street Talk Project is funded by BBC Children in Need and the Department of Foreign Affairs. All are welcome next Tuesday and all attendees are asked to comply with Covid Protocols for the event. For more information visit www.derryplayhouse.co.uk.

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