Beekeeping, allotments, face-painting, storytelling and forest schools at free Artitude Climate Festival in Derry

The Playhouse’s Artitude Climate Festival, which is funded by The National Lottery Community Fund’s Climate Action Fund, will take place in The Playtrail in Derry from Friday June 23 to Sunday 25.

The Gathering – a collaboration of earth and water protectors, community groups, activists and individuals - will host a full day of discussion, workshops, music, performance, creativity, exchange and laughter in celebration of Mother Nature as part of the festival.

Showcasing creative, community-led responses to the climate emergency, the festival is delivered in collaboration with The Gathering, Zero Waste North West (ZWNW), Northern Ireland Resources Network (NIRN), Environmental Justice Network Ireland (EJNI) and Making Relatives - a visit of water and land protectors from Ojibwe Nation, US.

An artistic contribution from the Ikidowin Youth Theatre Ensemble will kick of the festival on Friday, June 23 as they delve into how we can realise the Rights of Nature in specific cases across the island.

An action packed day of children’s activities will follow on Sunday 25 June, including eco face painting, children's stories and songs about waste and protecting our environment, creative drop-ins celebrating the power of seeds and soil (11am to 1pm), workshops on the hidden power of plants (2pm to 4pm), and a fireside story circle in the beautiful surrounds of the Playtrail’s Fairy Forest (4.30pm).

Forest school for 2 to 6 years will explore bug hunts & birdwatching from 2pm to 3pm and forest school for 6 to 12 year olds will explore den-building and wooden medallion making from 3pm to 4pm.

Collaboration for Change, Friends of the Earth, Repair Café Foyle will also hold sessions, and an introduction to beekeeping will be held from 12noon to 12.30pm.

On Sunday June 25 foraging guide Clare McQuillan of Feasting on Weeds on take participants on a wild food discovery at the Playtrail at 11am. The Playtrail amphitheatre will host Discussion with Ojibwe Nation Water and Land Protectors at 11.30am.

The woodland surroundings of The Playtrail’s amphitheatre will host a rare, free family screening of the much loved 1990’s climate classic animation FernGully: The Last Rainforest at 2.30pm, and a practical introduction to orchard gardening will be held from 2pm to 4pm.

The whole weekend will offer the opportunity to visit Greenfingers’ Allotments and chat to the growers and gardeners there about the benefits and joys of growing your own food in a communal space.

Emerging from The Playhouse's Artitude: Climate, Culture and Circularity project, the festival is part of a unique and transformational programme of activity.

This focuses on using the arts and creative practice to engage communities in the Derry City & Strabane District Council area in exploring climate action and the circular economy, with a view to encouraging positive behavioural change.

The Playhouse works with partners Zero Waste North West, Northern Ireland Resources Network, Queens University and Derry City and Strabane District Council to use the arts to co-ordinate and deliver the 18 month programme.

Playhouse CEO Kevin Murphy said: “As a community, we have a responsibility to positively choose to help sustain our planet’s climate. As an artistic community, we have extra tools to help us do this.

“Arts can dig deep into the story of the climate emergency, creating narrative, meaning and understanding that helps people make their own choices to improve quality of life and support climate action.”

"These three days will be just a small snapshot of the ways in which creativity can bring organisations, networks and people across the Derry City and Strabane District together to collaborate, pool resources and build a committed net zero movement.

“We are also delighted to spend three days at the unique outdoor play and educational facility that is The Playtrail, it’s a perfect open, natural and accessible space used by families and support services.”

Kate Beggs, The National Lottery Community Fund’s Northern Ireland Director said: “Our Climate Action Fund was set up to bring communities together and show what is possible when people take the lead in tackling climate change. We are inspired to see what Artitude have achieved so far through their grant, by raising awareness and changing attitudes."

“Thanks to money raised by National Lottery players, we continue to support local communities that are considering environmental impact, as small steps can make a big difference. We look forward to the festival in June.”

Funded by the National Lottery's Climate Action Fund, The Playhouse Artitude project is a partnership between The Playhouse, Queen's University Belfast, DCSDC and two community-led, grassroots networks - NIRN and ZWNW. More information is available at www.derryplayhouse.co.uk.

The National Lottery Community Fund is the largest funder of community activity in the UK, with the aim to ‘support people and communities to prosper and thrive’.

The organisations states: “We’re proud to award money raised by National Lottery players to communities across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, and to work closely with Government to distribute vital grants and funding from key Government programmes and initiatives.

"Our funding has a positive impact and makes a difference to people’s lives. We support projects focussed on things that matter, including economic prosperity, employment, young people, mental health, loneliness and helping the UK reach NET Zero by 2050.

"Thanks to the support of National Lottery players, our funding is open to everyone. We’re privileged to be able to work with the smallest of local groups right up to UK-wide charities, enabling people and communities to bring their ambitions to life.

"National Lottery players raise over £30 million each week for good causes throughout the UK. Since The National Lottery began in 1994, £43 billion has been raised for good causes. National Lottery funding has been used to support over 635,000 projects - 255 projects per postcode area.”