and Sam Davidson, guitar,  joins in.
watch?v=8L5u-h4d85s

BrasilxUlster

–> Click here to go to video: Grupo Bongar
Workshop session 1, Sunday

Brazil Sept 09

The launch event, as the Chinese New Year Celebrations end, marks the start of the CWA’s participation in this year’s carnival programme: and it’s a BIG participation. The giant Chinese Dragon will require at least 90 young people to bring it to life on the street. This will be a wonderful opportunity to welcome community groups from across Belfast to join in. This first carnival event of 2010 is a demonstration of how the summer parade brings multi-cultural celebration to the heart of our city.

This is the 16th year that Beat has created carnival in Belfast and as usual, we will be offering carnival workshops and training to community groups between Easter and the June event. Pursuing our mission to engage communities in celebration for all through carnival arts, Beat will work with Trans, the Chinese Welfare Association and a multitude of arts and community groups to produce another wonderful spectacle.

Raise the Dragon: Friday 26 February
Time: 5.00 – 7.00pm at Belfast Waterfront Hall (Bar 2)

Belfast City Carnival 2010 date: Saturday 19th June

The Community Arts Forum is hosting an ‘Arts in Challenging Contexts’ discussion as part of the Exchange Mechanism programme.

Current class structures in western society are giving rise to growing numbers who feel completely disenfranchised and shut down their creativity in response. How do artists creatively engage with this group? What can they learn from each other?

This round table conversation will bring north of England artist Barry Stone and Dublin’s Fiona Whelan together with local practitioners. Barry will talk about his experience of using the arts in a range of contexts including with very young mothers and also young people involved in car crime. Local community arts practitioners will share experiences of working with communities in a range and variety of challenging settings in Northern Ireland.

Fiona Whelan is a visual artist whose work develops from a set of cross sectoral relationships. For over 6 years Fiona has built her practice in Rialto, Dublin working with Rialto Youth Project. In recent years she has worked as part of an interdisciplinary collective with youth workers and young people committed to exploring and creatively responding to the power relationships in their everyday lives and in the systems they encounter. www.section8.ie

This event is part of ‘Exchange Mechanism’ at Belfast Exposed. Exchange Mechanism is an exhibition that questions the demands and denials of freedom in contemporary life, alongside artists’ responsibility to actively engage with the political.

Over eight weeks, Belfast Exposed’s public gallery will also be transformed into an alternative political space, where activists, artists, campaign groups and interested citizens are free to meet to exchange ideas, whether via talks and debates on a specially constructed platform or informally over a drink or a coffee.

For a full programme of events see belfastexposed.org/exhibitions
>Link<

Watch here for more details to come.
To register interest, please email: eileen@belfastcarnival.com
Course location: The Play Resource Centre

“We’ll be doing the place up all fancy like and have some great entertainment for you.
The night will be produced in association with newly opened Liberation Laboratory (LibLab) Recording Studio. Performances by:
The Wee Weirdies; Scorpion Jack; a drum excursion
by Mike Sampson and Rohan Young;
BeatnDrum Samba band and Beatndance;
and to finish the evening off, some serious dancing
action with Beat DJs Mathias, Damo and Gavonio.
We’ll also have some madness happening through
the night off stage keep your eyes open you never
know who you’ll bump into!”

See News story on Beat website

Link to VIDEO