Thanks to a grant of £10,000 from the Big Lottery Fund’s Awards for All programme, budding film makers will have the opportunity to hone their craft this summer.
Strand Arts Centre, East Belfast’s cultural hub, along with creative industry specialists Giga Training, will deliver skills development programmes in animation, and music and video editing that will educate and inspire participants and enhance the employability of those at secondary school age.
Minors Club iPad Workshops will provide three free Saturday afternoon sessions (4th, 11th & 18th June) for ages 6-10 in film making and animation skills using digital technology. Each session will begin at 12pm in the Strand Arts Centre, with a screening of a specially selected film. A picnic lunch will be provided each week at a cost of £3 per person. The participants will then take part in a two hour animation workshop. The workshops will end between 3:50pm and 4:30pm depending on the length of the film screening. Parents or guardians can register for all three sessions or for individual weeks, based on their availability. Please find the registration form below.
Mimi Turtle, Chief Executive of Strand Arts Centre, said:
With the recent rise in film production in Northern Ireland, there has never been a better time to invest in the creative arts and media to improve employability skills for young people.
There is a clear need for skills based training for young people in the East of the city, and this project will bring together young people and community groups from different cultural backgrounds.
They will be empowered through the decision making process, working collectively as a team to produce, distribute and promote content in their community.”
Giga Training is a hub of creative industry professionals based in Belfast, delivering multimedia, music technology and film training to the youth and education sectors for over 10 years. In the last year alone over 50 young people participating in Giga Training courses at the Strand Arts Centre gained Accreditation at Level 1 or above.
John Walls, from Giga Training, said:
Participants will gain a range of technical skills in the chosen area, giving them experience and confidence and a tangible portfolio of work. Secondly, they will
gain skills to understand how to work as an effective team member with a common goal and how best to problem solve to achieve that. These are transferable skills which will enhance future prospects in terms of education and employment for all participants.
Joanne McDowell, Big Lottery Fund NI Director, commented;
The Big Lottery Fund’s NI Awards for All programme funds health, education, environment and community projects that help people bring about positive change in their lives, improve health and well-being, develop skills and create safer communities. This project is a great example of how small pots of money can have a big impact. We are looking forward to seeing the difference this project makes to the young people involved.
June Minors workshops are now fully booked! If you’re a parent or guardian and would like to register your interest for future Minor’s Club iPad Workshops, please fill out the application form below.
