WOMAD success for East Belfast

Beyond Skin in behalf of WOMAD would like to thank all the musicians. artists, volunteers, technicians and participants who all as a team made the Showcase event at the Skainos Centre East Belfast to great success it was.A special thanks to the East Belfast Arts Festival team who gave us the opportunity to host this within the festival and Belfast City Council, PCSP and the Premier Inn for funding the event.The positive feedback and comments has been overwhelming and we (Beyond Skin) are extremely happy that we managed to translate the WOMAD spirit in East Belfast. photos are now online:
workshops: by Hannah Mitchell
http://s1259.photobucket.com/user/Beyond_Skin/slideshow/WOMAD%20Summer%20Showcase%20Event%2030-08-13%20-%20workshops

evening concert: by Paul Marshall
http://s1259.photobucket.com/user/Beyond_Skin/slideshow/WOMAD%20Summer%20Showcase%20Event%2030-08-13%20-%20concert

WOMAD workshops roll out in Lisburn, North Down, Banbridge and other districts in September with the 3rd showcase event being researched for around mid November.

Quotes
"Fantastic Event! Left feeling positive about living, as a minority in East Belfast. Thank-you" (evaluation comment from participant)

"Absolutely awe inspiring experience" (evaluation comment from participant)

"Artists poured their hearts out - amazing experience" (evaluation comment from participant)

"more events like this please" (evaluation comment from participant)

"If Politicians aren't engaging with your organisation they are missing a trick, they are missing a trick" (Police Officer)

"it was an amazing event and I'm getting similar feedback from community organisations who attended during the day. I can't congratulate you enough in delivering what was, perhaps, the truest and biggest multi-cultural event I've seen in 13 years working in Inner East Belfast. From the flags outside Skainos to the final concert on Friday it was truly outstanding. I recognised local residents and community leaders in the audience on Friday night. Who would have thought that we could get such a culturally diverse range of people out on a Friday night on the Lower Newtownards Road. I think you have created a great foundation on which we can all build and hope you will give serious consideration to taking part in next years festival. I, personally, would love to see WOMAD back in east Belfast and I think many of my colleagues across the voluntary and community sector would agree. Brilliant and well done all." (Sean Brannigan - East Belfast Partnership)

"congratulations on a hugely successful WOMAD event last week, it was a pleasure to work with you. It has been a part of the Skainos vision from the very beginning to nurture shared space in one of the contested parts of our city and we saw the arts as very much a part of that nurturing. In my 13 years of engagement with Skainos I could hardly have foreseen a fuller realisation of that ambition than last Friday. The noise, the colour, the talent and the sheer diversity of the event was a wonder to see. Thanks for taking it to East Belfast and to Skainos. I hope we can work together again soon." (Glenn Jordan - Skainos)

"Just wanted to thank you so much for letting me become part of the WOMAD event on Friday.  I felt profoundly privileged to be there.  Beyond Skin seems like a really incredible organisation. The evening concert was incredible- and on behalf of the folks that came from Globe Café- a massive thank you.  It really was a significant evening for me- to be surrounded by folks from such far flung places, dancing together- in East Belfast of all places.  My two African friends were in their element! We look forward to hearing about the next event" (Jenny Smithson - Global Cafe)
 

"Beyond Skin is not a entertainment company , we are peacebuilders + change makers using world arts as a tool to create positive change, and in light of recent very serious issues in East Belfast this is were we needed to be for this showcase event and we thank East Belfast Arts Festival for hosting this.
This is WOMAD!! It has been successful over 31 years throughout the world and as the local partner for WOMAD, we (Beyond Skin) are committed to unleashing its full potential in Northern Ireland" (Darren Ferguson - Manager Beyond Skin)

WOMAD in November

 

The next big event!

The next WOMAD event will be in November 2013 as part of Belfast Music Week...

www.womadbelfast.org

WOMAD BELFAST Summer 2013 was funded by Belfast City Council's Creative Legacies supported under the Belfast PEACE III Plan by the European Union's European Regional Development Fund through the PEACE III Programme & East Belfast District Policing and Community Safety Partnership and the Premier Inn.