Down Arts Centre New Season Winter Arts Programme Out Now

Down Arts Centre is delighted to announce the arrival of its latest Arts programme. The new-look winter guide, covering January to April, is brimming with a huge range of exhibitions, music, theatre, comedy, classes and workshops.

New weekly classes this autumn include ‘Tai Chi’ with Petesy Burns starting Monday 21 January 12noon–1pm for 10 weeks. Tai Chi is a gentle flowing exercise which aims to enhance the body’s intrinsic energy system and is suitable for all regardless of age or ability. 

‘Wire Work’ is an innovative course which will teach students how to use wire, gemstones, beads and beach finds to create gemstone trees, pendants, bracelets and earrings. Classes start on Monday 21 January for 10 weeks from 7pm-9pm.

Also new for winter is ‘Draw and Paint’ running from Tuesday 22 January from 7pm-9pm. This is a class to assist and encourage the absolute beginner as well as those with some experience. It will start with teaching the basic techniques of drawing and painting and these will form the basis of each moving forward.

There is also an exciting array of one day craft workshops including ‘Pot Early for Spring!’ and ‘Wild Dark Trees’.

‘Pot Early for Spring!’ on Saturday 2 February, will centre on designing and making a terracotta pot for spring plants using texture only. The pots will be fired and collected at a later date and no experience is needed to take part.

‘Wild Dark Trees’ with Joy Gray, takes place on Saturday 23 February. In this workshop, participants will make a wonderful wild tree standing over 20cm tall.  Each tree will be worked in binding wire, which is dark gun metal in colour and mounted on circular wooden plinths.

Also fresh for winter is ‘Fashion Club!’ for kids and teens, starting on Tuesday 22 January for four weeks from 4pm–6pm. This after school club is perfect for creative young people interested in designing and making their own clothes. Students will follow and adapt commercial patterns and can choose from a few project options to include a stylish top, skirt or shorts. All materials are included and experience is not necessary!  

A varied season of live performances also gets off to a swinging start in January kicking off with Ronnie Greer, who makes a welcome return to the Arts Centre on Friday 18 January with his powerhouse band. 

More musical highlights include dynamic folk band, The Rapparees on Saturday 26 January as they proudly present their new album ‘Recharged’. On Friday 8 February ‘The Great Irish Songbook’, which includes some of the best musicians on the Northern Ireland Trad scene, performs an evening of popular Irish songs. Local musical duo, Fil Campbell and Tom McFarland start their European tour at Down Arts Centre on Friday 15 February and keeping it local, singer/songwriter, Anthony Toner makes a welcome return to Downpatrick on Friday 8 March.

St Patrick’s Day celebrations get off to a heart pumping start on Friday 15 March with TradPop band, ‘McPEAKE’. Then on Friday 22 March, Irish traditional singer and bouzouki player Daoiri Farrell brings his powerful and distinctive voice to Downpatrick. Closing the music season on Saturday 30 March is ‘The Hardchargers’, featuring Lonesome Chris Todd with an electrifying roots and blues live set. 

First class drama and comedy theatre is also on offer. Kabosh Theatre Company’s new play, ‘The Box’, written by Carlo G?bler will be at Down Arts Centre on Saturday 19 January. It tells the fascinating story of Co Down nurse Olive Swanzy in World War 1.

On Friday 25 January, Nuala McKeever’s transforms the awful into the awfully funny in her hilarious new show ‘Letting Go or Losing It’, by way of her trademark wit and compassion.

Frank Carson fans are sure to love Dan Gordon’s On Friday 1 February Dan Gordon’s whirlwind comedy/drama - ‘Rebel Without A Pause’, which celebrates the man, the myth and the legend that was comedian Frank Carson.

As part of Holocaust Memorial Day 2019 commemorations on Sunday 10 February, Powerstone Entertainment presents ‘The Suitcase’ – a story that was inspired by an exhibit in the Jewish Museum in Vienna and moves between Europe in the mid 1930s and modern day Belfast.

‘Is That Too Hot’ is the hilarious sequel to ‘I’ll Tell My Ma’ and is live on stage on Saturday 23 February, and still in keeping with the comedy theme, Rosemary Jenkinson brings her brand new biting comedy, ‘I Shall Wear Purple’ to the Arts Centre on Saturday 9 March. Presented by c21 Theatre Company, the play is set in Malinderry Care Home and tells the story of two characters that in the end show that age is just a number, not an identity.

On Saturday 23 March, by arrangement with Samuel French, Centre Stage presents ‘The Trials of Oscar Wilde’, a dramatisation based on the actual transcripts of the playwright’s court case.

Rounding off the theatre season with a special performance of stories and song is, Isosceles Theatre who returns to their Irish roots in their new show, ‘Songs From Ireland’ on Friday 26 April.

Down Arts Centre has something for everyone to enjoy so pick up a new Season Programme today or go online at www.downartscentre.com. Why not join our mailing list to keep up to date with all our new shows and workshops - call 028 4461 0747.