Celebrate the Art and Craft of Ards and North Down at the Creative Peninsula 2015
The programme is now available!
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Sheila Regan demonstartes her craft in the Square in Newtownards last year.[/caption]
Experience and enjoy some of the best art and craft Northern Ireland has to offer at the Creative Peninsula, a superb fun, friendly and creative series of events taking place in Ards and North Down from Friday 31 July to Sunday 9 August.
Now in its 14th year, the Creative Peninsula, organised by Ards and North Down Borough Council, offers a range of free and bookable opportunities for people of all ages and levels of experience to see, learn about and even ‘try their hand’ at some of the many art and craft forms that are practiced in the local area.
Highlights of the 2015 programme include:
* The immensely popular creative café series where you and a friend can combine a coffee, cake and catch up with the fun challenge of making some jewellery or ceramic items for the home.
* Outdoor experiences such as alfresco art at Mount Stewart or wood carving in the Bangor Castle Walled Garden, where you can see artists at work and learn how they take inspiration from the beautiful surroundings of the local area.
* Creative workshops for adults and young people, which offer the opportunity to learn and develop painting, drawing and craft work skills with teaching from a range of local experts.
* A ‘behind the scenes’ insight into the artist process on an open studio visit to one of our local ceramicists, painters, weavers, glass artists, wood turners or jewellery designers.
Welcoming the return of the popular annual event, Mayor of Ards and North Down, Alderman Alan Graham said: “Our borough is becoming increasingly well known for its many celebrated artists and makers. As a Council we are delighted to be able to organise this exciting and innovative event that helps to showcase their work and celebrates the artistry and creativity of the local area.
He added: “I am a farmer and am perhaps known to my family and friends to be more practical than artistic (!) but I can very much appreciate the skill of crafts people and enjoy watching them at work. I am looking forward to seeing a number of demonstrations and hope that many residents and visitors will come along to at least of the many events on offer and show their support for our local artists and crafts people.”
The ten days of creativity starts with ‘Craft in the Square’ at the newly refurbished Conway Square in Newtownards on Friday 31 July. For one day only the space will be transformed into a creative hub with more than 35 artists and makers displaying and selling their work and talking about what inspires them. Free demonstrations including clay carving, dry felting, tiffany glass and making ceramic teapots will run throughout the day.
The 2015 Creative Peninsula brochure is available to download at:
www.ardsandnorthdown.gov.uk/creativepeninsula
Tickets for bookable events are also available from this website.
You can pick up a programme and find out more information on all the events on offer from Ards Arts Centre, Ards Crafts, North Down Museum or any of the local visitor information centres (Ards, Bangor, Groomsport and Portaferry) or contact the Council directly on 0300 013 3333.
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