Masque

Masque is a carnival arts project, it now also incorporates all forms of performance related activities such as dance, drama, costume and mask making, stage make-up, and set and float building.

Whilst the project provides cross-city links for large-scale performance events, groups can choose to focus on smaller community based performances, or experiment with different art forms without necessary working towards a final piece. Works created through Masque have been showcased in carnivals and festivals in Belfast, Derry, and Sligo.

Sally Young – Masque Co-Ordinator – sally@comartspartner.org

Background

Going back through the mists of time, Masque, originally called The Hall of Fame, started around about June 2000 with Sally Young as its very youthful project co-ordinator. Intended to be a large scale puppet project it involved groups from all over Belfast in making caricatures of their local heroes in puppet form. These giants were met with critical acclaim, winning “Best in Show 2001” at the Belfast Lord Mayor’s Show, and earning their keep from being hired out to high profile public events in the likes of Sligo and Derry.

Under the watchful eye of then-time Programme Co-ordinator Joe Sheehy, The Hall of Fame remit was extended to include other forms of Carnival and Performing arts, and changing its name to the “Masque” we all now know, love and often misspell. Groups could now work on a wide range of activities such as dance, drama, storytelling, mask and costume making, stage make up and set/float design.

Whilst the Project has a track record of providing cross-city links for large scale performance events, participants can choose to focus on smaller community based performances or experiment with taster sessions in different art forms without necessarily working towards a final piece. More recently, young people have successfully used the performing and visual arts to express their take on identity and cultural diversity, issues that affect them in their own lives in their own community.

Masque Project Update 2012

October 2, 2012 in Masque

The Masque project is now up and running with Sally and her crew of artists ready to start working with the following groups:

South & East Antrim Community Federation aids the transformation process to peace building practices using a newly refurbished community facility in Rathfern, Newtownabbey through art, drama, dance, music and photography.

Ballysillan Youth For Christ is a charity formed in response to the need of the inner city community in North Belfast ‘to see young people reach their potential through faith, hope and love.’

Glen Community Centre provides a safe environment for all residents of the Lenadoon area to participate in community projects and programmes.

Johnpaul11 youth club addresses, develops and enhances young people’s social and personal skills and artistic flair by involving them in a range of activities.

PIPS is a community based organisation which supports families and friends bereaved by suicide. PIPS aims to assist members of the community during times of need and severe trauma in their lives.

Masque update – April 2012

April 27, 2012 in Masque, Projects

Saints Youth Club, Twinbrook, have been working their wee socks off with artist Janis and leader Maria making a large scale puppet to adorn their rather large and colourful centre.

As you can see by the finished product, the work was well worth it! We at CAP head quarters can’t help but see a resemblance between the puppet and its maker…can you?

saintsyouthcentre.org.uk

Glenveagh School have had a non stop whirlwind tour of the continents during their art sessions with artist Claire Brown, visiting Africa

South America

And China

The day I visited it was the week before St Patrick’s Day and the classroom was full of a mighty green mess…that must have been our visit to Europe!

glenveaghschool.co.uk

Ledley Hall and Marrowbone continue to come together and wreak havoc in our CAP workspace, but to look at these girls, you’d think butter wouldn’t melt tin their mouths!

Well done to the two groups, and leaders Joe and Coleen, it was a lot of hard work but we got there in the end! We’ll be meeting up later on in May for a dress rehearsal before the Big Fashion Show.

ledleyhall.org.uk

Cliftonville Community Centre’s After School Project couldn’t quite make up their minds which art form they wanted to work within, so decided on a taster programme of dance, with our friend Sheena Bleakney, drumming, with Matt Vernon (Beat Carnival artist and musician), and visual arts with a multi cultural theme, with Ali Fell and Kirsty McGuinness (Seedhead Arts). So far the group have had the noisiest sessions with Sheena and Matt, for the full experience watch the clip below!

cliftonvillecommunitycentre.org

Masque Update

February 27, 2012 in Masque, Projects

Current Project Work

This year, 12 years on, a not so youthful co-ordinator is very excited to welcome new groups from outside the Belfast area into the programme, as well as some old friends who have taken part in the past.

Project co-ordinator Sally has a chance to get her hands dirty along with Claire Concannon and dance tutor Sheena Bleakney as Ledley Hall Boys and Girls Club is currently working with the Marrowbone Community Centre on a cross city project making eye poppingly neon bright masks and accessories, which they hope to wear whilst performing in sister programme Trash Fashion’s annual show later this year.

click thumbnails for full size versions

Videos of Ledley Hall and Marrowbone Community Centre particpants enjoying their workshops!

Glenveagh School and their enthusiastic teacher Mrs Winnie Sweeney are working with super new (to us anyway!) artist Clare Brown on a virtual tour of the world, making masks and artefacts from different continents, which Clare (also an excellent photographer) will capture digitally: printed portraits with the young people wearing their masks will form part of a final display in the school.

Saints Youth Club in Twinbrook, just on the cusp of Belfast and Lisburn, will be working with Carnival artist Janice Steadman to make two large scale puppets, which will hopefully act as mascots for the club and decorate its newly re-furbished interior. This project will kick off late February/early March.

Cliftonville Community Centre after schools’ group just couldn’t make up their mind over what they wanted to do, so have wisely taken the option to try taster sessions in three art forms! Over a period of three and a bit weeks they will work with Sheena Bleakney on dance; musician from the Beat Carnival, Matt Vernon on drumming, and with two brand spanking new visual artists, Ali Fell and Kirsty McGuinness on visual arts with a multi-cultural theme. Photos documenting the workshops and finished pieces from the visual arts sessions will be put on display in the centre to remind the young participants and staff of just how busy they were!

Ballymoney Community Resource Centre is the furthest afield of all Masque groups and promises much exploration of uncharted territory for our intrepid co-ordinator, who rarely ventures anywhere off a metro bus route. Talented young people from this centre have been meeting every other Saturday to learn and perform in a “Rock School” run by Ossia School of Music: deciding to stretch their talents to the extreme they have now made up their minds to try throwing a spot of drama into the performing mix. All going well, and providing no-one gets lost on the way, participants are meeting up with Project co-ordinator this month to draw up a timetable and workshop plan. Watch this space!