Ards and North Down Launches Exciting Arts and Heritage Spring Programme!

Ards and North Down Borough Council’s Arts and Heritage Spring Programme has just been released! The exciting schedule of events, exhibitions, classes, workshops and talks, covers the January to April 2024 period and is now available online to view and for bookings.

With the New Year, comes plenty of opportunity to learn a new skill or try your hand at something new. The Creative Classes and One-Day Workshop series at Ards Arts Centre includes Drawings Skill, Ceramics, Observational Oil Painting and lots more!

Music lovers will be spoiled with events to suit all tastes. The Ards International Guitar Festival is taking place from 17 – 21 April in various venues around Newtownards. Highlights of this year’s festival include Classical Virtuoso Manus Noble and previous Lifetime Achievement Award Winner Sarah McQuaid. Kyle Riley is also returning to entertain little ones with his unique family-fun concert, Little Folk on the Road. The popular Friday Night Live events also return to Ards Arts Centre with Roving Out, The High Lonesome and a night celebrating Irish Rock with Paul McMordie and friends.

For literary fans, Aspects Festival is holding two special Festival Club events at Bangor’s Imperial Bar, inviting writers to come along and read some of their work in a welcoming environment. For young readers, Young Aspects offers a weekend of book-inspired children’s activities, taking place 1 – 3 March.

North Down Museum is delighted to launch a new series of Hidden History Talks on a range of fascinating topics, themed around its exhibition series. The museum will also open its doors for the popular family friendly Arts Night at the Museum on Friday 22 March. The historical museum building will be filled with local artists providing arts and crafts activities for you to participate in, experience or observe. This free event is fun for the whole family. Little Historians will enjoy the history-themed Easter scheme at the museum including dress-up, games and craft themed activity.

Looking for a last-minute Christmas gift? Online ticket pre-sales for all music events and enrolment for all classes and workshops are available from Thursday 14 December.

Speaking about the programme, Emily Crawford, Arts and Heritage Manager for Ards and North Down Borough Council said: “We have plenty on offer on our Spring programme, from creative classes to live music and family events. I would encourage everyone to check out the programme online or pick up a copy of our brochure from Ards Arts Centre or North Down Museum and book your tickets early!”

To view the full programme, book tickets or enrol in a class or workshop, visit: www.andculture.org.uk