Look North – the festival which celebrates the rich and diverse cultural heritage of North Belfast returns for its fifth year from 28 February – 1 March.
Multiple dozens of live events, performances, talks, historical tours, sessions, readings, literature, comedy, exhibitions, readings, screenings and more will be presented in some of the most iconic spaces and places over a long weekend across the breadth of the North of the city!
In a launch event held at Duncairn Arts Centre, a packed festival programme was officially unveiled to guests, including deputy Lord Mayor of Belfast Paul Doherty.
Highlights in this year’s programme include a rare opportunity to tour the wealth of historic buildings of North Belfast with the North Belfast Heritage Cluster Walking Tour, and Anti-racism campaigner Takura Donald Makoni in conversation with Dr Duncan Morrow. One of this island’s finest poets Medbh McGuckian chats to Tara McEvoy about her new published collection, The Beat Carnival take over Crumlin Road Gaol once again for their rip-roaring Belfast-meets-Brazil event, and in the same venue the week before Look North officiaslly kicks off, audiences can enjoy a pre-festive treat with the amazing Cavehill Community Choir. In partnership with the festival, WAVE Trauma Centre opens the doors of their beautiful Belfast headquarters to the public – an unprecedented opportunity to find out about their valuable work and history.
Talks and Tours include Belfast Central Library, where participants will get a chance to explore the library’s aptly named Fine Room, and a chance to find out about historic Carnegie Library, Oldpark, Clifton Street Orange Hall and The Belfast Indian Community Centre. Other historic walking tours include an exploration of the impact of Belfast Heroines: Mary Ann McCraken and Martha McTier. Black Belfast – which takes participants on a fiendish tour of the Cathedral Quarter. On its 85th anniversary, NI War Memorial Museumtakes you on a North Belfast walking tour of Belfast Blitz, and Wee Walks Tours show that Well Behave Women Seldom Make History in a special North Belfast edition! There’s also an opportunity to learn more about the Belfast Charitable Society & the 1798 Irish Rebellion in a tour of Clifton House Cemetery, plus Mary Ann’s Poor House Tales – a groundbreaking 30-minute self-guided audio and AR tour of Clifton House led by Mary Ann McCracken!
Following last year’s sell out event, we return to St Malachy’s College for a special talk and tour of the stunning Stained Glass Art of the famous Harry Clarke Studios that is housed in the College Chapel.
Acclaimed author Rosemary Jenkinson will talk Using Genre Fluidity to to Write on Contemporary Issues and Peaspark becomes the evocative setting for Drawing on Nature – a unique outdoor art workshop – using natural resources for inspiration.
There’s a rare opportunity to hear about the history of the local Quaker community in the surrounds of their beautiful Frederick Street Meeting house in From Stewardship to Public Service – The Journey of Belfast Quakers.
Crossing the Waters: A Flourish North Belfast Songbook explores and celebrates our connected linguistic heritage with Scotland – part of an ongoing Ulster University project. Writing in Plain Sight invites LGBTQIA+ writers or readers of Queer literature to share a piece of text, whether poetry/prose/a monologue/part of a play, that they feel audiences have not heard of or seen. With introductory readings from brilliant young poets Sacha White and Cal. A fascinating talk on May Morton – Phantom Poet reignites the flame of the forgotten-to-histtory north Belfast poet – who played a hugely important role in the literary circle of her time
Following its huge success last year, Look North Laughs (hosted by Cavehill Comedy Club) returns to North Belfast Working Men’s Club, with some of the city’s top comics. With returning host 𝗥𝘂𝗮𝗶𝗿𝗶 𝗪𝗼𝗼𝗱𝘀, headline act Aaron Butler and support from the amazing 𝗦𝗮𝗿𝗮 𝗙𝗶𝗿𝗯𝘆 and 𝗝𝗼𝗵𝗻𝗻𝘆 𝗕𝗼𝘄.
The Duncairn plays host once again to Look North Super Sunday – the family friendly community arts extravaganza with live msic, arts and crafts workshops, DJ Paddy’s classic record club plus piping hot coffee & breakfast!
Look North also boasts a wealth of art and writing workshops including Introduction to the Short Story with author Jan Carson, The Dramatic Monologue workshop with poet Stephen Sexton, and Writing for Performance with Aoibh Clarke.
There’s an opportunity to enjoy the gorgeous Choral Evensong at St Anne’s Cathedral and take part in the community warmth of The Long Table at 101 The Redeemer Church in Donegall Street!
The festival then winds down in style with Bossa Nova Blue and Macha Press Poets treating festival audiences to a Sunday evening of poetry and song at Seatons Bar.
Speaking at the programme launch at Duncairn Arts Centre this week, Festival chair Tony Kennedy said:
“We are delighted to be launching the fifth Look North Festival which will take place through the area at the end of February.
The Festival celebrates the rich heritage and creativity of North Belfast. As a result the programme features a wide range of activities and interests including talks, debates, tours, poetry, music, and workshops, drawing on local talent and also including outside performers.
Our fifth year has seen a further growth in activities with, in all, over 55 events taking place in venues throughout North Belfast. This isn’t just a festival for the people of North Belfast, and we invite everyone to come and join us in the north of the city and find out what all the fuss is about.!”
Paula Reynolds, Chair of co-organisers North Belfast Heritage Cluster said:
“The Look North Festival is a brilliant opportunity to open the doors of North Belfast’s historic buildings, which collectively preserve and promote a shared history that spans almost 300 years.
We’re proud that the North Belfast Heritage Cluster has played a key role in the Festival from inception, and as it has grown year on year. We are excited to welcome people into places they pass every day but rarely get the chance to explore.
This year 24 Look North! Festival events will be hosted in 12 of our historic buildings and sites, all of whom are looking forward to sharing their stories, their histories and their cultures with visitors.”
For the full programme and booking information, please go to northbelfastfstival.com