Black Mountain Shared Space Project, 280 Ballygomartin Road, Belfast
Live Performance Dates: This Saturday 10 August until Sunday 18 August
*** The 14 August show at 7pm will offer BSL.***
The Final Countdown Is On … This Weekend … Step into the newly planted interactive community garden at the Black Mountain Shared Space project and experience ROOTS, a unique performance, an ambitious and multi-dimensional large scale work, that blends live dance, poetry, storytelling, and active participation.
Guided by captivating sound design, you will watch, listen, move, touch, and connect in an engaging journey through the Garden.
Inspired by nature, community, and the future, ROOTS invites you to immerse yourself in a vibrant celebration of growth and unity.
Created in collaboration with the Black Mountain community, this event aims to transform a shared but contested space at Belfast’s ‘million brick’ peace wall, that divides the Springmartin and Springfield communities. ROOTS sparks fresh conversations and dreams of our collective future.
Commissioned by Belfast 2024.
Creative partners include Black Mountain Shared Space Project and the surrounding communities, Belfast International Arts Festival, Sow Grateful Flower Farm, PLAYGROUND Productions, Queen’s University, Belfast, and Eden Project, Cornwall.
Advice
ROOTS is an outdoor immersive experience where the audience will move in and around the garden. This is not a seated performance, so please be prepared to walk and explore various areas of the garden.
Age recommendation: 11 years+
Important Details:
Headphones: Each audience member will be wearing headphones throughout the performance, provided by OTR team.
Outdoor Event: As ROOTS takes place outside, please dress appropriately for the weather. Wear comfortable clothing and suitable footwear for walking on garden terrain.
Weather Considerations: The use of umbrellas is not permitted to ensure an unobstructed view for all participants. In case of rain, consider wearing waterproof clothing or bringing a hooded jacket.
Mobility: The performance involves moving around the garden, so please be prepared for light walking and standing.
Accessibility: If you require any access adjustments or have questions about accessing this event please get in touch with Siobhán at siobhan@offtherailsdance.com, or contact the Box Office team at ticketing@visitbelfast.com,028 9024 6609.
A small amount of seating will be available, and disabled parking can be accessed at the lower car park via Springfield Heights.
Performance Dates & Times:
ROOTS Live Shows: Saturday 10 August – Sunday 18 August
3.00pm Performances: Sunday 11th, Thursday 15, Saturday 17 & Sunday 18 August
7.00pm Performances: Saturday 10, Sunday 11, Wednesday 14, Thursday 15, Friday 16, Saturday 17 & Sunday 18 August
** Please Note ** 7.00pm – Wednesday 14 August will offer BSL **
Performance Time 1 hour 15 minutes
(no performances on Monday 12 & Tuesday 13 August)
For all details and updated information, contact:
Belfast International Arts Festival
** Children under 18 must be accompanied by an adult **
Please remember to bring wellies and dress appropriately for the weather – All Events Will Go Ahead Rain Or Shine
Tickets: £13.00 / £10.00 (Concession) available from Belfast International Arts Festival
Tickets available in person from Box Office @ Visit Belfast,
9 Donegall Square Northern Belfast, BT1 5GB.
Tel: 028 90246609
ROOTS – a pioneering initiative in Belfast City Council’s Belfast 2024 programme and one of ten projects to also be supported by The National Lottery Heritage Fund – is poised to redefine the historically contested space adjacent to the ‘million brick’ peace wall dividing the Springmartin and Springfield communities. Led by home-grown choreographer Eileen McClory, this transformative project will unfold at the newly constructed Black Mountain Shared Space Building, offering an immersive, nature-inspired experience for all.
The vision for ROOTS is to cultivate a vibrant community garden teeming with life, energy, and creativity. This garden will set the stage for LIVE DANCE SHOWS in August. Eileen McClory, together with Off The Rails Dance, and the Black Mountain Community, provide a unique performance that blends dance, poetry, storytelling, and active participation. In this event, art and nature intertwine to rewrite the narrative of Belfast’s public spaces as audiences are guided by the captivating sound design to watch, listen, move, touch, and connect in an engaging journey to transform a shared, but contested space, at Belfast’s ‘million brick’ peace wall that divides the Springmartin and Springfield communities.
ROOTS aims not just to entertain, but to ignite fresh conversations and narratives about Belfast’s future, and to immerse yourself in a vibrant celebration of growth and unity. Join us on the Mountain, where art and nature intertwine to rewrite the narrative of Belfast’s public spaces, embracing inclusivity, collaboration, and the boundless potential of collective imagination.
Eileen McClory, leading the ROOTS team, expressed her enthusiasm for the project, stating, “I’m so excited to open ROOTS this weekend. It has been such an incredible journey bringing this project to life, and I’m. bursting with pride for the whole team who have worked tirelessly to make it happen.”
“Belfast 2024 has been encouraging people of all backgrounds to get creative, as well as supporting our arts sector to bring creativity into all sorts of new places,” said Lord Mayor of Belfast, Councillor Micky Murray.
“These projects are a real testament to that ethos – exciting, inspirational events which look to do something different and go beyond the norm, urging audiences to think about the spaces around us in new and different ways.”
“The growth of the community garden at Black Mountain has seen new friendships and skills blossom, alongside conversations about our divided past and hopes for the future.”
“I’m looking forward to joining audiences at these events, and would encourage people to come along and get involved in enjoying everything that Belfast 2024 has to offer.”
ROOTS boasts a diverse array of creative partners, including Black Mountain Shared Space, Belfast International Arts Festival, Sow Grateful Flower Farm, PLAYGROUND Productions, Queen’s University Belfast and Eden Project.
Seamus Corr, Projects and Programmes Manager, Black Mountain Shared Space Project: “Together, we sow the seeds of possibility, cultivating a vibrant garden where diverse voices bloom. Through dance, poetry, and storytelling, we paint a story of Belfast’s future, weaving together dreams and aspirations. With each step we take, we dance towards a tomorrow filled with shared experiences and boundless imagination.”
Richard Wakely, Artistic Director & Chief Executive, of Belfast International Arts Festival, added “ Belfast International Arts Festival is delighted to be able to continue to support the practice and work of Eileen McClory, a former Festival Artist in Residence. We’re very proud that ROOTS has been commissioned for the Belfast 2024 programme as it gives audiences across Belfast the opportunity to experience at first hand Eileen’s wonderful new, site specific work for the Black Mountain Shared Space Building.”
Speaking on behalf of Eden Project, Emma Tolley stated: “ROOTS represents a powerful fusion of nature, creativity, and community engagement, offering a transformative vision for Belfast’s shared spaces. Eden Project is proud to contribute to this innovative initiative, inspiring and demonstrating positive action for the planet for generations to come.”
Andy McCormick, co-founder Sow Grateful, a cut-flower farm and landscaping company on the edge of Belfast. “We focus on nature-first horticultural practices, and grow peat-free seasonal flowers, as well as being registered with the All Ireland Pollinator Plans for our pollinator-friendly landscape designs. With core values of community engagement and environmental education, Sow Grateful, are delighted to be part of this garden design and implementation project. Bringing our expertise and energy to incorporate the ideas and interests of the local community to create a garden that reflects the people and location in which it is nestled “