- Area:
- Northern Ireland
- Programme:
- Culture for All Northern Ireland
- Release date:
- 26 2 2013
A Chinese Terracotta army is set to invade public spaces across Northern Ireland as part of the UK City of Culture celebrations, thanks to a grant from the Big Lottery Fund.
One World Creative is one of 13 groups across Northern Ireland awarded grants totalling almost £105,000 from the Big Lottery Fund and Arts Council of Northern Ireland’s Culture for All programme. The small grants programme offers grants of up to £10,000 to communities across Northern Ireland that want to play a part in the UK City of Culture celebrations in 2013.
The group, which is based in Belfast and showcases Chinese culture and traditions, has been awarded £10,000 to buy 50 life sized Terracotta warriors, modelled on the famous Chinese Terracotta Army, and then display them in public places in towns and cities across Northern Ireland.
Once the replica warriors are in place, One World will recruit local youth and community groups to paint them and create their own Terracotta warriors. “This Terracotta Army project is a little bit of humour. After what Belfast has gone through in the past couple of months this project is an opportunity to draw local people and tourists into the cities to look at these beautiful artworks,” said Festival Director Pamela Lee.
“The Terracotta Army is a true symbol of Chinese culture,” said. “It was unearthed in Xi’an in 1974, and is made up of around 8,000 life sized soldiers along with chariots and horses. And these pieces of art, based in the original figures, will help us to show how diverse culture in Northern Ireland is and how the Chinese community has flourished in this country.
“Once the warriors are in place we will run workshops in local communities telling people about Chinese culture and the significance of the Terracotta Army,” said. “An artist will then guide the young people in painting the fibreglass models and in making smaller ceramic warriors.
“The end result will be visually stunning. We will display the warriors across Northern Ireland, in places like Custom House Square in Belfast, and then we will take the whole army to Derry~Londonderry later this year as an exhibit for the UK City of Culture celebrations. We hope we may even be able to place some warriors on the Peace Bridge.”
In Derry~Londonderry history and tradition will come to life on the River Foyle during the UK City of Culture Year when four new currach boats take to its waters. Causeway Coast Maritime Heritage Group is using £9,930 to build the traditional Irish boats. Wooden framed, covered with canvas and painted with tar, the boats will be built by students at North West Regional College alongside members of the CCMHG.
“To celebrate City of Culture year we will be building four smaller racing boats,” said Group Chairman Frank Mongan. “Currach racing is becoming increasingly popular in the North West of Ireland and we want to promote a new culture of currach racing in the city.
“This will get people active and back onto the River Foyle, which is a great asset, but is underused. We want to get people out onto the river and racing a having fun and we’re planning a number of community events to mark this year’s celebrations. A lot of people think that because they cannot afford a boat they cannot access the river. Now we can provide boats for them, people just have to come along.”
The group has been invited to take the new boats to San Sebastian in Spain which will be European City of Culture in 2016. “The Basques have previously been around Ireland with us and we have taken the Colmcille to Spain on two previous occasions, so we are hopeful they will join us on the River Foyle when we launch the new boats at the start of the Fleadh in August,” said Frank.
Joanne McDowell, Big Lottery Fund NI Director, said: “The Big Lottery Fund and Arts Council of Northern Ireland are delighted to announce these grants from this programme which is giving communities across Northern Ireland the chance to be a part of one of the world’s most significant cultural events in 2013.
“We would encourage organisations across Northern Ireland with an idea for an arts or culture project that links to the City of Culture celebrations and benefits their local community to apply for funding now.”
A full list of Culture for All awards in Northern Ireland
Application forms and guidance notes are available to download now at: http://www.biglotteryfund.org.uk/northernireland
For more details call us on 028 9055 1455, or e-mail us at enquiriesni@biglotteryfund.org.uk
For further information contact:
Andrew Kennedy, Press Office Big Lottery Fund: 9055 1426
Mobile: 07788 640 791
Notes to Editors
• The Big Lottery Fund (BIG), the largest distributor of National Lottery good cause funding, is responsible for giving out 40% of the money raised for good causes by the National Lottery.
• BIG is committed to bringing real improvements to communities and the lives of people most in need and has been rolling out grants to health, education, environment and charitable causes across the UK. Since its inception in 2004 BIG has awarded close to £6bn.
• The Fund was formally established by Parliament on 1 December 2006.
• Since the National Lottery began in 1994, 28p from every pound spent by the public has gone to good causes. As a result, over £29 billion has now been raised and more than 383,000 grants awarded across arts, sport, heritage, charities, health, education and the environment.
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