Council Offer Support to Local Artists with Virtual Concerts

The Council have supported local artists during COVID-19 offering them a platform to showcase their talent through our virtual Cultural Lounge Saturday Sessions. Each week a different act performs delivering great entertainment to the heart of your home, these have included Bello Duo, Peter Corry and Connor Taggart to name just a few.
 
Like many venues throughout Northern Ireland the theatres and art centres across the borough have remained closed throughout the pandemic. Through the virtual Cultural Lounge Saturday Sessions, it has allowed audiences free access to a series of one hour concerts by local artists each Saturday evening throughout February.  Following the success of these sessions a second series commenced earlier this month. Headline acts still to look forward to are Dear Frances – a one act Ballet performance, a new composition by Amy Clarkson with Ballet Baltycka’s soloist dancer Ruaidhri Maguire on Saturday 27 March, a showcase by the Newtownabbey Arts and Cultural Network young artists programme on Saturday 3 April and musical maestro James Huish will conclude the series on Saturday 10 April. Details of all these events can be found on the theatre’s Facebook page @theatreatthemill.
 

The Mayor of Antrim and Newtownabbey, Councillor Jim Montgomery said “As an avid supporter of the Arts, I am delighted the Council are supporting the Arts & Culture sector who have suffered greatly throughout this pandemic. The virtual programme has been a phenomenal success and it was clear to see there was a demand for this service. I am pleased we have started our second series, which not only provides the public with entertainment in the safety of their own home but also allows people to experience performances they may not normally attend.”

The Council Art Services Manager Bernard Clarkson added “The pandemic has been a challenging time for everyone, never more so than for artists and theatre companies across Northern Ireland whose plans to create and perform evaporated overnight in March 2020.  Normally our theatres are filled with performances, events and audiences, uniquely at present our theatres are dark. We look forward to the day when we can welcome back our audiences to experience the joy of a live performance again.”