Young at Art le Sadhbh Devlin
Is é Young at Art – Belfast Children’s Festival ceann de príomh-fhéiltí Tuaisceart Éireann. Spreagann sé páistí agus daoine óga faoi aois 18, ó gach cineál cúlra, le dul i ngleic leis na healaíona agus le sásamh a bhaint astu. Creideann foireann Young at Art go smior go bhfuil sé de cheart ag gach páiste fáil a bheith acu ar eispéireais úrnua, spreagúla. Chuige seo, déanann siad iliomad obair le haon bacainn eacnamaíochta, oideachasúla, sóisialta nó fisiciúla a shárú, le go mbeidh teacht ar an réimse is leithne páistí agus is féidir ar an gclár.
Bhí clár iontach ann i mbliana le himeachtaí tarraingteacha do gach aois. Ó ‘Baby Rave’ go taispeántais d’ealaín PJ Lynch, Laureate na n-Óg agus ó seóanna damhsa go léiriú stáitste de How to 
Catch a Star le Oliver Jeffers déanta ag Branar Téatar do Pháistí. Bhí clár Gaeilge ar fáil freisin. Rinne Myra Zepf ceardlann bunaithe ar an leabhar gleoite aici, Rita agus an Róbat agus rinne Áine Ní Ghlinn ceardlann scríbhneoireachta do pháistí níos sine.
Ba mhór an onóir dom féin agus Tarsila Krüse, mo leath-bhádóir, cuireadh a fháil le páirt a ghlacadh san fhéile freisin. Rinneamar dhá ceardlann bunaithe ar ár leabhar Bí ag Spaoi Liom! (Futa Fata) sa Chultúrlann i mBéal Feirste. Bhuaileamar le rang amháin ó Scoil an Droichead agus rang eile ó Ghaelscoil Éanna agus bhí an-spraoi go deo againn le chéile! Léigh mé an scéal leis na páistí agus ansin phléamar cruthaíocht agus ceapadóireacht – téamaí atá láidir i bpearsantacht an príomh-charachtar, Lúna. Bhí deis ag na páistí a ‘mheaisín’ féin a cheapadh ansin agus rinne Tarsila na moltaí uathu a tharraingt beo. Ansin bhí deis acu féin a mheasíní pearsanta a chumadh agus iad a chur i láthair os comhair a rang. Cumadh róbó a rinne obair bhaile, ceann eile a rinne na milseán is fearr ar domhain, agus ceann eile fós a phriontáil millúin punt gach lá! Tá súil agam go n-éiríonn leis na páistí na measíní seo a thógáil i ndáiríre….
Young at Art – Belfast Children’s Festival is one of Northern Ireland’s leading festivals. They encourage children and young adults under 18, from all backgrounds, to engage with and enjoy the arts. The Young at Art team passionately believes that every child has a right to access exciting and original experiences and they work hard to try to overcome barriers to access – economic, educational, social and physical – so that as many children as possible can enjoy their programme.
This year’s programme included many enticing events, from a ‘Baby Rave’ to an exhibition by PJ Lynch, the Children’s Laureate and from dance displays to a production of Oliver Jeffer’s How to Catch a Star by Branar Téatar do Pháistí. The Irish language programme included a workshop by Myra Zepf based on her book Rita agus an Róbat and Áine Ní Ghlinn lead a writing workshop for older children.
It was an honour for myself and Tarsila Krüse to be invited to participate in the festival too. We presented two workshops based on our book Bí ag 
Spraoi Liom! (Futa Fata) to classes from Gaelscoil Éanna and Scoil an Droichead. I read the story to the children and then we discussed creativity and inventions – traits which are very strong in Lúna, the main character. The children had the opportunity to invent their own ‘machine’ – which Tarsila drew live, based on their suggestions. Next the children designed their own personal machines and presented their ideas to their class. There was a robot who could do homework, another who made the best sweets in the world and yet another who could print a million pounds every day! I hope that someday the children manage to build those machi nes for real…
Tuilleadh Eolais:
Sadhbh Devlin (údar Bí ag Spraoi Liom!): www.sadhbhdevlin.ie
Tarsila Krüse (maisitheoir Bí ag Spraoi Liom!): www.tarsilakruse.com
Futa Fata (foilsitheoir Bí ag Spraoi Liom!): www.futafata.ie
Young at Art: www.youngatart.co.uk
