




Get ready to dive into creativity at the InterAct Youth Arts Festival, proudly hosted by Millennium Forum! In its 16th year, this festival is the ultimate celebration of young talent aged 12-21.
This year, we’re taking the excitement on the road, spreading artistic inspiration to four vibrant community centres. Huge thanks to our amazing partners and supporters who are helping us make it happen and keeping the Festival FREE!
We owe a massive shoutout to our funders, fantastic staff, and the visionary members of our Youth Forum. Your passion and dedication are the driving force behind this electrifying event.
For all their great ideas and support.
At InterAct, it’s all about unleashing your imagination, exploring new artistic horizons, and connecting with fellow creatives. From captivating performances to dynamic masterclasses, there’s something for everyone to get involved in.
So, mark your calendars and join us for a whirlwind of creativity, laughter, and unforgettable memories at the InterAct Youth Arts Festival. Let’s make this year’s festival the best one yet!
See you there!
Mags Anderson Mags Anderson Education and Schools Marketing Officer Millennium ForumReady to book your spot at the InterAct Youth Arts Festival?
All bookings and information are through the Millennium Forumwww.millenniumforum.co.uk or call Box Office on 02871264455 (option 1)
This festival is exclusively for young people aged 12- 21 years old. Advance booking is a must for all events. Spaces are limited, and are strictly on a first come, first served basis. Trust us, you don’t want to miss out on the fun! *Participants will be charged a £5 refundable fee at booking which will be returned after all workshops and showcase are attended.*
Stage 1
Newbuildings Community Centre
4 Duncastle Rd, Newbuildings, Derry/L’Derry, BT47 2QS.
Tel - 02871 312 252
Dates – Mon 8th July – Wed 10th July
Showcase – Wednesday 10th July – Time 3pm
Stage 2
Culmore Community Centre
32-34 Culmore Point, Culmore, Derry/L’Derry, BT48 8JW.
Tel - 02871 163 713
Dates – Wed 10th July – Friday 12th July
Showcase – Friday 12th July – Time – 3pm
3
Millennium Forum Theatre
3 Newmarket Street, Derry/L’Derry, BT48 6EB.
Tel - 02871 264 455
Dates – Wed 10th July – Sat 20th July
Showcase – Saturday 20th July – Time – 3pm
4
Lincoln Courts Youth & Community Association
186a Lincoln Courts, Derry/L’Derry, BT47 5NX.
Tel - 02871 341 353
Dates – Mon 15th July – Wed 17th July
Showcase – Wednesday 17th July – Time - 3pm
5
St Mary’s Youth Centre
15 Fanad Drive, Derry/L’Derry, BT489QE.
Tel - 02871 265 211
Dates – Wed 17th July – Friday 19th July
Showcase – Friday 19th July – Time 3pm
Stage 6
Learning Pool
100 Patrick St, Derry/L’Derry, BT48 7EL.
Tel - 02071 019 383
Dates – Tue 9th July & Tue 16th July
‘Sustaining and creating the next generation of artists’
Showcases will be held in various community centres
Join us for an outstanding experience exploring the fantastic work each workshop has developed through the festival outreach and inhouse. This is a chance for the talented and creative young people to showcase all their hard work to family and friends in the heart of their communities.
MONDAY 8TH JULY – WEDNESDAY 10TH JULY
Participants will learn DJ skills from Oliver Brown and well-known DJ, Kevin Boyle (aka Silver Fox). Your music, your mixes, learning skills that will allow you to find tunes that connect with your inner rhythm and future dancefloors. Whether you’re DJ’ing for the first time, wanting to rock a party or start your own podcast, Energy Train Tutors will show you how to select and mix the right tune, at the right time.
Monday 8th July –11am – 1pm
Tuesday 9th July – 11am – 1pm
Showcase – Wednesday 10th July – 3pm
Facilitators – Oliver Brown & Kevin Boyle
Step into the world of drama with our interactive workshop designed just for teenagers! Join us for an exhilarating journey where we’ll dive deep into the realities of teenage life through scripted scenes and spontaneous improvisation. Get ready to unleash your creativity and discover what it truly means to be a teenager in today’s world!
Monday 8th July – 12pm – 1.30pm
Tuesday 9th July – 12pm – 1.30pm
Wednesday 10th July – 1pm – 2pm
Showcase – Wednesday 10th July – 3pm
Facilitator - Ciara McCallion
Get up and dance to Urban Shock Hip Hop / Street dance workshop. This will incorporate all of the basics and intermediate foundation moves. Add this to some popular song choices, formations and a touch of attitude! The workshop will finish with a show piece that will keep the audience and participants wanting more. The environment we will have shall be encouraging and open to all levels of dance from novice - advanced.
Monday 8th July – 12pm – 2pm
Tuesday 9th July – 12pm – 2pm
Wednesday 10th July – 12pm – 1pm
Showcase – Wednesday 10th July – 3pm
Facilitator – Stephen Carlin
Create your very own animated postcards through the magical world of stop-motion animation! In this hands-on 2-hour workshop, participants aged 12-21 will learn the basics of stop-motion filmmaking. You’ll start by exploring the basics of stop-motion and seeing examples of animated shorts that will inspire your projects. Then you’ll get straight into the fun of planning and creating your own hand-drawn assets to make your own postcard animation. No previous experience is required - just bring your imagination and a sense of playfulness! Young animators will leave with a cool short film to share with friends and family. All stop-motion materials will be provided.
Monday 8th July - 1.30pm – 3.30pm
Showcase of work – Wednesday 10th 3pm
Facilitators – Nerve Centre
Furniture upcycling saves old, but beautiful pieces of furniture from ending up in landfill. Students will get the chance to recycle and reimagine a small piece of old furniture. Using chalk paint they will transform their small piece. They will also learn the art of stencilling and decoupage to make their piece truly bespoke and personal. Not only will students get to exhibit their piece in the showcase but they will also enjoy taking it home to keep.
Suitable pieces of furniture to bring: small bedside locker, stool, mirror frame, wooden chair.
Monday 8th July – 2pm – 4pm
Tuesday 9th July – 2pm – 4pm
Showcase exhibition of work, Wednesday 10th July – 3pm
Facilitator – Sinead Crumlish
PARTICIPANTS MUST ATTEND ALL WORKSHOPS IN PREPARATION FOR THE SHOWCASE
Showcase – Wednesday 10th July – 3pm
Newbuildings Community Centre
WEDNESDAY 10TH JULY – FRIDAY 12TH JULY
Beautiful art can be made from the most simple of materials. In this workshop students will learn how to make imitation stained glass windows using just card, glue and tissue paper. Each student will learn new skills in stenciling, cutting with a blade and decoupage. Once the project is complete the work can be hung on the inside of any window to allow the light to shine through. The techniques learned in this workshop can be very easily achieved at home for other projects they wish to do themselves.
Wednesday 10th July – 11am – 1.00pm
Thursday 11th July – 11am – 1.00pm
Showcase – Exhibition of work Friday 12th July – 3pm Facilitators – Amy Carroll
During this Special Effects Make up class with Anna’s Cheeky Faces you will learn how to create fake wounds, zombie bites, etc, using a variety of different professional SFX make up techniques and tools.
Only professional, safe for skin SFX materials such as latex (alternatives available in case of allergy) silicone, fx prosthetic gelatin, fake bloods, alcohol based and grease based paints will be used during this session.
Important info - Patch test of skin is compulsory before taking this workshop.
Wednesday 10th July – 1pm – 3pm
Showcase exhibition of work, Friday 12th July – 3pm
Facilitator – Anna’s Cheeky Faces
Join us for this creative opportunity to write in poetic verse and more, about community.
Poetry in my community: six-word stories, rhyming couplets, free verse. An opportunity to showcase your community in poetry. We will create various forms of poems focused on the community we are writing within. We will also create some visual images representing our community.
Wednesday 10th July – 2pm – 3.30pm
Thursday 11th July – 2pm – 3.30pm
Showcase exhibition of work, Friday 12th July – 3pm
Facilitator – Grainne McCool
Want to be a songwriter? Explore lyric writing, melody creation and song structure essentials in this fun and hands on workshop. You’ll learn some practical tips to kickstart your songwriting journey, whether you’re a beginner or seasoned musician.
Wednesday 10th July – 3.30pm – 5.30pm
Thursday 11th July – 3.30pm – 5.30pm
Friday 12th July – 1pm – 2pm
Showcase – Friday 12th July - 3pm
Facilitator – Paddy Nash
Step into the enchanting world of Matilda the Musical with our ‘Play in a Day’ workshop! We’re thrilled to invite you to join us as we bring the magic of Matilda to life in your community. Experience the joy of storytelling, the power of movement, and the thrill of live performance as we work towards our showcase inspired by the spirit of Matilda. Join us for a day of imagination, creativity, and the magic of Matilda!
Thursday 11th July – 11am – 4pm
Showcase exhibition of work, Friday 12th July – 3pm
Facilitators – Claire Harkin & Tori Messenger
PARTICIPANTS MUST ATTEND ALL WORKSHOPS IN PREPARATION FOR THE SHOWCASE
Showcase – Friday 12th July – Time – 3pm
Culmore Community Centre
MONDAY 15TH JULY – WEDNESDAY 17TH JULY
As part of the battle against fast fashion this workshop will help young people to understand the detrimental effects of our throw away culture and teach them new skills on how to reuse and recycle fabrics. Sewing and pattern cutting will be amongst the skills used but these will not be the major focus. Using old garments and fabric scraps, they will use other faster methods to create new couture. These include heating, burning, gluing, ripping, stretching, paining and knotting. By the end of the project these students will be modelling totally new and original fashions. They will also have a better understanding of fabrics and how to manipulate them into something new.
Monday 15th July – 11am – 2pm
Tuesday 16th July – 11am – 2pm
Do you want to improve your voice, build confidence and sing your heart out? Come along to our singing workshops where we will focus on vocal and breathing techniques, learning new songs and exploring harmony!
Monday 15th July – 12pm – 2pm
Tuesday 16th July – 12pm – 2pm
Wednesday 17th July – 1pm – 2pm
Showcase – Wednesday 17th July – 3pm
Facilitator – Caitlyn Kelly
Get ready to groove to the beat and unleash your inner dancer with our electrifying Hip Hop and Street Dance workshop! You’ll dive into the vibrant world of Hip Hop culture while mastering the foundational moves and techniques.
From classic hits to the hottest tracks of today, our workshop features a curated selection of the best oldschool and new-school Hip Hop songs, guaranteed to keep you moving and grooving throughout the session. Whether you’re a seasoned dancer or just starting out this workshop will help you build confidence and skills while having a blast on the dance floor.
Showcase – Wednesday 17th July – 3pm
Facilitators – Amy Carroll
Monday 15th July – 1pm – 3pm
Tuesday 16th July – 1pm – 3pm
Wednesday 17th July – 1pm – 2pm
Showcase – Wednesday 17th July – 3pm
Facilitator – Irena Noonan
Bring a stick figure to life in this hands-on 2-hour workshop, where participants aged 12-21 will learn the basics of keyframe animation. You’ll start by exploring the basics of key frame animation, which is hand drawing your stick figure frame by frame. You’ll then create an animated short movie starring your very own stick figure. You’ll learn to create frame by frame animation on iPads, and help you to explore your inner animator! No previous experience is required - just bring your imagination and a sense of playfulness! Young animators will leave with a cool short film to share with friends and family. All animation materials will be provided.
Monday 15th July – 1.30pm – 3.30pm
WEDNESDAY 17TH JULY – FRIDAY 19TH JULY
Showcase exhibition of work, Wednesday 17th July – 3pm
Facilitators – Nerve Centre
During this Special Effects Make up class with Anna’s Cheeky Faces you will learn how to create fake wounds, zombie bites, etc, using a variety of different professional SFX make up techniques and tools. Only professional, safe for skin SFX materials such as latex (alternatives available in case of allergy) silicone, fx prosthetic gelatin, fake bloods, alcohol based and grease based paints will be used during this session. Important info - Patch test of skin is compulsory before taking this workshop
Tuesday 16th July – 1.30pm – 3.30pm
Showcase exhibition of work, Wednesday 17th July – 3pm
Facilitators – Anna’s Cheeky Faces
PARTICIPANTS MUST ATTEND ALL WORKSHOPS IN PREPARATION FOR THE SHOWCASE
Showcase – Wednesday 17th July – Time - 3pm
Lincoln Courts Youth & Community Association
Participants will learn DJ skills from Oliver Brown and well-known DJ, Kevin Boyle (aka Silver Fox). Your music, your mixes, learning skills that will allow you to find tunes that connect with your inner rhythm and future dancefloors. Whether you’re DJ’ing for the first time, wanting to rock a party or start your own podcast, Energy Train Tutors will show you how to select and mix the right tune, at the right time.
Wednesday 17th July – 11am – 1pm
Thursday 18th July – 12pm - 2pm
Showcase - Friday 19th July - 3pm
Facilitators – Oliver Brown & Kevin Boyle
An exciting addition to the Djing workshop, Memory Train is an Intergenerational Project. Working with St Mary’s Youth Leaders, participants will explore memory soundscapes and record short interviews on the topic, ‘times gone by’.
Thursday 18th July – 11am -12pm
Facilitators – Oliver Brown & Kevin Boyle
Let’s groove for the planet! This workshop will explore the relationship between humans and the earth and the need to reduce, reuse, and recycle through the medium of movement to music.
Dancing to the beat and jamming out to cool tunes isn’t just fun – it’s a way to connect with Mother Earth. Movement and music bring sustainability to life, making it feel awesome and easy. Let’s bust a move for a greener world!
Wednesday 17th July – 11.00am – 12.30pm
Thursday 18th July – 11.00am – 12.30pm
Friday 19th July – 1pm – 2.00pm
Showcase – Friday 19th July – 3pm
Facilitator – Catriona Newcombe
Working with portraits/print/textiles and exploring a variety of different painting styles and craft techniques, this workshop will focus on using participants personality, reflecting how identity illuminates the world.
The group will explore what makes them unique as individuals, what their interests/hobbies are and express this through a variety of different media and art forms.
Utilising the theatre equipment at St Mary’s Youth Club, participants will learn how to set up and operate sound and lighting for a live performance under the guidance of industry professional technicians. From light placement to PA set up to patching in channels and operating a show, this introductory session is perfect for those looking to start out as a live technician.
Thursday 18th July – 1pm – 3pm
Showcase – Friday 19th July – 3pm
Facilitator – Chloe Harkin, Aaron Kelly & Don Stewart
This art work will express colour texture and conclude in a large art /installation.
Wednesday 17th July – 12.00pm – 2pm
Thursday 18th July – 12.00pm – 2pm
Friday 19th July – 11am – 12.00pm
Showcase exhibition of work, Friday 19th July – 3pm
Facilitator – Daniel Roddy
Join us for an engaging and dynamic short singing workshop designed to enhance your vocal skills and musicality. In this workshop, you’ll explore fundamental singing techniques such as breath control, vocal resonance and pitch accuracy. We’ll cover basic warmup exercises to prepare your voice, followed by learning a popular song together, focusing on interpretation and expression. Participants will receive personalised feedback and tips for improving their singing. Whether you’re a beginner looking to build confidence or an experienced singer seeking refinement, this workshop offers a supportive and fun environment to nurture your passion for singing. Get ready to discover and unleash the potential of your voice!
Wednesday 17th July – 1pm – 2.30pm
Thursday 18th July – 1pm – 2.30pm
Friday 19th July – 1pm – 2pm
Showcase – Friday 19th July – 3pm
Facilitator – Aideen McGinn
Showcase your passion for the arts in our High School Musical workshops for Interact 2024! Participants will learn to act, sing and dance to contemporary hits from High School Musical and by the end of the week you will captivate your audience with a short showcase from this fun musical. With expert guidance from choreographer Carie Logue Houston and acting director Sinead Crossan, students will not only refine their musical skills but also cultivate teamwork, confidence and lifelong appreciation for the arts.
Wednesday 17th July – 1.30pm – 4pm
Thursday 18th July – 1.30pm – 4pm
Friday 19th July – 1pm – 2pm
Showcase – Friday 19th July – 3pm
Facilitators – Sinead Crossan and Carie Logue Houston
Join us for this creative opportunity to write in poetic verse and more, about community. Poetry in my community: six-word stories, rhyming couplets, free verse. An opportunity to showcase your community in poetry. We will create various forms of poems focused on the community we are writing within. We will also create some visual images representing our community.
Wednesday 17th July – 3pm – 4.30pm
Thursday 18th July – 3pm – 4.30pm
Showcase – Friday 19th July – 3pm
Facilitator - Grainne McCool
PARTICIPANTS
WEDNESDAY 10TH JULY – SATURDAY 20TH JULY
Directing is the process of working with actors to tell a story clearly and well. This class will work with established texts to show emerging directors the questions they must ask of both the script and the actors to create a cohesive production; taking into consideration the necessary components of the production such as lights, set, costume and sound. This workshop is also for actors wanting to gain experience in directing and production.
Age Limit – 16 – 21 years
Wednesday 10th July – 11am – 5 pm
Showcase Saturday 20th July 3pm
Studio Theatre, Millennium Forum.
Facilitator – Jonathan Burgess
Showcase – Friday 19th July – Time 3pm
St Marys Youth Centre
Stage Management is a vital role in theatre, acting as the focal point for all communication between all creative and technical departments, supporting the director in managing the rehearsal room and ensuring that the show runs smoothly from day one to the final curtain call. In this workshop you will learn about the different elements of stage management – from pre-production, to running a rehearsal room, blocking notation, technical rehearsals and creating a prompt script to call a show.
Age Limit – 16 – 21 years
11th July 1pm -3pm
Thursday 11th July – 1pm - 3pm
Studio Theatre, Millennium Forum.
Facilitator – Chloe Harkin
Led by the Millennium Forum’s technical team – this introduction to live sound workshop is aimed at those looking to pursue a career as a sound technician. The course will cover the fundamentals in live sound; from PA set up and placement, to patching in a channel to the main control desk, to mixing and understanding EQ, compression and other audio processing techniques.
Age Limit – 16 – 21 years
Wednesday 17th July – 12pm – 2pm
Studio Theatre, Millennium Forum.
Facilitators – Chloe Harkin & Aaron Kelly
Stage Combat is an exciting and fun tool used in theatre. From swashbuckling fights to dramatic unarmed combat, you as an actor can excite the audience with amazing fight sequences while keeping yourself and your partners safe.
Learn the basics on how to create a fight with the basic fundamentals in safety and illusion.
Age Limit – 16 – 21 years
Thursday 18th July – 11am – 4pm with Lunch break
Millennium Room, Millennium Forum
Learn about the fundamentals of event lighting from the Millennium Forum’s in-house technical team. This workshop will cover the essentials in lighting – from basic rigging, to patching in lights to the control desk, to controlling and programming lights for a show – and is perfect for anyone interested in pursuing a career in theatre behind-the-scenes.
Age Limit – 16 – 21 years
Wednesday 17th July – 3pm – 5pm
Studio Theatre, Millennium Forum
Facilitators – Chloe Harkin & Don Stewart
Friday 19th July – 11am – 4pm with lunch break
Studio Theatre, Millennium Forum
Showcase Saturday 20th July 3pm
Studio Theatre, Millennium Forum
Facilitator – Philip Rafferty – Raff Combat
PARTICIPANTS MUST ATTEND ALL WORKSHOPS IN PREPARATION FOR THE SHOWCASE
Showcase – Saturday 20th July – Time – 3pm
Studio Theatre, Millennium Forum
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TUESDAY 9TH JULY & TUESDAY 16TH JULY
This is a lovely two-hour collage session with a variety of magazines, paint, and glitter selections. Come create some art and have some fun.
Tuesday 9th July – 12pm – 2pm
Learning Pool
Facilitator – Ana Clara Burin
Get ready for a dynamic workshop blending creativity and technology! We’ll brainstorm ideas for a wall mural in the morning and then explore AI-generated and traditional artwork techniques in the afternoon. Dive into the world of design with hands-on activities and group work. Join us for a day of inspiration and innovation!
Tuesday 16th July – 10am – 3pm (lunch at 12-1pm)
Learning Pool
Facilitators: Marty Doherty, Rhema Mc Gilloway & Matt McAleer
Supported by
Are you into Theatre, Production, Marketing, and Performance? The Millennium Forum has a Youth Forum with students from Secondary and Further Education campuses in the city. We meet regularly to share ideas and insights about what young people want. The Millennium Forum works closely with us, giving guidance and brilliant opportunities. We’re looking for young people like you to join our Youth Forum and help plan and organise projects, events, and festivals all year round. It would be great if every school or group had a representative on the Youth Forum. The InterAct Youth Arts Festival is totally youth-driven. It’s an amazing chance for arts and theatre enthusiasts like you. Get in touch with Mags Anderson, Education & Schools Marketing Officer, at magsc@millenniumforum.co.uk to show your interest or get more info.
Newbuildings Community Centre
Time Workshops
8th July 11am – 1pm Hit The Decks Djing
12pm -1.30pm Life’s a Stage - Drama
12pm – 2pm Get Up and Dance
1.30pm-3.30pm Creative Postcard Animation
2pm -4pm Back to Life Upcycle Art
9th July 11am-1pm Hit The Decks Djing
12pm – 1.30pm Life’s a Stage - Drama
12pm -2pm Get Up and Dance
2pm-4pm Back to Life Upcycle Art
10th July 12pm -1pm Get Up and Dance
1pm – 2pm Life’s a Stage - Drama 3pm Showcase event
Learning Pool
9th July 12pm – 2pm Collage Art Workshop @ Learning Pool
Masterclasses in Millennium Forum
10th July 11am – 5pm Directing workshop
Culmore Community Centre
10th July 11am – 1pm Not stained glass Art
1pm – 3pm SFX Make up
2pm – 3.30pm Explore the World of Words – Creative Writing
3.30pm – 5.30pm Create New Tunes – Songwriting Workshops
11th July 11am – 4pm Play In A Day – Matilda Mash Up
11am – 1pm Not stained glass Art
2pm – 3.30pm Explore the World of Words – Creative Writing
3.30pm- 5.30pm Create New Tunes – Songwriting Workshops
12th July 1pm – 2pm Create New Tunes – Songwriting Workshops 3pm Showcase event
Masterclasses in Millennium Forum
11th July 1pm -3pm Stage Management workshop
Lincoln Courts Community Centre
15th July 11am – 2pm Recycled Fashion
12pm-2pm Sing it Loud
1pm – 3pm Moving and Grooving Dance
1.30pm- 3.30pm Stick Figure Animation
Time Workshops
16th July 11am – 2pm Recycled Fashion
12pm – 2pm Sing it Loud
1pm – 3pm Moving and Grooving Dance
1.30pm–3.30pm SFX Make up
17th July 1pm – 2pm Moving and Grooving Dance 1pm – 2pm Sing it Loud 3pm Showcase event
Learning Pool 16th July 10am – 3pm Creative Canvas: Brainstorming Mural Ideas @ Learning Pool
Masterclasses in Millennium Forum
17th July 12pm -2pm Sound Workshop 3pm – 5pm Lighting Workshop
18th July 11am – 4pm Stage Combat
19th July 11am-4pm Stage Combat
St Mary’s Youth Centre
17th July 11am – 1pm Spinning The Tunes – Djing
11am – 12.30pm Plant Groove Dance
12pm – 2pm Illuminate Art
1pm – 3pm Technical Course
1pm – 2.30pm Find Your Voice
1.30pm – 4pm Triple Threat Musical Theatre
3pm – 4.30pm Explore the World of Words
18th July 11am – 12pm Memory train – Pod cast 11am – 12.30pm Plant Groove Dance 12pm – 2pm Spinning The Tunes – Djing 12pm – 2pm Illuminate Art
1pm – 2.30pm Find Your Voice
1.30pm – 4pm Triple Threat Musical Theatre
3pm – 4.30pm Explore the World of Words
19th July 11am – 12pm Illuminate Art
1pm – 2pm Find Your Voice
1pm – 2pm Triple Threat Musical Theatre 1pm -2pm Plant Groove Dance 3pm Showcase event
20th July 3pm
Masterclass Showcase – Millennium Forum