The Belfast Children’s Festival returns for its 28th year this March, with a packed programme of theatre, dance and music events planned across the city.
Running from March 5-14, the festival spans venues including the Lyric Theatre, the MAC, Clonard Monastery and Crescent Arts Centre, with a mix of international companies, local work and accessible performances.
For Young at Art director Eibhlín de Barra, it is also a milestone year.
“This is my 10th year as director,” she says.
“When you think about where we were 10 years ago and where we are now, even the fact we delivered an online festival during Covid, it’s crazy.
“But we’re still here, we’re still doing it.”
While the festival does not operate around a fixed theme, Eibhlín acknowledges that patterns often emerge organically during the curation process.
“A lot of the pieces this year are about isolation and loneliness, but also human connection, how important friendship is and how important it is to be kind,” she explains.
“I think that’s a message the world needs more than ever right now.”
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In what she describes as a “very dark time” globally, Eibhlín believes live performance offers something “uniquely powerful”.
“There’s something really special about art, theatre and dance,” she says.
“It’s a communal experience. You come together and share a moment that will never happen in that way again.
“The shows you see will never be exactly the same again and I think that’s such a powerful and impactful thing.”
As an international festival, this year’s programme includes companies travelling from France, Belgium and the Netherlands, alongside work from England and Scotland.
However, Eibhlín is equally keen to emphasise the strength of the local line-up.
“We really are a platform for profiling the work being made right here in the north of Ireland,” she says.
“There’s international work, there’s local work, and there’s a really large free festival programme as well.”
Among the standout productions is a new adaptation of The Little Prince by Toby Thompson and The Egg Theatre in Bath, a one-man retelling of the classic story.
“Toby Thompson is such a beautiful storyteller,” Eibhlín enthuses.
“He’s actually a slam poet, so he’s just such an engaging character, I’m really looking forward to watching that tale be brought to life in a way that’s a little bit different.”
For audiences seeking something more high-energy, French circus duo Trial and Error promise physical comedy in abundance.
“It is one of the funniest shows I’ve seen in a very long time,” she laughs.
“If you need a little bit of laughter and joy, that is definitely something to look out for.”
One of this year’s most distinctive additions is Shall We Together, a production from Flanders created specifically for young children and older people to experience side by side.
Special performances at the Ulster Museum will bring together children from local nursery schools and residents from care homes, ahead of a public family performance.
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“We haven’t done an intergenerational piece before, so that’s very exciting,” Eibhlín says.
“It’s about that moment of connection between our youngest and our oldest citizens and I just think it’s so lovely to have that shared experience.”
The festival’s free programme will centre around the Festival Family Day Out on March 7, with events across the Cathedral Quarter, including St Anne’s Square and Ulster University’s Belfast campus.
“It’s going to be an afternoon of great fun - pop-up performances, magicians, characters, workshops, creative things to come down and make.
“You can see performances for free on the street or in the university building, there’s something for everybody.”
Accessibility remains a central focus, with relaxed and captioned performances, baby-friendly shows and work designed for audiences with additional support needs.
“Our ambition is to be the most inclusive festival in the city,” Eibhlín explains.
“It’s not about saying ‘here’s your show for disabled children’ - it’s about having choice.
“There are several pieces within the festival, as well as relaxed performances and captioned performances, to make sure it really is open for everyone.”
Productions such as Sticky Dance and The Unexpected Gift form part of that inclusive strand, alongside the popular baby rave and circus piece Be Kind for infants aged six to 18 months.
“It’s about balance. There’s no point having five great baby shows and nothing for those aged eight-plus. You have to make sure all the different age ranges are covered.”
Beyond the performances themselves, the festival will also welcome 35 international delegates to Belfast as part of its industry showcase, providing a platform for Northern Irish artists to connect with programmers from across the world.
“Those delegates now seek out Belfast as a place to come,” Eibhlín reveals.
“They’re here to see the work being created here in Northern Ireland - our wonderful companies and excellent talent.”
Previous showcase artists have secured invitations to perform internationally, with opportunities arising in countries including Korea, Turkey and Canada.
“It’s about making sure that the really wonderful performance work we’re creating here is getting the opportunity to be seen and travel across the world, because it deserves it - it’s world-class.”
The festival also sits within Young at Art’s year-round education work, including its Resilient Child project, which is currently working with around 500 pupils across six Belfast primary schools to develop social and emotional skills through creativity.
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“It’s about building confidence and helping them feel their voice makes a difference,” Eibhlín says.
“And allowing them to try something, recalibrate and try again.
“We found coming out of Covid that some children were terrified of making mistakes. We want them to embrace that challenge.”
Ultimately, however, her hopes for this year’s festival are simple.
“I just hope they have a great time and want to come back,” she laughs.
“You want to be in a lifelong relationship with them where creativity is part of their lives. I just want them to go home and say, ‘I can’t wait until next year.’”
View the full programme and book at youngatart.co.uk/whats-on/.
