Packed programme of events at Roe Valley and Flowerfield Arts Centres

Causeway Coast and Glens Arts Services has launched its new April to June arts guide, with a packed programme of more than 55 creative workshops, seven exhibitions and 25 live events ranging from comedy, to theatre, live music and film, across two venues.

LIVE MUSIC

The live events schedule kicks off at Flowerfield with American musical trailer blazer Joachim Cooder on 26 April, with support from Rayna Gellert and Taylor Lally. At Roe Valley Arts Centre there will be an evening of music by Niall McCabe on 11 May. Niall rose to national prominence with the release of his critically acclaimed album Rituals in 2023.

Other Flowerfield live music highlights include My Darling Clementine on 10 May, an evening of music by Leonard Cohen performed by Christine Tobin on 8 June and a Summer Tea dance for our local senior citizens with music by The Soda Popz on 16 June. Rounding off the season is a night of contemporary jazz by The Phil Robson Trio on 29 June.

Moving to Roe Valley Arts and Cultural Centre, The Henry Girls will bring a beautiful blend of the Donegal’s rich cultural heritage with a transatlantic flavour on 14 June. Then Live Music Now return with Light Music and a Lunch-Free Concert Series for older people and their friends. There are also family entertainments shows, Comedy, live theatre by Limavady Drama Club and the return of the popular Tenx9 short stories on 26 April.

EXHIBITIONS

Upcoming visual art exhibitions at Roe Valley Arts Centre include Concurrent by Sinead McKeever with a free schools workshop from 13 April until 18 May, Proceed as Normal by Hannah Smith from 13 April until 18 May and Birds with No Passports by John Brown from 1 June until 27 July.

You can also catch the thought-provoking exhibition on racism in NI entitled First They Ignore You by Sheila Chakravarti. It’s on display until the 20 April. Our next Exhibition will be the Artists Drawn Together collective Spring Into Summer exhibition from 4 May until 22 June.

CREATIVE WORKSHOPS

If you’re keen to try something new, improve your creative skills or explore a hobby, there are over 60 creative workshops across both arts centres to choose from including firm Flowerfield favourites like ceramics with Fiona Shannon, fused glass with Natasha Duddy and EJ McCartney, or painting courses with local artists Sarah Carrington, Heather Byrne and Elaine Harkness.

The popular Mums Meet and Make series returns at Flowerfield. This unique series, which offers budget friendly creative workshops for mums on maternity leave with babies under the age of one, has drawn visitors from across the borough and beyond and due to demand will also be hosted at Roe Valley Arts Centre from April to June.

At Roe Valley Arts Centre, celebrate World Slow Art Day on 13 April with a tranquil morning of Kundalini yoga practice, followed by a sound bath and savouring the intentional ritual of a slowly poured artisan coffee.

There will be workshops in silk painting, fused glass, ceramics and more. The Edible Flower, as featured in Vogue and The Irish Times, will be leading two unique workshops. The first, Bealtaine Workshop on 24 May, will explore floral flavours in classic bakes and delves into the influence of Celtic festivals like Bealtaine on modern cuisine. The second, Summer Solstice Gin Workshop on 20 June, will celebrate the Summer Solstice and the folklore of our botanical herbs.

Both arts centres will mark Dementia Awareness week from May 13 to 19 with a creative workshop providing a safe and nurturing space to come together and relax with meaningful moments.

You can pick up a copy of the April to June Arts Guide from both arts centres, and across the borough.

A digital copy is also available to download now to your smartphone or tablet from roevalleyarts.com and flowerfield.org.

Bookings can be made online through the arts centre websites, or by calling Roe Valley Arts Centre on 028 7776 0650 or Flowerfield Arts Centre on 028 7083 1400.