Derry's Playhouse to host Siren32 - eco-friendly day of inspirational workshops and exhibitions

The Playhouse Artitude: Climate, Culture & Circularity project has partnered with the NI Science Festival to deliver several events about the natural world, our planet to technology, engineering, the mind and body, food and more.

SIREN23 on Saturday 18 February brings together a range of inspirational speakers, traders and environmental organisations to share ideas and practical solutions on everything from conservation to living a more eco-friendly lifestyle.

Events include workshops in Visible Mending with Lyndsey McDougall (10am, 1pm and 3pm), to a talks from environmental activist Moya Doogan about the environmental & mental benefits that comes with living a slower, more sustainable, fast fashion free life (2pm).

Activist, artist and researcher V'cenza Cirefice will host a workshop in individual and collective mapping to explore connections to place in the North West at 11am, and local conservationist and broadcaster Conor McKinney will take visitors on a tour to share his experience of a year on St Kilda, the UK's most remote island at 3pm

Visitors can also enjoy Lino-print card-making with artist Anna Barclay of Eco Art (10am to 4pm), a jewellery up-cycling and information stall with Climate Craic (10am to 4pm), Climate Songs and Stories for Children with Maeve Leahy & Anna Nolan (11am, 1pm and 3pm) demonstrations from the Seed It Union stall (10am to 4pm), and a Switch clothes swap (6pm to 8pm).

Artitude: Climate, Culture, Circularity is funded by the Climate Action Fund, a ten-year £100 million National Lottery grant fund set up to help communities throughout the UK reduce their carbon footprint and show what is possible when people take the lead in tackling climate change.

The Playhouse will work with partners Zero Waste North West, Northern Ireland Resources Network, Queens University and Derry City and Strabane District Council to use the arts to co-ordinate and deliver a programme of activities over the next year.

Climate Action Officer at The Playhouse Paula Larkin said: “We are so pleased to help spread the great message of SIREN23, a call to action for a planet in balance, one that provides for humanity and the untold millions of other species with which we live.

“Using this fun and interactive day of inspirational storytelling, workshops and exhibitions, we hope to share ideas how art and creativity can lead to practical solutions on everything from reducing waste to making the best of the circular economy.”

Established in 2014, NI Science Festival has grown to become the largest celebration of its kind on the island of Ireland and in its relatively short lifespan became one of the leading Science Festivals in the whole of Europe.

The annual celebration of all things science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics (STEAM) will also offer events at The Playhouse with Judge of Netflix's Baking Impossible and Great British Bake Off finalist Andrew Smyth, electronic musician and Research Director Dr Brian Bridges and composer and Lecturer Dr Rob Casey.

Andrew Smyth will bring his brand-new family show Bakineering to The Playhouse (Saturday 18 February at 12noon). Exploring incredible engineering through edible means, the aerospace engineer-turned-baker will use interactive baking demos to showcase the engineering principles that keep us safe when travelling via road, sea or sky.

A talk by Madeleine Finlay, whose new book suggests – having Beetles for Breakfast? Shortlisted for the Royal Society Young People’s Book Prize 2022, Madeleine Finlay’s colourful and compelling book explores all sorts of exciting inventions and ideas which could make our future more eco-friendly on Saturday 18 February at 2pm.

Dr Brian Bridges (electronic musician and Research Director in Music, Drama, and Film/Screen at Ulster University) will introduce audiences to the ideas, technologies and approaches that have shaped electronic music from the early 20th century to the present day, featuring live demonstrations and visualisations of synthesised sound and reflections on how these sounds have shaped our music on Thursday 23 February at 7pm.

Dr Rob Casey (composer and Lecturer in Composition, Performance and Experimental Music at Ulster University) will then explore the psychoacoustic experience of interference patterns that arise between sounds of slightly different frequencies in The Art & Science of Interference Patterns on Saturday 25 February at 7pm.

NI Science Festival is supported by the Department for the Economy, Belfast City Council, Tourism Northern Ireland, Derry City and Strabane District Council, Queen’s University Belfast, Ulster University, British Council Northern Ireland, MCS Group, The Open University NI, Innovate UK, Matrix NI, Film Hub NI, Institute of Physics, Belfast Harbour and Halifax Foundation.

The 2023 NI Science Festival runs 16 to 26 February. For more information about events and bookings, visit nisciencefestival.com.

To learn how you can get involved in The Playhouse Artitude: Climate, Culture, Circularity Project contact paula.larkin@derryplayhouse.com.