4 days to go- Glocal Intermission -50 years of Performance Art

 With The Fix Biennale coming up with Catalyst Arts and the Glocal Intermission Symposium sometimes in Belfast it seems that performance art is everywhere, how did this happen ? and what are the conditions required to nurture this eco-system? Over a year ago Bbeyond Board and in particular Brian Patterson's time researching  identified that it was 1975 when Emeritus Professor Alastair MacLennahan took to the streets of Belfast with students.  Alastair MacLennan’s first public interactions was a workshop from the University of Ulster and Queen’s University, Belfast, as part of the Belfast Fringe Festival. While many of the younger people now doing performance art in the city do not come from Northern Ireland or where alive in 1975. The understanding of the political environment that it emerged from is perhaps key in understanding it's attraction in 2025.

Ulster Museum along with Nottingham Trent University completed an oral history project called Voices of 74 which is available online

'The intention was to gather a variety of perspectives and collect memories, not to provide answers.'
Chris Reynolds

 Professor of Contemporary European History and Memory Studies, Nottingham Trent University

In browsing the archive, my attention went to what some of the people doing now, Bronagh Hinds founded DemocraShe in order to promote the advancement of women in political and public life by training women in election confidence, public speaking and campaign building. William Mitchell loyalist  now a Doctor. Bernadette McCallister lifelong political activist co-ordinates Step a Dungannon rights based organisation promoting equitable integration of migrant workers. Mervin Gibson Chaplin to the Orange Order. The list goes on with Nelson McCausland ex Minister for Culture Arts and Leisure and Social Development and  Carmel Hanna ex Minster for Employment and learning. 

There is much talk in the archive of sorting out the legacy of the past in order for younger generations to move on. But in artistic circles we are in danger of simply ignoring the past because the policy 's required to use artistic magic which includes the magic of performance art to shift us more towards inner and outer Peace simply do not exist. That maybe is a discussion for another time.

Glocal Intermission 13-15 November invites us to pause and focus on the local part of Bbeyond's world, to sweep across different work areas that it have emerged from it, new Commissions, the Equinox project, festivals. To delve into the enormous body of knowledge and experience that it's members have.  To share the emerging work with performance art and mental health benefits. To intergenerational knowledge share and insure that this magical art form that has so many lovers and haters continues on for another 50 years.

The symposium includes talks, walks, exhibitions, performances, breakout session, opportunities to listen and network with some of the performance art community locally. Someone asked me when organising the symposium

 'who are the International performance artist's participating in the symposium?

 My answer was 'we are' .The person said no one will come as they are not interested and our programme was too political. Our registration numbers prove otherwise. 

The 3 day symposium has attracted people from Germany, Canada, London, Singapore, Greece, China , Ireland North and South and will open with an exhibition in Belfast School of art and close with a group performance 'Unity Walk' in Alexandra park thought to be the only park in Western Europe to be split by a Peace wall. In between we experience Madison Agnew debut performance in the Belfast Stories Building, see how some of our new commissions have been getting on, how performance art festivals have emerged, an update on getting permission to do a performance a on the Peaceline in East Belfast, experience Sinead O Donnell's  workshops, listen and network with performance artists back from performing in Chendu China, hear what Dr Emma Campbell the Array collective has to say and ensure that the legacy of performance art continues to shift and change peoples inner and outer lives  in a city with so much further still to go. Brian Patterson likes to call what Bbeyond does as 'Diffractive Connections' and we can be sure that whatever emerges from the symposium that will certainly happen. This is not an academic conference but  touches on Bbeyond members and the wider performance art communities  world in many facets.

Tickets are still available for the symposium here: JOIN US

Open none ticketed sessions 

Thursday 13th  at Belfast School of art 6-9pm

Friday 14th Keynote Highlight Emeritus Professor Alastair MacLennahan with Dr Sandra Johnston and others.

The Unity Walk on 15 November is Sold Out however people can join a waiting list or join us in Alexandra Park, Jubilee Ave entrance at 12 noon.

We do not want anyone to  be constrained from attending due to financial reasons and have bursary's and volunteer opportunities as well email bbeyond@europe.com for details

We have worked with Catalyst arts to ensure  that our members are integrated into the FIX Biennale that runs 18-22 November directly afterwards and encourage people to also attend that.

Glocal Intermission is supported by The Arts Council of Northern Ireland lottery programme, Belfast City Council, Bbeyond members and donations . If you would like to donate to keeping Live  art and Bbeyond life alive Donate here