Young At Art in Northern Ireland

Young at Art, Northern Ireland’s leading arts provider for children and young people,
delivered ‘Shall We Together’, an exciting new intergenerational initiative, between
February and May 2026 with support from a £1,000 external charity grant from The Arts Society. Delivered in partnership with Commedia of Errors’ Plays Aloud and the Ulster
Museum, the project brought together older people, very young children and the
wider community through movement workshops and a shared interactive
performance visit.

The project delivered 24 movement-based workshops in older people’s settings and
nursery schools across Belfast, increasing access to and participation in arts-led
activity for people living in areas of disadvantage. Young at Art worked with nursery
schools, while Commedia of Errors led sessions in care homes and older people’s
settings. In total, the project benefited 115 older people and 113 young children.
As part of Belfast Children’s Festival in March, participants attended Shall We
Together at the Ulster Museum: a relaxed, site-specific performance designed for
older people and children aged three and over to enjoy together. Centred on
encounters between dancers, children, adults, caregivers and older people, the
performance culminated in a shared moment of movement and play, encouraging
connection, curiosity and creativity across generations.

Feedback from participants, nursery teachers and care staff was overwhelmingly
positive. One audience member described the project as “an amazing example of
how we can make connections across community and age groups using dance.”
Another participant reflected: “Of my 93 years I have never witnessed such joy - it
was all love, right there in front us.”

The project’s impact was felt across generations. Nursery teachers observed that
children grew in confidence, with quieter children stepping forward, sharing ideas
and taking part with pride. One teacher said the workshops were “a genuinely
uplifting experience”, praising the artists for being warm, attentive and skilled at
engaging children in natural and inclusive ways.

Older participants spoke about the emotional, social and physical benefits of the
workshops. Comments included: “It inspired me”, “It made me feel happy and
included”, “It changed my day!” and “I didn’t know I needed this but I’m so glad I
came.” Others described feeling less stiff, more active and uplifted by music and
movement. Care staff also noted improved mood, stronger bonds between residents
and a visible sense of community joy.

The grant from The Arts Society was vital to the project’s success. As well as
providing direct support, it enabled Young at Art to leverage additional funding from
Arts Council NI’s Arts and Older People’s Fund, which required match funding of
10%.

(Image above, credited to Carrie Davenport, Young At Art, Northern Ireland).