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).