Culture Night Belfast is going online this year on 18 September with a mix of music, film and art.
The event which usually sees the streets of Belfast packed with performers and the public announced it would not return in this format due to Covid-19 restrictions.
The full programme is set to be announced shortly, with both the Oh Yeah Centre and the Black Box curating their own online events.
Performer and writer Stephen Beggs will provide some children’s cabaret and the Graduate Show, delivered virtually by The Mac, will provide a platform for students from Ulster University.
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Susan Picken, director of Cathedral Quarter Trust, the charity behind Culture Night Belfast, promised that the 2020 programme will see a spectacular online display with the launch of CNB TV.
She said: “Although this year’s programme will not be happening live on Culture Night we will be broadcasting over six hours of core programming free across a number of channels online.
“As every year this year’s core programming will promote arts and culture, diversity, inclusivity and accessibility for all.
“The arts sector has been really badly impacted by this pandemic, but I think on the whole it has shown how determined people are to keep going. Resilience is a bit of the theme this year, almost like defiance when we are up against it.
“People have plugged away for years, and they’re not going to let something they’ve built be destroyed. People are creative and will always find a way to make things happen.”
Artists can still apply to get involved with their own ideas.
Susan added: “Although our core programme is now complete, we’ll still be able to give other artists and creators a platform to promote their work in the run up and over the Culture Night weekend.
“We’ll be launching a call for submissions for our online listings and promotional activity in the coming week and we look forward to doing whatever we can to support the wider arts sector during this turbulent time.
“We want to use this as an opportunity for people to fundraise for arts and culture. Maybe people won’t be out buying pints but hopefully they’ll donate what they would have spent to Culture Night and the artists and creators entertaining them.”
With uncertainty remaining over when performances can return to venues and the streets of Belfast Susan hopes that they can deliver something in 2021.
“We’re still hoping to do something next September, but it depends on a lot of things. Ultimately I’d like it to be an event where the creativity all comes together and shows the city at its best.”
With funding dramatically cut Susan says the backing of Belfast City Council and the Arts Council NI has been vital to make sure that they can take Culture Night on to the internet.
For more information go to culturenightbelfast.com or follow #CNB20 across social media.
