“For all the positive vibes that flowed through the city during those heady days, we were sadly reminded that some things never seem to change. Not once, but twice.” I just had to open my mouth, didn’t I? Less than a month after Ed Vaizey made that announcement, we witnessed a pointless and depressing wreckage [...]
Posts under ‘City of Culture’
Just Say There’s Nothing Holding Us Back: A Personal Perspective on 2010 and Beyond
Jan 13th, 2011 by Simon Fallaha.Where were you on July 15, 2010? “I’m delighted to announce that the winner of the privilege of becoming the first UK Capital Of Culture is Derry/Londond…” That was it. That was the moment the crowd in the Guildhall roared, when months of hard work paid off, and when a dream became a reality. Our [...]
Your Society Needs You!
Nov 4th, 2010 by Simon Fallaha.Were you there when Derry became a City Of Song at the Guildhall and Christ Church last month? If so, you’ll remember it was a highly successful event, bursting to the seams with both vocal and instrumental talent. Well, it’s almost time for Co. Derry to become a County Of Song! Throughout November, the Londonderry [...]
Ask Not What Your City Can Do For You…
Oct 28th, 2010 by Simon Fallaha.The City Of Culture office in Waterloo Place provides a chance for people of all ages to contribute to Derry’s success. Since its opening on April 2nd, 2010, the office has invited the general public to drop by with all sorts of ideas. From the days leading up to the July triumph and beyond, the [...]
City Of Song
Oct 7th, 2010 by Simon Fallaha.From last Thursday to last Sunday, Derry City literally became a City Of Song as numerous talented artists, both celebrity and home grown, performed in the Guildhall and Christ Church for free. I was fortunate enough to catch the Friday night Guildhall performance, which was primarily dedicated to Benjamin Britten. Fans of the famous composer [...]
Culture Night ‘Lights
Sep 30th, 2010 by Simon Fallaha.Last week’s Culture Night in Derry was a huge success. Here are a series of photos from the event. Click on each photo for a larger view:
Open Coffee Night
Sep 30th, 2010 by Simon Fallaha.When people hear the word “culture”, what is the first thing that comes to mind? Personally, I can think of the arts, monuments, amenities, education, networking and politics. Most significant of all, though, is the general public. Because, no matter how much time, money and effort you put into everything else, nothing can work without [...]
The Millennium Forum Youth Theatre Group presents “Chess: The Musical”: August 12th, 2010
Aug 13th, 2010 by Simon Fallaha.Director: Jonathan Burgess Starring: Conor O’Kane, David Mulhern, Elizabeth Lane, Rachel Harkin Essentially “Romeo and Juliet” over a Cold War Chessboard, the musical “Chess” was given a vibrant, always interesting and sometimes quite powerful turn from the Millennium Forum Youth Theatre Group. The lighting, choreography and set design were all excellent, especially during the upbeat [...]
The Strongest Link
Aug 3rd, 2010 by Simon Fallaha.Two weeks on from the City of Culture announcement, Thursday evening was the first chance for the bid team to provide us with a summary of what had been done, what was being done and what still needed to be done as part of the City Of Culture Content Debriefing Meeting which took place in [...]
Thinking About Tomorrow
Jul 27th, 2010 by Simon Fallaha.Last week, it actually made me a little sad to wander into the city centre and notice the excitement from the previous week dying down. We poured so much energy into writing about the city, community work, promoting new talent at an increasing rate, and capitalising on the potential of both our citizens and our [...]
