RoolaBoola, the Linenhall annual arts festival for children, is nearly on us again. RoolaBoola is one of the country’s finest arts events for children, catering to almost 6,000 children and their families each year. There are a number of ways in which you can help out. RoolaBoola is looking for adult volunteers to assist with marshalling duties at the night-time lakeside fireworks spectacle Lough Lannagh Lights, taking place on the evening of Monday October 27 (bank holiday ) as part of this year’s RoolaBoola Children’s Arts Festival. The festival will need volunteers for a maximum of two hours on the night, and also for an induction meeting on Thursday October 16 at 8pm in the Linenhall Theatre. It is very important that you let organisers know your names in advance of the meeting, so if you are interested, contact the Linenhall as soon as possible.
Be part of an exhibition
RoolaBoola and the Linenhall Arts Centre invites anyone who has been to RoolaBoola over the years, or anyone who is getting excited about this year’s festival, to be part of the My RoolaBoola art exhibition which will be open for viewing in the Linenhall Arts Centre Café throughout the festival. It’s time for young artists to get those thinking hats on and get creating, using on the dedicated page of the very snazzy RoolaBoola brochure. If you need extra pages, card cut to the dimensions can be picked up at the Linenhall. Closing date for submission is Wednesday October 15 at 5pm. You can post it to My RoolaBoola, Linenhall Arts Centre, Linenhall St, Castlebar, Co. Mayo, or, drop it in, in person to the Linenhall Arts Centre. And then come along and see your own work in the exhibition during RoolaBoola, from October 20 to 27.
Donate children’s books
A children’s literature programme will take place as part of RoolaBoola. For this new element of the festival RoolaBoola is creating a Stories Room where children can drop in and read from a selection of children’s books, and the festival has also invited a selection of special guests to read their favourite children’s stories in the stories room over the RoolaBoola weekend. RoolaBoola is now inviting members of the public to donate their used/unwanted children’s story books to the RoolaBoola Stories Room. Books can be dropped in to the Linenhall Office (upstairs in the gallery ) any time up to Wednesday October 22. After RoolaBoola, all donated books will be passed on to St Vincent de Paul, Castlebar.
Make a light sculpture for The Ant Farm
The Rural Training Centre, Castlebar is teaming up with the Linenhall Arts Centre to present a light sculpture arts event entitled The Ant Farm as part of RoolaBoola Children’s Arts Festival.
This is an opportunity for artists interested in making light sculptures to go to the Rural Training Centre to make their own light sculpture on the theme The Ant Farm.
Artists will work under their own steam, however; in order to learn making techniques, artists who are not familiar with working with willow and tissue paper are welcome to observe artist in residence Tom Meskell creating pieces with his workshop participants. Making days at the centre will take place from 10am to 4pm Monday October 20 to Thursday October 23 in the RTC. Participation is free and all materials are provided. Places are limited and pre-booking is essential. Contact Tom on 086 150 8141 as soon as possible. The Ant Farm event will take place at the RTC, Humbert Way, Castlebar on Friday October 24 at 7pm.
