Black Box opening party promises hot ticket

The cream of Belfast talent will be coming together this evening to celebrate the opening of the city’s newest arts and entertainment venue, Black Box.

Acclaimed Belfast novelist Glenn Patterson will compere the evening's entertainment provided by sassy acappella group Harmonique, the soulfully hypnotic Gabriel Konyai Makemanzi from Talking Drum, one-man creative industry Geoff Gatt and dancing to Nightswing fronted by Siobhan Petit and DJ set from the New Left Bank.

The venue has been developed by the Black Box Trust, which is made up of representatives of the arts community and the private sector.

Belfast City Council has invested £225,000 as part of its Celebrate Belfast 2006 programme, to cover rental and fit out for the first year. Eight new jobs have been created by the venture.

Speaking ahead of tonight’s official opening party, Colette Norwood, Chair of the Black Box Trust, and Arts Manager with the British Council in Belfast, commented: "Black Box has already proved to be a big hit - bringing audiences of over 1,500 in through its doors over the ten days of the Cathedral Quarter Arts Festival last month to enjoy a fabulous range of events from comedy, to literature and even an all ages rock gig! We started work to transform the venue on March 30 and really hit the ground running with our first public performance on April 27.

"We are delighted that so many of the people who worked to make this venue a reality are able to join us on Tuesday evening in celebrating our achievement together - and the potential that the venue holds to play a vital role in the ongoing development of culture and arts in Belfast. Black Box will do that by raising the profile of our home-grown artists, performers and companies and nurturing promising new talent – and by providing much needed, dedicated and affordable rehearsal space.”

Councillor Bernie Kelly, Chairman of Belfast City Council’s Arts Sub-Committee, added: “Black Box is really helping to meet a major gap in the city’s arts provision - offering a really versatile, intimate venue in one of the most exciting parts of the city, especially for younger, less mainstream audiences.

“Not only is Black Box boosting the city’s Celebrate Belfast 2006 programme, it is helping to build audiences in the Cathedral Quarter and bridging the gap between now and the opening of Old Museum Arts Centre’s £9.2 million city centre arts centre, scheduled to open in 2010."

Black Box welcomes programming proposals from local entertainment, arts and community based organisations.

Black Box is located at 18-22 Hill Street, contact (028) 9023 2403 or visit www.blackboxbelfast.com for further information.

(SP/GB)