AN award-winning Ormeau-based community group are bringing a photography exhibition with a difference to the Ulster Hall, where visitors can expect a ‘bloody’ good time. The Skyway Club, who meet in Ballynafeigh Community Centre, is a creative charity for – and run by – adults with learning disabilities, which is bringing the recent successful event held in the city centre, back to South Belfast.
The club, who have previously won awards at an international film festival in the Netherlands for their creative output, were behind the ‘Who’s Been Framed?’ exhibition, which was held at Cotton Court as part of the last Culture Night in the Cathedral Quarter back in September.
The show featured pictures by local photographer Carrie Davenport of Skyclub members in period 1920’s costumes, with a noir-ish “murder mystery” theme.
Viewers try and guess the identity of the murderer from the images, and the “interactive exhibition” was a hit with Culture Night attendees.
Now the exhibition is being hosted for one month in the Ulster Hall, and Skyclub organiser Matthew Lee explained how it came together.
“The club is a registered charity, and for the most part, it’s run by its own members,” he said.
“The interest in photography came through classes offered by Carrie Davenport, and the members loved it so much, especially being creative with costumes for pictures, they came up with the idea for the Culture Night exhibition.
“The group have a real talent for acting, and so decided upon a Downton Abbey/Cluedo style murder mystery exhibition, shot by Carrie, in which they tell a ‘whodunit’ tale through the snaps.
“They sourced their own costumes, and negotiated with the Culloden Hotel in Bangor to use it as a setting. Viewers follow the clues in each photo, and have to work it out for themselves before the final picture reveals the culprit.”
Funds for the show were raised by group members, while Matthew himself even did a sponsored cycle around the Antrim coast, raising over £500 for the project.
“We were amazed at the great reception it got at Culture Night, so we applied for the Ulster Hall exhibition space, and were selected for July. It’s an amazing venue, perfect for this project, and we hope visitors have as much fun solving our clues as Skyway had creating this wonderful exhibition.”
‘Who’s Been Framed?’ runs at the Ulster Hall from July 2- 30th. For more info on the Skyway Club charity, e-mail theskywaclub@hotmail.co.uk
