UCAN Productions Launch the Big Lottery’s ‘Bright New Futures’ programme

Click on the links below to see UCAN Members perform a Flash Mob dance on U-Tube.  Over 40 UCAN Productions members, who are all visually impaired, helped the Big Lottery launch their new ‘Bright New Futures’ programme in the Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay.  UCAN members from all over Wales took part and surprised the public in the Wales Millennium Centre by bursting into dance.

UCAN were happy to help the Big Lottery launch this project which aims to build the resilience of young people in Wales so that they have life skills, knowledge and the ability to manage key transitions in their lives.  The Big Lottery Fund are making £12 million available for projects across Wales, working with young parents and/or young disabled people aged 14-25.

UCAN Productions Launch \’Bright New Futures\’ project for The Big Lottery

Lloyd Coleman – Breaking The Wall

Breaking The Wall Project (DAC) 25-29 July

A week long series of workshops based at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama.

The wonderfully talented Lloyd Coleman has been working hard on his composition Breaking The Wall (a 35 minute piece composed for a full symphony orchestra).  The project is to celebrate the Cultural Olympiad.  With the aid of funding from The Legacy Trust and in partnership Disability Arts Cymru’s ‘ Who’s Flame is it Anyway?’

Lloyd has been working very hard over the past few years on this mammoth task.  Lloyd, who is currently studying at the Royal Academy of Music, has been mentored through the project by internationally acclaimed arranger Lawrence Ashmore.

The project will culminate in a public performance played by The BBC National Orchestra of Wales on 3 March followed by a full recording of Breaking The Wall on 7 March 2012.  This gives UCAN Productions time to create performances for the Olympic celebration.  UCAN Members and Trainers including Giles Abbott, Professional Storyteller from London have been working very hard on narrative and creative movement piece to accompany Lloyd’s music.

UCAN Perform Festival 20 July 2011

UCAN PERFORM 2011

Performance Festival for Visually Impaired Young People and their Friends
Date: Wednesday 20 July 2011
Venue: Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay
Time:   11.00am – 4.00pm

Come and join us at The Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay for a day of fun, learn new skills, and make new friends

WORKSHOPS
Drama
Body Percussion
Radio Plays
Sound Recording
Activities for under 7’s
Dance and Movement

UCAN Members will be performing to the public on the Glanfa Stage throughout the day.

With thanks to Legal & General and Arts & Kids, the festival programme is free and all activities are designed for visually impaired young people.  No experience necessary. Professionals, teachers, family and friends are welcome to attend.  Allocation of places will be on a first served basis.

For further information contact Enireth Powell-Davies info@ucanproductions.org or call our office 029 2087 0554.  Anyone under the age of 18 must complete a parental consent form.

We look forward to hearing from you!  Join UCAN Productions on Facebookhttp://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=23029023431&v=wall

i2i Project – School of Optometry & Vision Sciences

UCAN Productions have recently completed a series of Visual Awareness Training with the help of from RNIB Cymru.  118 Optometry Students completed the training at Cardiff University and from the 118 over 90 students have come forward and are now Performance Support Volunteers to UCAN’s members.  The objective of the training was for the students, who will be Optometrists in the future, to gain a better understanding of the challenges and obstacles facing our visually impaired young people.

Below are some photos of the students during the training:-

A big thank you to Dr Christine Purslow, Senior Lecturer at The School of Optometry for all her help and making this project a great success.  Also we’d like to thank The Arts Council for Wales and The Millennium Volunteers who funded this project.

Breaking The Wall

Lloyd Coleman, Junior Chairman of UCAN Productions Young People’s Steering Committee is composing music to celebrate the 2012  Olympics.

The project has been running for over a year and is progressing well.  Breaking The Wall is to be played by the BBC National Orchestra of Wales and Lloyd will conduct.  To support the performance UCAN members will be creating a performance piece using Lloyd’s music as the inspiration.  All these performances will be in 2012 at various venues around Wales.

Lloyd (18) who is currently studying composition at the Royal Academy is developing the ‘Breaking The Wall’ project which will comprise of three musical movements supported by poetry and body percussion.

Speaking  about his project, Lloyd said:-

‘The idea is to also have a narrative around the Greek athlete Pheidippides, who ran something like 150 miles to Marathon in tow days to summon more support to stop invaders taking over their territory.

I think this is very relevant especially to the Para Olympics. I see it as an overall metaphor of how everyone can achieve their dreams.  When it’s played in 2012 it will be just tremendous.  It will be the biggest thing of my career.  I hope it will isnpire so many younger people and show disabled and able-bodied people that disability is not a barrier to success.’

The BBC National Orchestra of Wales has a long standing commitment to support and encourage emerging young Welsh talent.  We are therefore delighted to be able to offer Lloyd this opportunity and l0ok forward to working with him.

Philip Watts, Development Manager, BBC National Orchestra of Wales

To promote the project Lloyd and Jane Latham were invited to visit the brand new Olympic Park on 7 November 2010.

Breaking The Wall is a partnership project with ‘Whose Flame is it Anyway’ which is part of Power of the Flame, funded by Legacy Trust UK, managed by The Arts Council of Wales and delivered by Disability Arts Cymru.