Artitude: Climate, Culture and Circularity is a Derry-based project using arts to address climate action, waste, and sustainability.
It is a privilege to be working on this incredible, inspiring project. Gemma has been in post since October as an embedded artist exploring socially engaged arts practice with a group of people from the Triax area of Derry-Londonderry.
Research, talks, workshops, writing, storytelling and music-making on themes around local history, heritage, nature, visionary fiction, climate activism, grief and Irish wake rituals. There will be a public presentation in July 2026.
@playhousederry@artitude.project
#Artitude
This, my loves, is the final Unspoken Series here on Instagram!!!
It will be moving into a new more aligned format soon…
so if you’ve been following, I really recommend tuning in for this week chat with Gemma Walker-Farren @makeyuppers
Last week, I spoke with @annad.poetry on the layers of matrescence and motherhood, which was wildly powerful…
So feels aligned Gemma will be speaking into a deeply important and very unspoken topic of - Northern Ireland currently being the most dangerous place in Europe to be a woman, with 30 women murdered since 2020!
We’ll be exploring this reality, alongside patriarchy as a root cause of violence, and what needs to be brought into awareness.
Gemma Walker-Farren is a theatre maker, storyteller, performer and writer and co founder of @makeyuppers
She has worked across the UK and Ireland for over 20 years with people of all ages and abilities, regularly devising new theatre with both community groups and professionals.
Her work explores themes such as: patriarchy, climate justice, the alcohol industry, the housing crisis
Her greatest passion lies in finding new ways of telling stories and connecting people through them.
This series has been about bringing voice to the conversations we’ve often swept under the carpet… around topics such as:
– culture and conditioning
– grief and loss
– shame
– identity and belonging
– expression and truth
The ones we lower our voices for.
The ones we avoid.
The ones that most need to be spoken.
We’ll be going LIVE on Instagram:
🗓 Friday 24th
🕰 5:30pm GMT
This feels like a powerful way to close this chapter of the series...I highly recommend tuning in for this one 🌹
ON YOUR APRIL TO JUNE 😎♥️
We are hitting the road again with our very popular Mystery Bag show. This improvised controller chaos will be heading to 15 groups across North Coast and Co. Down thanks to support from @solepurposeproductions and funding from @artscouncilni Rural Engagement Arts Programme.
@age_concern_causeway@countydownrcn
#mysterybag #makeyuppers #seriouseejits #storytelling #improv
LAUNCH EVENT for End Violence Against Women and Girls last night at Holywell Trust
We had a fabulous turnout for a powerful evening of performance, conversation, and the presentation of our educational resources 'Pat Packs' (sample in photos👇) thanks to the always amazing @j_dunne87 Jason Dunne
Wee Yarn Productions blew us away with an extract of their new play 'Called Out'. It's on in Coalisland this Fri and Sat and really needs to be seen everywhere
We started the session with a poignant naming of the 30 women who have been killed in NI in the last 6 years, followed by a one minute silence.
There were tears but also laughter and honesty and it was a beautiful gathering. People spoke of hope and energy as they left.
Collaboration in the arts and the humanising of statistics and systems of oppression through storytelling is vital. We hope we will be able to work together to continue this work but it needs funding.
Many thanks again to everyone who came. Get in touch if you're interested in workshops in future.
Thanks to Derry City & Strabane District Council for funding and as always to Sole Purpose Productions - our long time collaborators and supporters.
#endingviolence #patriarchy #EVAWG
@solepurposeproductions@weeyarnproductions@dcsdcouncil@holywelltrust@ulsteruni@unisonnorthwest@pilgrim_within_
PLEASE COME TO OUR LAUNCH
next Monday 23rd at holywell trust, Bishop St
6.30 arrival for 7pm start
We will be showing a sample of our Patriarchy educational resources and Wee Yarn Productions will be performing an extract from their new play 'Called Out'- a one man show about the pressures of toxic masculinity on young men. Written by Cahal Clarke.
There will be food and tea,etc.
*Please let us know if you can make it [email protected]* or message 07843274700
This is in partnership with Wee Yarn Productions, supported by Sole Purpose Productions and funded by Derry City and Strabane District Council via the Northern Ireland Executive Ending Violence Against Women and Girls Programme
@solepurposeproductions@weeyarnproductions@dcsdcouncil@holywelltrust
#endingviolenceagainstwomen
#EVAWG
Yesterday morning we had a workshop by The Makey Uppers Gemma and Sorcha, with Cahal from Wee Yarn Productions . We'd great craic but also learned a lot. The creativity from the group at the end was beautiful.
This workshop is part of an ending violence against women and girls initiative. It explores patriarchy and power in a really fun, interactive way for groups. I'd highly recommend it especially for young boys and men too!
Thanks to @derryjournal_ for publishing this article on the festival!
Have you got your tickets booked yet? We can’t wait to welcome you to the @playhousederry
Follow the link in our bio to book - but be quick to avoid missing out!
INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY : LISA McGEE (writer of Derry Girls and How to Get To Heaven from Belfast) will be at Playhouse Derry in a post show conversation with another brilliant Derry Girl, Caoimhe Farren This is honestly one that is NOT TO BE MISSED! Up na Mná ♥️
🎭 Hello Charlie – Staged Reading & Post-Show Chat with Lisa McGee
📅 Date: 8th March 2026, 7.30pm
🎟 Tickets: Adult £15 | Supporter £20
👉 Booking link in bio
rryplayhouse.co.uk/event/hello-charlie-launch-and-post-show-with-lisa-mcgee
"Join us for a staged reading of Hello Charlie, Caoimhe Farren’s fearless and original debut play exploring trauma, addiction, and sisterhood. After the reading, stick around for a post-show discussion with Lisa McGee, as she and Caoimhe talk about:
✨ Bringing the women of Derry to the stage
✨ Creating bold, explosive female characters
✨ Forging careers with Derry as a springboard
Meet sisters Maeve and Kate as they navigate past trauma, hedonism, and the hilariously chaotic antics of Maeve’s alter-ego, Charlie. Black comedy has never been this fierce!
🏆 Hello Charlie has already made waves: shortlisted for The Women’s Prize for Playwriting, finalist for the Victoria Wood Playwriting Prize for Comedy, and ranked in the top 1% of BBC Writers Open Call entries."
#FrontandCentre #IWD2026 #DerryGirls
