Between November 2 and 12, the RE[act] festival takes place in Belfast’s Donegall Square for the first time in an exciting new city experience for 2021.
The inspirational line up of talks, workshops and immersive events will be led by global experts who are dedicated to creating a more sustainable Belfast.
Alongside the United Nations Climate Change Conference which is currently being held in Glasgow until November 12, like minded individuals in our city are making sure they are doing their bit to be part of the global conversation too.
Through public support, the team behind LQ Bid and COP26 regional funding, the RE[act] festival has had the opportunity to invest in a framework which plans to educate the Northern Irish public to consider adopting new sustainable practices in their everyday lives.
From the food you buy to the clothes you wear, the festival will be hosting a range of events which cover topics to inspire all generations to RE[act].
This isn’t the first festival held in the city that has focused their attention on promoting the importance of the environment.
Previously, Culture Night Presents: The Ogham Grove installation held in Writer’s Square was created with environmental sustainability in mind.
Gawian Morrison, lead designer of the nature-inspired experience emphasised that all materials used had a second home after the event, “What is important to everyone involved in this project is sustainability and making sure that the materials used in this are not just used and thrown away.
“Using and reusing products was a very important part of our concept and the actual structural delivery of things that people can see,” he said.
Read below for a brief snapshot of events you can look forward to attending
The True Cost
Wednesday 3rd 7pm – 9:30pm at The Belfast Barge
Belfast City Council have teamed up with Siobhan Purnell, Tackling Textiles Coordinator at Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful to launch a free screening of The True Cost documentary which reveals the startling truth about the impacts of fast fashion and the global problem of textile waste.
After the film, there will also be a Q&A session featuring guest, Siofra Caherty who is a sustainable local fashion designer
Help Turn Trash into Treasure
Sunday 7th & Saturday 8th & Wednesday 10th November 10am – 4pm at The Elmwood Hall, Queen’s University Belfast
This contemporary art project is an interactive exhibition which requires the public to design a striking community piece of art made from used or discarded items.
Held at The Elmwood Hall of Queen’s University Belfast, community artist Hazel Florence Boland will encourage you to think about the environmental responsibility that we carry on a daily basis. The final creation will be displayed on the university campus where it will act as a reminder of our modern ‘throw away’ culture.
The Wardrobe Clothes Swap Event
Tuesday 9th November 5:15pm or 6:45pm
Come along to The Wardrobe, Preloved Boutique, for an evening of fun, guilt free shopping and style advice!
This ‘One Woman’s Trash is Another Woman’s Treasure!’ swap event in conjunction with RE(act) Sustainability Festival and East Belfast Partnership.
All attendees are encouraged to bring five gently worn items which are left at the back of your wardrobe to be in with the chance to swap them for five as new items from someone else’s.
On the night there will also be a guest speaker, Mary McGuigan, owner of style and image consultancy, Corporate & Creative Image, who will be on hand to share some expert advice on how to best dress for your colouring, shape, lifestyle and personality, and how to do this sustainably.
Ticket includes a complimentary glass of Prosecco!
Ikea Art Installation
Thursday 11th November, all day
In the Belfast flagship store, Ikea are hosting a large-scale art installation which will showcase the work of Titanic Denim designers.
Masters of up-cycling, the team at Titanic Denim have been using reclaimed denim and textiles to create luxury unique designs since 2017 but their mission is to rescue the 350,00 tonnes of wearable clothing that goes to landfill each year in the UK.
Sustainable Fashion Show
Sunday 13th November, 2pm – 4pm
The Ikea Belfast site is also hosting a fun fashion show featuring models wearing pre-loved items of clothing sourced only from Barnado’s charity shops across Northern Ireland.
To learn more about the Re[act] Festival, and to see the full list of events, go to www.reactfestival.co.uk