Land of Giants

Community Celebrations is our latest national programme, which will create high-profile spectacular and innovative celebrations in communities across the UK. Legacy Trust UK has committed £3 million to this programme which aims to create a cultural legacy in each of the successful areas (Scotland, Northern Ireland, East Midlands and South East England).

Land of Giants in Northern Ireland takes its inspiration from a number of ‘Giants’ that are present in Northern Ireland’s history, both ancient and modern. 

Special focus will be given to four giants – Finn McCool, the giant who created the Giant’s Causeway; Gulliver, whose giant features are outlined in the hills surrounding Belfast; Samson and Goliath, the two cranes which have dominated the Belfast skyline for the past forty years and the Titanic together with her less famous sister ship, the Olympic.

A 14 month programme of events, activities and community engagement will take place across Northern Ireland in the lead up to main outdoor event at Belfast's Titanic Slipways on 30 June 2012. Combining acrobatics, aerial dance, carnival, circus, physical performance, music, multi-media and pyrotechnics, the event will present a spectacular production to an audience of over 20,000 people at the City’s newest open air events space.

The cultural inspiration of the giants will fuse together in the final event linking to the Olympic values, and the aspiration of Northern Ireland for a ‘shared and better future’, which will be the largest outdoor arts celebration ever staged in Northern Ireland.

Land of Giants aims to build the capacity and confidence of the creative industries in Northern Ireland, harnessing and developing indigenous talent for future work opportunities on the regional, national and international stage.   Land of Giants will offer both formal and informal opportunities for participant engagement through skills training, schools projects, the international links through the Olympic community, the promotion of diversity, and volunteering and citizenship.

Giant Events Company, organiser of Land of Giants, is currently on the look out for more than 500 creative cast and crew; organisers are asking for local creative talent to get in touch to find out how they can be a part of this unique opportunity, working either behind the scenes or centre stage in a wide range of paid and voluntary roles. From musical director and costume designer through to health and safety and stage management there are numerous backstage opportunities available. An array of performers will be required including aerialists, circus & physical performers, drummers, musicians and singers. Land of Giants also hopes to offer a series of apprenticeships in areas such as design, production, lighting, sound, special effects and community engagement.

For more information visit www.landofgiants.info