In celebration of Northern Ireland’s rich craft landscape, past and present, five makers were invited to produce new work in response to heritage footage from Northern Ireland Screen’s Digital Film Archive. This film shows one of the makers response alongside the archive footage that inspired her.

Sheena Devitt carves into stone and slate to create site specific sculptural artworks. The designs are inspired by and respond to the site's topography and history, its orientation and present inhabitants.

“When I first watched the archive I was struck by films made by the Northern Ireland Tourist Board in the 1960s that showed how much large scale industries relied on traditional craft skills. I saw a parallel with development of the film industry in Northern Ireland over the past 15 years, which has created new opportunities for craft skills and a fresh energy from people coming to work here. This coming and going of people across the water got me thinking about the movement of water as a symbol of the enriching exchange of creativity that is taking place.” - Sheena Devitt

Film|Makers is possible thanks to the initial support of R-Space Gallery, Arts Council of Northern Ireland, The Braid Mid-Antrim Museum, BFI Film Audience Network and BFI Unlocking Film Heritage awarding funds from the National Lottery. A special thanks to the original film makers and rights holders of the archive material that continues to be such a rich source of inspiration. 

The current incarnation of Film|Makers, on show in Nerve Visual Gallery until February 18th 2018, is part of the Reimagine, Remake, Replay project supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund’s Kick the Dust programme. Reimagine, Remake, Replay will connect young people with heritage in meaningful ways through creative media and in the latest digital technologies. The project is delivered by a consortium of partners including Nerve Centre, Northern Ireland Museums Council, National Museums Northern Ireland and Northern Ireland Screen.

Directors: Simon Mills, Lorna Mills, and Sinéad Bhreathnach-Cashell

Supported by Craft Northern Ireland, Film Hub NI and the BFI.

• TACA Works
• R-Space Gallery
• Sheena Devitt
• McConnell & Sons