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Please see info below on how to get spectator tickets for the Antrim and Newtownabbey Pipe Band Festival that takes place in Antrim Castle Gardens on Saturday 7th August,

Admission to members of the public is being controlled by tickets and a maximum of 1000 tickets is being released. There is a token charge for spectator tickets of £1.00, all proceeds from tickets will be donated to the Mayor’s charity. Tickets can be booked online here

If you do not wish to book online, you can contact Antrim & Newtownabbey Borough council on 02894 481338 to book over the phone. Members of the public must have a ticket booked to get admitted, no admission will be permitted without a ticket.

Please note that public spectator admission tickets will not be posted by the Council, an email confirmation will be sent to those booking online, and a printed list of sales will be held at the gates for those booking over the phone,

There is no spectator parking available within the grounds of Antrim Castle GardensThere is no spectator parking available within the grounds of Antrim Castle Gardens but there is a lot of parking available near the event location

The Ulster-Scots Agency has opened the Music Tuition grants for projects commencing from 1st September 2021 and ending by 30th April 2022.

The funding is at a rate of 75% of eligible costs, which provides financial support to voluntary groups, including bands, to deliver a 20-week tuition programme and support tutor costs and venue hire.

Over the years, the musical tuition programme has encouraged the development of numerous young musicians and we hope that groups and bands will avail of this opportunity to develop the Ulster-Scots musical tradition and seek to rebuild after the Covid-19 pandemic.

Applications for grants close at 5pm on Sunday 18th July 2021 and must be submitted using the online application form.

Groups interested in applying should register through the link on the Ulster-Scots Agency website - https://form.jotform.com/211084746074354. Applicants will then be emailed an application form, supporting documents to complete, and a copy of the guidelines.

To support groups and bands complete the application process, the Ulster-Scots Community Network has also created a YouTube video which will be available via social media shortly.

The last fifteen months have been a difficult and challenging time for bands and voluntary groups. We hope the music tuition programme will offer the opportunity to develop musical skills and attract new participants into the Ulster-Scots cultural tradition.

Please see attached for the syllabus for the upcoming Mid Ulster Outdoor Solos

Entries will open shortly

We are asking all bands to fill out an MS Form (link here) before Friday 2nd July 2021 to indicate if the band plans on attending the Pipe Band Festivals on Saturday 7th August and Saturday 4th September 2021,

Bands will be asked to perform for approx. 10 minutes - playing music of your own choice,

If you have any queries or issues, please do not hesitate to contact the secretary - secretary@rspbani.org

According to current restrictions, 

Bands are permitted to practice outdoors, permitted that -
(i) the band does not engage in a procession;
(ii) no person in the gathering engages in singing;
(iii) the gathering consists only of the band; and
(iv) the gathering fulfils the conditions in paragraph (5) (see below)
(b) In this regulation “band” means a group of two or more persons each of whom
engages in the playing or sounding of a musical instrument or carries a musical
instrument for the purpose of playing or sounding it, along with any conductor or
instructor.”

Paragraph 5
The conditions which must be fulfilled by a person to whom this paragraph applies are that the person responsible for organising or operating the gathering—
(a) has carried out an appropriate risk assessment (see paragraph 10); and
(b) takes all reasonable measures to limit the risk of transmission of the coronavirus, including implementing the preventive and protective measures identified in the appropriate risk assessment undertaken under sub-paragraph (a).

Links to the documents containing this information and the paragraphs -
https://www.health-ni.gov.uk/sites/default/files/publications/health/covid-consolidated-regs.docx
https://www.health-ni.gov.uk/sites/default/files/publications/health/doh-covid-restrictions-amdt-2-regs-2021.pdf

When the announcement was made that Static Band Practice and rehearsals would be permitted in agreed outdoor locations from 23rd April, we contacted the Arts Council NI for clarification on what this meant

We wanted to seek clarification in regards to the "agreed public spaces" and if there is any further guidance on the use of woodwind instruments

We do know that Bands must ensure that they have an up-to-date risk assessment and that social distancing guidelines are adhered to at all times.  Practices are for members only and should not have any spectators

We hope to have an answer to our queries this week and we will update all bands when we have more information

At the Branch Meeting on Saturday 27th March, the bands in attendance were in support of the Executive's recommendation to explore the possibility of running 2, possibly 3 showcase events in August/September 2021 (in line with government restrictions),

The Executive committee will now go ahead and engage with sponsors and begin planning for such events,

If any bands have any ideas for these outdoor showcase events, please ask your band secretary to submit them via secretary@rspbani.org