Deaf charity producing six-part feature in Monkstown

D’Sign Arts (NI) was formed in 2015 and is a charity which helps Deaf, people with hearing impairments, Children of Deaf Adults (CODAs) and hearing people who are learning British or Irish Sign Language.

The charitable organisation aims to bring people with different backgrounds together to promote and create arts, drama and media, through workshops, performances and filming.

A spokesperson for D’Sign (NI) said: “We are working with Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council, who have helped fund our filming project and given us a venue to film in.

“We’d like to thank the council and Cllr Mark Cooper for their fantastic support in helping us secure funding to allow this filming project to happen.

“Without their support, we would not have been able to do this. Laurel and Hardy Deaf and Charlie Chaplin is a six-episode feature film, which is currently in production.

“The six episodes are all acted, written, produced, edited, and directed by a group of Deaf and people with hearing impairments. The aim of this project is to give Deaf people and people with hearing impairments an opportunity to gain confidence in the media and performing sector.

“This is an excellent way to bring the Deaf and hearing impaired communities together to create an exciting project, never done before in the history of D’Sign Arts (NI).

“We aim to release the six episodes of Laurel and Hardy Deaf and Charlie Chaplin in December 2021 via YouTube.”

Welcoming the production, Threemilewater DUP Cllr Mark Cooper BEM said: “I’m delighted to help and support D’Sign Arts. The group is exceptionally talented in ‘performing arts’ - I was able to secure premises at Monkstown Jubilee Centre so the group can meet.

“D’Sign will also be preforming on ‘The Big Weekend’ in September run by the council. The Deaf community is close to my heart, I will continue to raise Deaf awareness and lobby at local government and MLAs at Stormont.”

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