NORTHERN Ireland's main political parties have finally united to create a bright, new society - but only in a magical story land created by children.
The Sticky Fingers Art Project in Newry, which is Ireland's first dedicated children's art centre, has found a fun use for discarded posters from the recent council and European elections by giving them to children to create whatever their imagination desires, including space ships, school buses and aeroplanes.
The project approached the north's political parties following May's elections and asked if they could be given the posters. As it is located in Newry and near the border, they made the same approach to parties in the south. Altogether, the project received around 300 posters.
These were given to the children who use the arts space who went on to create all sorts of vehicles, aeroplanes and buildings.
Some were used in the construction of a story land at the project.
Independent councillor Gavin Malone, who topped the polls in Newry, Mourne and Down back in May, donated so many posters that the children have been able to create "a whole village of little houses" including his constituency office.
Posters donated by Alliance Party Leader Naomi Long have so far been used to make a "giant tree" and a helicopter, which has been placed in the foyer of the Sticky Fingers.
Those belonging to Sinn Fein's Conor Muprhy have been made into a steam ship while some DUP ones have been used to make smaller vehicles.
Grainne Powell, Chief Executive of Sticky Fingers, which boasts Ireland's only Imaginarium Story Centre, said the election posters presented an "opportunity".
"They are quite versatile and sturdy," she said.
"We have a magical space for children and we used some of them in the early construction of the story land.
"When we had a local election, we used that opportunity to ask the parties for their old posters. We did write to everybody.
"We had an excellent response from right across the region. We have every political party is in the Imaginarium."
She said Sticky Fingers, which is a charity, was always happy to accept donations for their art projects.
"We would use a lot of recycled materials in our arts and crafts activity," she said.
"The imagination lab is open every day and people come in and make something. Today we are making UFOs.
“As a charity, we rely on community donations of material to make what we make. We provide a programme six days a week to the public, free of charge.
"The story lab, which is a unique imagination think space, the only one in Ireland, we were able to create it in house because of local resources donated. We rely on that."
