A group of leading European experts is in Belfast this week to discuss and explore the rich potential of the arts to enhance our understanding of cultural interaction and to promote the principles and practice of equality and good relations. Arts practice in Northern Ireland will be under the spotlights as delegates from as far afield as Serbia, Slovenia, Hungary and Sweden travel to the city to attend the 6th Intercultural Practice Exchange taking place at the MAC in Belfast (15th / 16th November).
Hosted by the Arts Council of Northern Ireland in collaboration with the Platform for Intercultural Europe (PIE), the event is entitled Navigating the journey from conflict to interculturalism: The Arts in Northern Ireland and will provide delegates from both here and across Europe with the opportunity to exchange good practice in the field of interculturalism and the arts.
The event considers how the arts and artists articulate the conflict in Northern Ireland, as well as examining the value of the arts as a vehicle in promoting reconciliation and in developing community relationships at an inter and intra community level. Successful Arts Council initiatives including the Re-imaging Communities Programme, Intercultural Arts Strategy and the Troubles Archive are being discussed as part of the programme. Local political representatives are also sharing their views and experiences of the impact of the arts and its role in the future given the challenges facing Northern Ireland.
Participants will also have the unique opportunity to get out and about on excursions to look at local community projects where they will see for themselves examples of transformative arts practice in Northern Ireland within a variety of settings, including the Community Arts Partnership, Oh Yeah Music Centre, Kabosh Theatre and The Lawrence Street Workshops.
Bob Collins, Chairman of the Arts Council of Northern Ireland, said:
“We are delighted to be working with our international colleagues at PIE in providing an opportunity for artists and arts organisations in Northern Ireland to share their experiences with their European counterparts and to discuss and explore just how the arts can help meet government objectives for equality and good relations. It speaks volumes that we are now in a position to showcase exactly what the arts have helped to achieve in terms interculturalism here and extremely rewarding to be able to exchange views, knowledge and experiences with our European colleagues.”
Sabine Frank, Secretary General, Platform for Intercultural Europe, added:
“The Practice Exchange is all about showing that culture is still appreciated for its potential to help reconciliation and social cohesion. The inter-community arts work that has contributed to the peace process in Northern Ireland should also be a valuable resource for tackling the new diversity challenges associated with European mobility. The opportunities we have had to engage with just some of Northern Ireland’s showcase initiatives have been exceptional. I think we have all learnt something new and have plenty of ideas to take away with us.”