User:Beyondskin

Beyond Skin was established in 2004 to use the arts to address sectarianism and the rise in racism. Since then, the cultural make-up of Northern Ireland has changed dramatically, which in turn has produced many problems. Beyond Skin works to address these problems and to use the arts as its main vehicle. Key objectives: • To address racism and sectarianism in Northern Ireland through multicultural arts • To promote positive attributes reflected from a society made up of different cultures • To promote multicultural arts for the benefit of the inhabitants of Northern Ireland • To promote racial harmony and the exchange of cultural ideas and relations through the medium of the arts • To contribute to maintaining a peaceful society in Northern Ireland • To increase social awareness of different cultures within Northern Ireland • To increase links between communities from different cultural backgrounds • To present, promote, organise, manage and produce performances and exhibitions of works of cultural and educational value

From the start, Beyond Skin have always wished to move 'against the grain' in project development; and even though some very heavy issues are being addressed, the idea that its projects should reflect this 'heaviness' is something that Beyond Skin have always disagreed with. From the development of the multi-cultural collective, The Motion Project, to the setting-up of a cultural music and educational radio broadcast, Homely Planet, Beyond Skin have always looked at constantly reinventing itself, ensuring that it is an organisation that is not comfortable to stay in one fixed format, not taking into account the changing times around it.

Beyond Skin's drive is to hit each of its aims and objectives, but as an organisation does not believe in attaining some 'high point', setting-up camp there and then remaining only on familiar ground. Beyond Skin will always be developing, with a strategy that is not a straight line to reach a destination, but rather a full circle to become sustainable and to maximise the capacity of projects. This in turn generates better results, promotes the issues along the way - and not the organisation. [www.beyondskin.net]