Queer Space

This first, short project with Queer Space will be used for presentations, film screenings and workshops, developing outlines for a future creative project as part of our community as artist series. Queer Space is a volunteer group, campaigning and support agency and cultural organisation for the Lesbian, Gay and Transgender community. 

Identity and the diversity of gender, its perception and cultural expression could be key elements for this project. Within the series of community as artist' and the aspects of community of place// community of interest, this could be the most colourful of all communities.

QueerSpace is a volunteer-led organization based on collective planning and action which serves the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Trans Community (LGBT) of Belfast and Northern Ireland by raising its visibility, supporting its activities, providing it with resources and facilitating communication while adhering to the principles of community orientation, freedom of identity, ethical funding and accessibility.
For more information on QueerSpace also see facebook.

PROGRAMME

Tuesday, 12 May, 7-9pm
Launch of Exhibition

Wednesday, 13 May, 7pm
Film screenings. 'Celebration of Love' documentary on Equal Marriage in Toronto. Other screenings TBC

Thursday, 14 May, 7pm
Ping-pong Saturday, 16 May, 12-3pm

Background

'community as artist// workshop as exhibition' is the key theme for PS² in 2015/16. Together with eight community and/ or community-arts organisations, the aim of the series is to develop a creative project with each organisation and their participants over the course of the year. This open and experimental approach is facilitated by artists and bridge the gap between seemingly different sectors: community arts and arts organisations (galleries, museums).
Simplified, it is the function of art/ creativity which could characterise this difference: creative production as tool and instrument for a political/ social agenda for the community arts and- on the other side- the arts as a (nearly) autonomous, purely aesthetic practise, distributed by galleries and museums, accumulating economic value.
Socially engaged- or participatory art does not try to sit in between, but to establish a fresh way to reconnect art and cultural production with society.

PS² has in the past discussed aspects of engaged art in talks, most recently in How can you explain the complexities of collaboration...? as part of the 'ARTWORKS Conversation' by the Paul Hamlyn Foundation.

As a practical step in the community as artist// workshop as exhibition series, PS² will hand-over its space in Donegall Street to community (arts) organisations which work with art as a tool for social/ environmental change.
Throughout the year and for several projects, PS² will act as venue for workshops, meetings and exhibition space for projects realised by the cooperating organisations. PS² will offer support, help and assistance during the process of the projects and the formats of their presentations. In reverse, we will gain insight and knowledge in the complexities, pitfalls and potentials of socially engaged art and participatory processes here in Belfast. A mutual learning and discovery process which hopefully leads to fruitful outcomes, excitement and great art.

Cooperations

New Lodge Arts, Belfast ashtoncentre.com/culture&arts.php
Upper Springfield Development Trust, Belfast upperspringfield.com/arts-program
Tyrella and Ballykinlar Community Association; Anne-Marie Dillon, Ballykinler
AmmA Centre, Armagh ammacentre.org; Nerve Centre, Belfast
Outburst, Belfast outburstarts.com/2014
Prison Arts Foundation, Belfast prisonartsfoundation.com
Queer Space, Belfast queerspace.org.uk
Replay Theatre, Belfast replaytheatrecompany.org  Launch, Tuesday, 12 May 2015