2009 Summary

2009 seen many changes for the organisation now in its 5th year with the development of new programs and many staff changes.

With a solid foundation of successful projects, especially by the multicultural group, The Motion Project and later in 2008 with Homely Planet radio, it was important in 2009 that Beyond Skin strengthened its position as a peacebuilding organisation whilst challenging concepts how the aims & objectives were reached.
Partnership and ownership had always been key values of Beyond Skin and with the growth of Homely Planet radio and networks locally and globally, 2009 was a year to really exercise and develop partnerships.
Sharing resources with SEEDS and the Foyle Language School in Derry enabled a long overdue Beyond Skin office presence in the Northwest. This was a very important move to develop opportunities in the Northwest primarily using music and radio.

Funding from Office First Minister and Deputy First Minister (OFMDFM), EU Peace III Northeast, Belfast City Council Culture & Arts outreach & development and creative legacies programmes presented us with opportunities to really deliver our ideas.

We learnt to play to our strengths, having a strong influence in the world music sector and managing an internet broadcast service with the ability to link communities around the world. With new members of the Beyond Skin team bringing new visions and skills - radio initiatives and cultural education through world music concepts quickly grew launching Beyond Skin into new territory we had been sitting on the fringes of all along. A massive thank-you is due to the British Council for assisting the cost of getting a member of our staff to represent world music in Northern Ireland at the largest World Music Expo in Copenhagan. (womex)

Yes, we are primarily a peacebuilding organisation addressing racism & sectarianism, but how we do things is through the arts, music and media and those outputs achieve the outcomes. Beyond Skin are here to show world culture through another lens, one that gives opportunities for questions, exchange and relationships.
Our process of learning is not just to educate people, but to also empower them and develop their confidence.

2009 we welcomed in new artists, musicians and networks and reached out to those who shared our vision and passion. We never took for granted our respected position in Northern Ireland as a community arts organisation or the support others gave to us, and we offered as much back as we could manage.

Our marketing strategy and branding ethos was maximised in 2009 as we gave more freedom to our multimedia partner Sinful Design. There is no doubt that the artistic value of Sinful Design on websites, products, and marketing had a massive positive impact on the success of promotions and projects. We realized that if you are an arts influenced organisation, the artistic quality must be visible in all areas.

Cultural division in Northern Ireland 2009 still remained a challenge and although a vast amount of work was being done to counteract racism, it became evident that sectarian attitudes still needed to be addressed.
Beyond Skin welcomed new 2009 initiatives such as Unite Against Hate, and in 2010 we aim to continue to share our knowledge and resources to support other people working for peace.
We will of course on our journey produce great outcomes in Art, Music and Radio through the very talented and generous people we work with and have still yet to meet.

Darren Ferguson
(project manager)

Ok everyone online - looking good

As Beyond Skin launches new projects, so comes new online presence.

'Creative Legacies' is a Belfast City Council initiative and Beyond Skin will be delivering a programme in East Belfast to compliment our Belfast East programme.
new website 1 www.belfasteast.net

Due to Beyond Skin's impact on the world music sector within Northern Ireland and Homely Planet radios global world music placement, worldmusicni is an initiative born from Beyond Skin's motion2music enterprise. WMNI aims to support N.I.s world music scene, cater for Workshops & Specific Cultural Education Projects, Performances and Advice, and festival development
new website 2 www.worldmusicni.com

Working closely with our friends at SEEDS (Derry) we are planning to rebrand and develop their One World festival. We've had a rep. at the womex conference and Homely Planet making a big splash in the world music sector. details will be on SEEDS new website, designed by our very own Rachy
new website 3 www.seeds.ie

so here we are and there we go
see you in your digital or physical appearance sometime soon

changes

Nothing goes wrong, it just changes...

Beyond Skin have been going through growth changes with new members to the team, new office in the Northwest and development and expansion of projects/programs.

so what big events are coming up?
5th September - concert with the Polish Association to mark the Northern Ireland vs Poland football match.
25th September -culture night Belfast when Beyond Skin take over the Premier Inn.
19th October - World Music interactive experience at central station Belfast and a series of radio events for anti-racism in the workplace week

We are very active on the net and info on our developments/events can be found across our sites.
main ones being...
www.beyondskin.net
www.worldmusicni.com
www.homelyplanet.org

if you wish to join our mailing list send email to
info@beyondskin.net

27/05/09 Elmgrove Community Group

This was day one of what became a five week program. We met with the Elmgrove Community Group and discussed how we could explore the culture of East Belfast and in what way we could represent it visually. We brought along Emma-Louise Hutchinson (local artist) to facilitate the project. It was generally agreed that it was important to draw from the 'industrial history' of the area, whilst trying to find a way to show how the area is changing. The group wanted to find a way to show a link between the past, the present and the future. Quite a few concepts were discussed but the one that proved to be most popular was the idea of dressing/decorating an 'Elmgrove' tree within the grounds of the school. It was felt that the tree was a perfect platform from which to begin. The 'roots' could represent both the parents of the pupils and also the community, the trunk of the tree was the link to the leaves, which represented the children/future.

northwest

Homely Planet is turning out to be one of those ideas that takes a life of its own. We at Beyond Skin always had faith in the idea but part of the joy of this work is seeing something flourish beyond your expectations.
Just over 1 yr on (time of writing - may 09), after the radios launch we have had to rewrite the strategy book just to keep up with the momentum.

As well as establishing exciting links globally, here in Northern Ireland Homely Planet is really digging itself in and getting its hands dirty.

We were thrilled when the idea of regional teams became reality...
With 'northwest', a team based in Derry in partnership with SEEDS and the Foyle Language School, producing programs within the area, and very soon Omagh and later more regional teams are set to follow.

Homely Planet radio is a great vehicle for cultural relations locally and globally. It may have a life of its own, but we still can't sit back as pressure is trying to keep up with it.

tune in www.homelyplanet.org

DF

what about me?

27th April sees this years start of 'Community Relations Week 2009'. Always a busy week for beyond skin but this year we are particularly excited.
The guys who inspired the formation of Beyond Skin, '1 Giant Leap' have been busy promoting thier 2nd film 'what about me?' which was winter last year.
We have already hosted some sreenings around N.I. but for CR Week we are using are flagship project 'Homely Planet' radio.

Thanks to the 1GL team we will be broadcasting audio from the film and discussions held at screenings of the film throughout Northern Ireland.

It has been 5yrs since our first 1 Giant Leap campaign (hard to believe), and this latest 1GL campaign is a time for us to reflect and celebrate the last 5yrs.

1 Giant leap made the initial step and what followed through Beyond Skin has been amazing! A very positive example of cause & effect.

'what About Me?' is truly amazing, so if you don't get a chance to attend one of our screenings please make it a priority to see this film.

df

world music n.i.

as Beyond Skin uses multicultural arts to assist cultural relations, we are finding that the world music sector is a growing underground movement that needs to be released.
Supporting the artists that help meet our aims was always an objective but now we aim to widen the net so see who is out there and can Northern ireland really raise the flag on the global world music industry.
www.worldmusicni.com is an extension of our social enterprise motion2music. Much more than an experiment, it is an initiative and free service to see what really can be acheived.
In turn a growth in the world music sector could really help cultural education and relations in Northern Ireland.

...and we get some great music along the way

DF

take it easy

an interesting experimenton the back of a program campaign.
The Motion Project have recorded & composed alot of music but never released a single. A track re-recorded to promote a program in the east of Belfast City seemed the ideal chance to test those record buyers waters.

ok we havent the resources of a large record label pushing it onto every playlist but still good for the musicians and Jonny Nixon (his track) to get it out of community world into the N.I. mainstream.

Recorded it was great fun and the Motion team had a blast, more please I think we would all ask. Funding permitting hopefully more great tunes will come out in 2009

and really, 'take it easy' is a great song.

DF

oh 9 time

2009 has arrived! so what are the plans for Beyond Skin this year?
where do i start?

The flagship projects, Motion & Homely Planet do have ambitious programs for 2009, but as with everything else, depends on funding. but whatever happens expect good things.
Plenty of CD releases from the Motion Project and Youth in Motion projects plus on the music theme Homely Planet sessions and programs.

The theme this year will be focused on dialogue, asking the questions, learning from each other, and seeing our community on a global scale.
There is a world out there, so much to explore. Hopefully we will see you on our adventure in 2009.

DF