THE BEAT INITIATIVE - BELFAST


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Name of the responsible structure : The Beat Initiative
Profile of the initiators of the project :artistic company
Type of structure : Limited Company
Continent : Europe
Country : Northern Ireland, U.K.
Address/tel/fax : 9-11 Ballymacarrett Road, Belfast, BT4 1BT
Tel : +44 28 90460863
fax : +44 28 90460865
info@belfastcarnival.com
Site web : www.belfastcarnival.com
Contact : David Boyd david@belfastcarnival.com



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The Beat Initiative (carnival and community arts)
aims to promote quality arts access, engagement and production, and to create opportunities to gain skills and achievements.

Work is programmed through open workshops, special interest groups, public and street performances, festivals and events. The diverse range of activities includes visual arts, music and percussion, dance and performance, crafts, cultural traditions, and multi-arts collaborations.

Our policy is that our projects should:
• have a high standard of art work
•enable community access
•have a strong educational aspect
•move to establish employment
•have an artist led, ground-up dynamic

While we are currently based in inner-city east Belfast, we are committed to working with community groups throughout the City and beyond. Our intention is to build bridges between communities that have become polarized by years of mistrust and misunderstanding, by encouraging cooperation in producing events such as the Belfast Carnival.

The biggest Beat Initiative project is the annual Belfast Carnival Parade, a day-long celebration of arts and creativity resulting from months of city-wide participation in training, making and performing.

The Beat Initiative building has a large construction workshop facility.

Former use : Commercial truck workshop
Surface of the site : 6,000 sq ft
Location : city
Foundation year : 1993
Type of occupation : lease
Owner of the building : commercial business group


Infrastructures

Construction Workshop


Artistic and social disciplines

Music : production / workshops
Contemporary dance : creation / production / trainings / workshops
Visual art : creation / production / trainings / workshops / spaces rentals
Circus : production
Street performing arts : creation / production / trinings / workshops


Financial partners

Belfast City Council,
Community Relations Council,
Belfast European Partnership Board,
Arts Council Northern Ireland
NIE

Networks

Trans Europe Halles
Banlieues d’Europe

Modified on Wednesday 16 January 2008