Friday 18th October, 10:00am to 4:00pm.

Tickets £15 (includes lunch) available from the Braid Arts Centre.

Forthcoming symposium, Space: A Social Agenda is intended to build on Braid’s reputation as a cultural hub for communities within the North East of Northern Ireland and its success of visitor figures of around 100,000 ­ one of the highest visitor figures for any venue outside Belfast. This makes it a very exciting location for developmental activity in collaborative practice. The cross fertilisation of ideas between art and architecture have an enduring appeal to practitioners, policy makers and the general public.  The Braid is interested in furthering the debate on collaborative practice by examining the art and architecture agenda and PLACE brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the table in terms of facilitating, educating and empowering people to create better spaces throughout Northern Ireland.

This symposium will be an autumn event followed by an art & architecture programme of events in the Spring in partnership with PLACE.  There is a great interest in collaboration in terms of creativity in the UK and internationally.  Most practitioners, regardless of discipline, like the idea of collaborating and have a thirst to know more.  It is remarkable, therefore in this context that there is a shortage of activity and discussion in this area of practice. One of the findings of ŒTwo Minds: Ten Artists and Ten Architects in association with the RSUA and ACNI 2007, was that every participant felt the collaborative process was fascinating and they all stated they would welcome further opportunities to work in this area.

When wholeheartedly embraced collaboration delivers benefits for both partners working in this interdisciplinary manner.  It demonstrates the potential of contemporary art and architecture in terms of installation both in the gallery and the urban fabric. Also there is possibility of artists and architects partnering to positively re-imagine disused / derelict spaces for cultural intervention through informal urban design. In the current climate of economic challenges, artists and architects are hyper aware of the need to think collaboratively and of working in experimental ways so this project comes at a very timely and opportune time.

It is timely to discuss this area of activity particularly in Northern Ireland as it is very much a hot topic and there has never been a symposium on collaborative practice of this scale in the region.

Ballymena Borough Council and the Arts Officer have already built an important partnership with MAG (Ministerial Advisory Group) and it is one of several projects that MAG is promoting as part of their work.

The full day symposium will include a broad range of key speakers on art and architecture from Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland and the UK.

The symposium coincides with a fascinating exhibition at Mid Antrim Museum entitled Listen to your space!

This exhibition is based on a project collecting soundscapes and compositions based on recordings from various places in Northern Ireland.   From the wild recordings of the North Coast to the streets and alleyways of Belfast, “Listen to your space!” is a celebration of how our life is surrounded by sound.   Artists and composers associated with the Sonic Arts Research Centre at Queen’s University Belfast have come together to create an immersive sound installation which reflects individual approaches to the environmental and everyday sound of Northern Ireland.   The installation consists of sound works using technologies such as field recording and audio processing to present a unique listening experience. Also showing at the Braid at the time of the symposium is the Royal Dublin Society National Craft Competition Prize Winners Travelling Exhibition.

For further information contact symposium organiser Marianne O’Kane Boal.Tel:00 353 85 7687757 Email:mariannejok@gmail.com

PLACE is Northern Ireland’s Built Environment Centre

Image Credit: Culturstruction, Breach. Indoor/outdoor gathering and performance space, Callan, Co. Kilkenny. Commonage 2011, photo by Jo Anne Butler.

A SOCIAL AGENDA is NOT an IAF event and is delivered by PLACE for more information please visit their website.