New Lodge Arts

New Lodge Arts is a community arts project based in, and serving, the Greater New Lodge.

New Lodge Arts works primarily with young people under 25 years of age and aims to provide access to a quality and consistent programme of arts and cultural activities at ground level while increasing confidence, self-esteem and self-belief in participants.

The Project is the primary vehicle for arts activities in the area, representing not only a vital resource for, and arts conduit into, the local community in North Belfast, but is also an example of good practice in its networks and communication with all the groups in the area, straddling arts and non-arts projects for maximum impact. Its programme of work is constant and includes the development and delivery of projects, advocacy, connecting with youth and community development structures, and connecting with the wider arts community. Of particular note is its capacity to engage on a one-to-one basis with individual young people or youth workers while also taking on a leading role in large-scale events and developments such as the public art collaboration in the Waterworks involving Channel 4.

New Lodge Arts delivers results in a variety of ways. It works on an outreach basis in partnership with local youth and community groups to develop arts-based projects specific to the needs of individual youth groups. It encourages young people to take a proactive role in their community through the design and creation of public art, theatrical performances and showcase events and inter-generational visual arts projects. In doing so New Lodge Arts feeds into the area’s wider social and economic regeneration plans including those of the Greater New Lodge Community Empowerment Partnership and Neighbourhood Renewal. Last but by no means least it acts as a conduit for outside arts providers wishing to work in the local community; New Lodge Arts has established successful partnerships with Youth Music Theatre for All, New Belfast Community Arts Initiative and Young at Art. A partnership of particular, and growing importance, is the collaboration with the Beat Initiative.

For further information please visit www.newlodgearts.com