9-24 October 2008

Armenian Center for Contemporary Art (ACCEA)

The Close to Home art exhibition, part of the British Council Council project Living Together, continues it’s tour and will be taking place in Yerevan, Armenia between 9-24 October 2008.

The exhibition, previewed in London in March 2008, was launched in Belfast in May, then it was represented in Bulgaria and has now reached Yerevan. Here, the exhibition will be followed by a range of activities including discussions and the screenings of films prepared by ethnic minorities and refugee youngsters.

The Close to Home exhibition will then continue its tour to Georgia, Romania and other countries in South East Europe so there is more to come.

24 July to 10 August, Sofia, Akademia Gallery - National Art Academy

A British Council exhibition under the auspices of the Council of Europe - part of the European Year of Intercultural Dialogue

Close to home is an exhibition of lens-based work by a group of eight artists from across South East Europe. The exhibition explores themes of migration and displacement as part of the wider agenda being addressed by the British Council project Living Together. One of the underlying aims of the exhibition is to begin an investigation into the impact of certain migrant communities on a contemporary society that remains largely unaware of their existence and how these communities adapt to new landscapes and evolve within new social structures. The exhibition previewed in London in March was launched at Belfast Waterfront as part of the Cathedral Quarter Arts Festival.

The exhibition’s featured artists are: David Creedon (Ireland), Yuval Yairi (Israel), Dana Popa (Moldova), George Georgiou (Cyprus), Gulsun Karamustafa (Turkey), Ivor Prickett (Wales), Piruza Khalapyan Armenia); Sejla Kameric (Bosnia and Herzegovina).

The exhibition in Bulgaria is presented with the support of the House Project of the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Bulgaria. The national project House stands for Home of Our Unity in Sincere Embracement and is the Bulgarian project of the European Year of Intercultural Dialogue; and in collaboration with the National Art Academy, Sofia.

The opening of the exhibition is at 6 p.m. on 24 July and will be in the presence of Deputy Minister of Culture Yavor Milushev, British Council director Tony Buckby, UK curator Harjeet Kaur and Bulgarian curator Vessela Radoeva-Hristova.

Dates: 24 July to 10 August
Venue: Akademia Gallery, 1 Shipka Street

The Council of Europe have awarded their patronage to the Living Together project in recognition of the important role it will play in encouraging awareness of, and debate around, some of the most topical issues facing migrant and minority communities in today’s Europe.

The General Secretary, Mr Terry Davis stated: ‘this timely and ambitious initiative is fully in line with Council of Europe priorities and objectives in South East Europe. I agree that we should align our efforts, particularly in the area of intercultural dialogue to achieve a greater impact in the region and beyond’.