The Shake

Partners: The MAC (Belfast, Northern Ireland) and coculture e.V. (Berlin, Germany)

The Shake exhibition at The MAC is artist of Hands Across the Divide, Maurice Harron, with The Shake artist, Khaled Barakeh Image © Arts Council of Northern Ireland

“We are delighted to receive Tier two support from Cultural Bridge. This support enables us to deepen our partnership with our Tier one partner coculture who are based in Berlin, and are rooted in the intersectionality between art, activism & community building & supports exiled cultural artists.

Our project led by coculture’s founder, and artist Khaled Barakeh along with the MAC and community partners will use grassroots activism & contemporary art practice to explore social justice issues using socially engaged practice. Our programme of activity will be visible in the MAC Upper Gallery from August – October 2024.” Elaine Forde, MAC Creative Learning Manager

The Shake has received Tier 2 funding to continue the development of their existing partnership. The MAC and coculture e.V. received Tier 1 Cultural Bridge funding in 2023 - 2024, find out more.

Latest news and blogs

In summer 2024, The Shake exhibition opened at The MAC in Belfast. Centered around Maurice Harron's iconic public sculpture, Hands Across the Divide, Khaled Barakeh reimagined this historical piece, focusing on the hands of the monument's two figures and precisely the gap between them: cast in bronze, frozen in an unfinished reconciliation, almost meeting but never genuinely joining.

Alongside the exhibition there was a programme of events and activities for local communities to engage with the themes of the work, with many of the activities co-designed with communities and local artists.

Read more in the following blogs and news stories:

Codesigning The Shake social engaged project

The Shake exhibition opens at The MAC, Belfast

About the partners

The MAC exists to make Northern Ireland a better place. We do this by enabling people to imagine, create, enjoy & participate in outstanding art. Housing 2 theatres, 3 galleries & a host of multi-purpose spaces in Belfast city centre, the MAC is situated within 3 miles of 10 of the most deprived areas in N.Ireland. We are a focal point between great opportunity & acute need. We programme across three broad strands:

LIVE EVENTS: Over 400 theatre, dance & music performances attended by approx. 70k people annually.

VISUAL ARTS: Exhibitions from local, national & international artists attended by approx. 65-75k people annually.

CREATIVE LEARNING: Participatory socially engaged arts projects in partnership boosting social inclusion, social cohesion, & personal wellness indicators for approx. 23k people annually. Underpinning our work are our core values:

SUPPORT: We support artists through commissioning, co-creation, mentoring, presentation, touring & in-kind support.

EXCELLENCE: We champion artistic excellence.

PARTNERSHIPS: We co-design, co-create & co-deliver with artists, charities, communities, health, educational & arts organisations throughout Northern Ireland.

ACCESS: We’re here for everybody. Affordable ticket prices, subsidised transport & partnerships with socio-economically deprived communities are some of the ways we ensure we reach all ages, abilities & backgrounds.

https://themaclive.com/
https://twitter.com/TheMACBelfast
https://www.instagram.com/themacbelfast
https://www.facebook.com/theMACBelfast

coculture is dedicated to empowering underrepresented artists from the global south, exiled artists, and artists in conflict zones, with a distinct emphasis on Syrian artists in Europe and the SWANA region. By establishing artistic platforms and opportunities, coculture aims to enhance the creative agency of these artists to enable them to showcase their artwork, reinforce their narratives, influence their communities, and integrate seamlessly into their new environments, challenging the preconceived notion of them as exotic relics and elevating them as dynamic contributors to the global cultural landscape. With a wealth of experience in community-building, event planning, transnational networking, and budget administration, coculture has established itself as a trusted intermediary since its establishment. It engages in productive dialogues with cultural and state institutions to foster the recognition and engagement of these groups, which are otherwise underrepresented. coculture has created and curated various events, such as exhibitions, workshops, conferences, cultural community meetings, residencies, fellowships, etc., each tailored to advance its mission and amplify the diverse voices it represents.

https://www.coculture.org/
https://twitter.com/coculture_de
https://www.instagram.com/coculture.de/
https://www.facebook.com/coculture.de/