our vision
Our Vision – an inclusive and inspiring arts venue where heritage, creativity and community come together.
We want to save something precious and old – by transforming it into something new and immensely valuable, for the whole community.
Our mission is to restore the Strand in a way that maximises its heritage value and enables the development of a high quality, sustainable, creative arts space that builds on its film foundations and encourages all citizens to enjoy a range of art forms in a way that brings positive and demonstrable economic and social benefits to East Belfast.
Purpose of the Strand Arts Centre
- The Strand Arts Centre was established as a charity in April 2013 with support from local stakeholders to prevent dereliction and meet an evidenced need for additional arts provision.
- Strand Arts Centre has introduced a diversification of arts events and activities to an area previously under-serviced. Highlights to date include a 3-week youth theatre summer school, weekly Silver Screenings for older people and a number of film making workshops. Activity to date demonstrates an appetite for the offer and a high positive social impact.
- There is no other dedicated multi-arts centre in East Belfast.
- There are few totally inclusive shared-spaces for the diverse community of East Belfast.
Our Aims
- To enhance the quantity and quality of arts culture and heritage offer in east Belfast;
- To deliver a diverse programme of creative and cultural activity as a means to meet broader community needs (such as improved well-being, education, integration, social mobility, confidence, place-making)
- To create a popular creative arts hub which is a shared space for ALL East Belfast communities;
- To preserve the heritage of the building (the oldest cinema in Northern Ireland) and inspire future generations to value the social and architectural history of NI’s cinematic past, and how local stories shape identity
- To ensure the long-term sustainability of the Strand Arts Centre
Our Values
- Through creativity we will create opportunities for individual and community development, stimulating social change
- Our programme shall be curated with respect, empathy and integrity for others, our building shall be a shared space welcoming to all
- We shall strive for excellence in all that we do
- We shall regularly reflect on what we have done with a desire to refining and improving on the service we offer