The University of Ulster has launched an innovative outreach project which encourages young people to use social networking sites to help boost their creativity.Ulster’s dance outreach team, Satellite, and resident dance company, Assault Events, will be delivering the groundbreaking new programme to performing arts students from Northern Regional College and South West College.   

The project entitled Feedback has been designed to look at ways in which social media can help enhance and assist creativity. The students will learn to use networking site Facebook as a virtual studio environment to support the creation of a piece of performance.   

It will involve a series of music, dance and creative technology workshops as well as creative online participation.  Artists from the University’s associated dance organisations will make regular visits to both FE colleges throughout the duration of the programme.  

The project will also feature a‘Creative Think Tank’ day at the Foyle Arts Building at  Magee in June. Students from the participating colleges will join together to discuss their experiences and create more work that will be shared online.   

Sandie Fisher, Lecturer in Dance at Ulster and Project Manager for Feedback said: “This is an exciting and innovative project which will encourage young people to become more creative by using the social networking sites they are already familiar with.. The programme is a great way for young people to work together, developing creative connections and we hope it will increase participation  in creative arts activity.” 

The Feedbackn project culminates in June 2010 with the launch of an online Facebook archive exhibition. For more information email Project Manager Sandie Fisher at:  s.fisher@ulster.ac.uk.

This project is funded by the University of Ulster’s Access Agreement Fund and supported by Cultural Development.