Preparing a new website and our first international exhibition
As many among you know already, we’re working on a fresh overhaul of our website, our database and our concept so we can start with new projects very soon indeed. When I started this art collective 10 years ago, I felt that the need for a new interpretation of beauty and what’s good and valuable in life was in order, but I guess I was too early with this, as usual;-)
More than 10 years later, young people need to be inspired more than ever so we can give them hope for a new future, that may not be as rich in money as was enjoyed (and stressed over) by earlier generations, but this can and will be replaced with something much better -and not for sale anywhere in the world: compassion. Enjoy the text below.
NGO Beauty without Irony (BWI) aims to make the world a better and more beautiful place by creating awareness campaigns for and by young people using elements from pop culture such as music, art, fashion, film/photography and social media.
Our message is that we all play our role in the world and if we want to change it into something better, we have to do this ourselves. This can be done locally for instance by volunteering, organizing a street party or an exhibition with work by you and your friends- or on a larger -and sometimes even a global- scale with special projects, collections and campaigns.
People come in all shapes and sizes and have different convictions and beliefs, but when it boils down to it, we all want the same things: to love and be loved, be healthy, do something useful in life and enjoy living. In other words, we have much more in common than things that separate us and if we can connect all that positive and creative energy that we possess and focus it on doing good, we can really make a difference together and inspire others to join us.
Come on, let’s get happy!
Project ideas
Help cool organizations such as Greenpeace, The Trevor Project, Designers against AIDS, The Non Violence Project and It Gets Better find volunteers and funds by creating an awareness/recruiting campaign online make a lot of buzz around it.
Help young people discover that beauty is all around them and can also be found in small (and free!) things such as nature, a sunrise, a smile
Teach people to trust their own feelings and taste, to see that they can be creative too- and that their efforts make a difference in the world. Inspire them and yourself in the process
Teach people to trust their own feelings and taste, to see that they can be creative too- and that their efforts make a difference in the world. Inspire them and yourself in the process
Organize an exhibition about true beauty where world famous emerging artists are mixed with work by amateurs. For instance, ask young people in urban cities to take pictures of the people, buildings, trees and objects they love, showcase them and invite their family and friends to come and take a look and discuss. Or work with nature’s elements such as the wind, the sun and the rain and discover the beauty and the possibilities in this. Currently BWI is working on organizing their first international exhibition, planned for summer 2013 in Essaouira, Morocco. Please keep coming back here for updates!
Create a Respect Festival.
Work with brands on awareness/fundraising campaigns and have artists design prints and slogans for T-shirts, shopping bags and other items.
Open a BWI Education Center in Los Angeles to work on new campaigns- we can do the first campaigns here at IHAEC in Antwerp.
Make fun videos with tips on how living in a healthy and peaceful way can be fun: cooking lessons, safe sex tips, fitness for dummies, how to make new friends, how to deal with uncool parents and teachers or with stressful situations such as bullying
Social media campaign Let’s Get Happy! where people try to do at least 1 thing each day to make someone else happy (even if it’s just by giving a well meant compliment) and they tell the world about this online. Plus create an (ever growing) list about stuff that makes people really happy.
BWI admires the following organizations:
– It gets Better: www.itgetsbetter.org
– The true colors fund (Cyndi Lauper): www.truecolorsfund.org
– The Trevor Project: www.thetrevorproject.org
– Improve Everywhere: www.improveeverywhere.com
– Super Wise Me: www.superwiselovefoundation.org
– Center for a new American Dream: www.newdream.org
– Playing for change – Connecting the world through music: www.playingforchange.com
– Occupy Together: www.occupytogether.org
– Imagine Peace by Yoko ono: www.imaginepeace.org
– World Happy Day: www.worldhappyday.com
– Sparked Micro Volunteering: www.sparked.com
– Microfinance to alliviate worldwide poverty: www.kiva.org
– Advice on how to become happier and less stressed: www.lets-get-happy.com
– The non Violence project: www.nonviolence.com
Subjects BWI supports:
– Environnement / Nature
– Peace / Non violence
– LBGT equality
– Inspiration / Spirituality
– Animal protection
– Volunteer Work
– Healthy food / drinks
– Physical health
– Art education
– Social activism