Our general tendency in this country is to think of different genres and mediums as discrete: cinema, theatre, fine art, dance, music, etc. Our experience has taught us that, in fact, the arts profoundly impact on and modify one another. References, influences and comparisons from one art form to another feed the work of art and help critique and understand it. Therefore, Seagull sees an Arts and Media Resource Centre, which draws together, under one roof, all these various art forms, as a valuable contribution to its chosen vocation of support work in the arts.

Close involvement with creative persons and scholars in the arts has helped Seagull understand the problems and needs of artists, researchers and scholars in this country, especially those working in the eastern region. One of the major difficulties facing researchers in the arts is the absence of an efficient and widespread information service or comprehensive library of published writing on the arts and related subjects. This seriously hampers the work of students and scholars, often delaying and blocking their initiative/research. Lack of access to the existing literature and illustrations, slides, video clippings, etc. discourages serious dialogue and commentary on the arts.

The artist, too, suffers from a lack of access to references, books, visual material for his/her own learning and development. Looking, seeing, viewing, reading are vital nourishments to the creative process. The resource centre can play a major role by providing opportunities for this.

The resource centre will play a developmental role as well, in expanding the constituency by drawing in children and young adults with its programmes, to access the resources available, and take an active interest in the arts.

Education and appreciation in and of the arts is now a deeply felt loss at every stage of the education system, from junior school to college, and even in non-formal education. Seagull visualizes an active arts education and appreciation programme at the Centre, structured in graded and flexible modules to apply to different learning needs and levels, including disadvantaged children who are outside the formal school system. Spreading appreciation and awareness of the arts to children and young adults is a priority of the proposed Centre.

Objectives

To create an institution that:

—provides resources towards education, research, training and appreciation in the field of the arts and creative communication;

—one that demonstrates that the arts and media have a vital social responsibility, especially in the areas of tolerance, social development, humanitarian and human rights concerns, social justice, and integration; and that they can be an effective means of helping develop such social responsibility;

—one that would network, share, and help strengthen similar initiatives across the country and abroad;

—one that is dynamic and pro-active, as in 'activist';

—one that practises and upholds the pluralist approach