Art here is used as the basis for coalition building and connection across communities. The creation of visual art - especially traditional art - is conceived of as a strategy for: repairing cultural isolation, increasing participation in the media, inspiring creative responses to current political issues, and promoting the strengthening of intercultural competence and collaboration across borders as anchors for community renewal and economic development. Youth participation in this process is central, and is based on the premise that young people tend to be naturally idealistic and creative - with the potential to improve the structure of civic society in Macedonia by using art to manage conflicts and differences.

Concretely, NGO Art Studio draws centrally on face-to-face encounters to foster youth creativity and leadership in addressing real-life issues such as discrimination. Working at the community level, Art for Social Change hosts workshops in an effort to help young people apply the traditional artistic styles of their native country - such as Byzantine art (icons) - to graphic arts and contemporary arts, creating works that are designed to preserve and expand culture. They will then share these creations with those from very different backgrounds and contexts. For instance, in honour of the International Day of Peace (September 21) 2006, NGO Art Studio opened an art exhibition titled "The Power of Culture" which featured works by 12 Macedonian artists and a group of graphic novelists from England. And in 2007, NGO Art Studio plans to attend an interactive arts event at the ARX Art Centre in Finland that will bring together young people from Macedonia and Finland to learn both from each other and from older, more experienced artists from around the world.

Information and communication technologies (ICTs) are also being used as a tool for intercultural exchange. The Sept. 2006 event described above served as the launch of "what-is-peace?", NGO Art Studio's contribution to the internet-based Cultural Fusion art series. In addition, NGO Art Studio is fostering online youth-oriented cultural exchange through its membership in EUnetART.

Youth, Intercultural Understanding.

Established in 1998, NGO Art Studio is an educational organisation working to give talented young people a chance to learn about fine arts in the fields of painting, drawing, sculpture; the group is also moving toward use computer animation and design to support its goal of using art to address social issues and problems. The NGO Art Studio reviews art and cultural expressions in conjunction with human rights, education, the environment, emancipation, and democratisation.