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The Offscreen Education Programme was founded by a group of British artists following an extraordinary one year journey accross the Middle East in 2003. Working in souks, homes, mosques, deserts and forests they aimed to build a visual impression of the region that would challenge established stereotypes of Middle Eastern culture. On their return their drawings, paintings, photographs, collages and stories were brought together in a book: Offscreen, Four Young Artists in the Middle East.

Between 2003 and 2004 the artists staged exhibitions in Tehran, Muscat, Amman, Oslo, Amsterdam, London and New York; that same year the project featured in 26 national newspapers including The Daily Telegraph (UK), The Times (UK), The Metro (UK), Gulf News (UAE), Jam E Jam (Iran) and Trace Magazine (USA).

‘These artists did more in a year for the image of Britain in the Middle East than an ambassador might in a lifetime.’
Robin Allen, Gulf Correspondent, The Financial Times

In 2004 the artists founded the Offscreen Education Programme (Community Interest Company No 5957375), an art-in-schools project promoting an alternative and creative picture of the region in UK classrooms. Please visit our main education site to learn more.

The Offscreen Education Programme are involved in three main activities:

  1. designing and distributing educational resources for use in UK schools Since its inception Offscreen has distributed image-based resources to over 1,300 UK secondary schools through the Institute of Education, National Society for Education in Art and Design, Artsmark (Arts Council) and the Royal Geographical Society.
  2. coordinating and facilitating artists workshops in schools and museums In 2006 Offscreen have organised workshops for the British Museum, National Museum of Scotland, City Hall, Muslim Council of Britain and 14 schools across the UK.
  3. running and coordinating student art expeditions abroad Offscreen’s student Expedition (to the UAE and Oman in Feb. 2007) is being supported by the British Council, Emirates Airline, London City Airport and British Embassies in the region.