€30,000 in awards presented to eight successful creative projects
By William O'Connor
THE CREATIVE Ireland South Dublin Awards 2017, one of the highlights of the county’s Culture and Creativity Plan 2017, took place in County Hall on Wednesday Decmeber 6, with €30,000 in awards presented to eight successful projects.
The three strands of the awards aim to nurture talent and to promote creative participation by communities and schools in cultural activities.
Mayor of South Dublin County Council Paul Gogarty presented awards to the winners of the Artists and Creative Collaborative Practice Award, the Schools Cultural Award and the Emerging Arts Group Incubation Award. He congratulated each of the recipients on their achievements and said “For the recipients of these awards, the impact can be far-reaching in opening doors to other opportunities”
The awards were presented to the eight successful projects as follows:
The Schools Cultural Awards were presented to five schools across the county and one youth education programme to undertake a variety of projects in visual arts, drama and dance.
Students at Holy Family NS, Rathcoole, will create a mural promoting Interculturalism and a sense of identity in a project entitled ‘We Are One’. The artwork will be visible to parents and visitors to the school.
Clondalkin students at Coláiste Bríde, will create a new glass artwork for junior students entitled ‘Keeping the Flame Alive’ gaining an insight into the process undertaken by an artist.
Children at St Rose’s NS, Tallaght, will explore the possibilities of communicating through dance and percussion. At the end of the project, each participant will share their own dance piece. The school provides a stimulating, supportive and positive experience for children with learning difficulties arising from Dyslexia.
Children in Lucan East Educate Together, Lucan, will undertake a creative project called Shadow Shapers using techniques such as creating a silhouette installation, exploring projections to create character, and creating their own shadow theatre box.
Students at Youth Horizons education programme, Tallaght, will present an exhibition and undertake a study of John B. Keane’s Big Maggie and perform a rehearsed reading of the play. Youth Horizons offers an opportunity to early school leavers to complete their education to Leaving Certificate standard.
Clondalkin students in Collinstown Park Community School will embark on a journey of exploration on the theme of “Origin story – our alter egos through visual arts and creative writing. The project title is ‘I Am: Shapeshifting’. Creative work from the project will be displayed in libraries and schools around the county.
Emerging Group Incubation Award was introduced to support emerging groups, to develop their practice and to promote their presence as a creative and recognisable voice in our county. The award was made to Freshly Ground Theatre.
Freshly Ground Theatre is a company of young theatre professionals, with extensive experience in creating theatre individually and as part of a collective. The core board of four members reside and work in Tallaght. The company was founded in May 2014 after their members graduated from Carousel Theatre School in Rua Red.
The Artist & Creatives Collaborative Practice Award seeks to support an artist or creative in any discipline in collaborative practice. The award was made to Visual Artist and Filmmaker Michael Dignam, who will create a unique film essay situated in Tallaght.
The project will be a research-based work that looks at the conditions, events and histories that young people encountered growing up in an estate in Tallaght in the 1980s and 1990s.
Local writer Colm Reynor, and local music producer Al Keegan, will collaborate with Michael to develop the project. It will also be supported by Rua Red Arts Centre.
Michael, from Tallaght is a graduate from The National College of Art and Design (NCAD), and recently was awarded a Fine Art Master’s Degree in Goldsmiths University, London.
Creative Ireland is the Government’s Legacy Programme for Ireland 2016 – running from 2017 to 2022 – which places creativity at the centre of public policy.
Local Authorities are one of the key drivers of the Creative Ireland initiative and each council is charged with devising Local Culture and Creativity Plans.
“We have a strong foundation for creative participation in the County. The Creative Ireland South Dublin programme raises the profile of these initiatives and promotes new ones that will result in wider community engagement,” says Arts Officer Orla Scannell
