Connecting Artists Success: Samuel Hillard showcases artwork at national expo

Samuel Hillard, a talented 20-year-old artist from Tallaght who lives with Autism, has had his work displayed and exhibited at the Royal College of Surgeons as part of the Connecting Artists 2023 programme organised by the Connection Arts Centre, reports Ben Donnelly.

“Showcasing my art talents to the world and making my family proud is a goal of mine,” said Samuel. “Being involved in the Connecting Artists 2023 program has been a great opportunity for me to do this.”

As previously reported in The Echo, Samuel was one of ten artists chosen from across the country, in his case representing Dublin, to have their work exhibited in the Royal College’s College Hall.

The exhibition, took place from Sunday, July 16 to Tuesday July 18, after ten weeks of being taught how to prepare his work for exhibition and sale by the Connection Arts Centre.

The Connecting Artists 2023 programme, a continuation of the equally successful programme of the same name from 2022, is organised by the Centre’s founder Miriam Spollen. Spollen has expressed a desire to organise more such programmes in future, with goals to support up to 50 artists at a time and host three national exhibitions in a single programme.

RTÉ presenter and radio host Miriam O’Callaghan was among those who were present at the exhibition, and reportedly was very happy to be there.

Speaking at the event, Miriam said: “This programme would not be possible without our ten wonderful mentors who volunteered their time to support each artist, and the RCSI Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion Unit, for providing a platform to highlight the exceptional talents of these ten artists. It provides a safe space for artists to explore their art and techniques and learn from each other. It also prepares them for exhibiting and selling their work.”