Arts & Disability News

UPSTART 2014.

In celebration of International Day of Persons with disabilities, (Wednesday 3rd December, 2014) Mayo County Council’s Arts Office has developed a programme entitled UPSTART which supports a number of arts events and projects throughout the county.

In 1992, the General Assembly of the United Nations proclaimed 3rd December as International Day of Persons with Disabilities, which brings together individuals, businesses, community organisations and governments from every corner of the world to celebrate and acknowledge the contributions, skills and achievements of disabled people. Mayo County Council’s Arts Office has made a considerable commitment to the development of Arts and Disability throughout the county. Once again, the Arts Office is delighted to support International Day of Persons with Disabilities through the UPSTART initiative, a programme of arts projects/events in Mayo which include a variety of groups of disabled people. As part of UPSTART 2014 projects/events will take place in Ballinrobe, Belmullet, Castlebar and Westport. These include:

Western Care Association, (Erris) Áras Inis Gluaire/Belmullet Arts Centre and Gemma Gallagher, Artistic director, Shaddowbox Theatre Company.

A series of theatre workshops with service users to explore theatre practice.

For further information contact Brendan Murray on 097 81079 or b.murray@arasinisgluaire.ie

Carrowbeg Enterprises and the Custom House Studios, Westport.

The creation and performance of a filmed shaddow show based on the Greenway, Westport.For further information, contact John McHugh on 098 28735 or customhouse@eircom.net

Linenhall Arts Centre, Castlebar, New Moon theatre Project, Galway, St Bríds and St Anthony's schools, Castlebar.

A presentation of "Fruit Full", a multi-sensory performance for young people with intellectual disabilities and complex needs by New Moon Theatre Project. Also the development of a range of participative arts events designed to extend and deepen audience engagement with the piece with students from St Bríds and St Anthony's schools in Castlebar.

For further information contact Orla Henihan on 094 902 3733 or linenhall@anu.ie

Luisne Art Group, Ballinrobe, the VTC Art Group, Castlebar and the TACÚ Family Resource Centre, Ballinrobe.

A series of workshops with two Mayo disability arts groups -Luisne Art Project and the VTC Arts Group - facilitated by artists Breda Murphy, Breda Burns and Frank Conway of Castlebar VTC culminating in an exhibition of work at the Linenhall Arts Centre for the month of December 2014.

For further information contact Breda Mayock on 087 785 0344 or bredamayock@gmail.com

All projects/events in the UPSTART 2014 programme will come to fruition on or around 3rd December.

For further information on Mayo County Council’s Arts Service contact: mayoarts@mayococo.ie

www.mayococo.ie

IGNITE!  - Largest ever investment in Ireland’s Arts & Disability sector

“This is an opportunity to dream big.” Pádraig Naughton, Arts & Disability Ireland

Three major new commissions, representing the largest ever investment in Ireland’s Arts & Disability sector are being announced, coinciding with the week of the UN’s International Day of Persons with Disabilities. These commissions, funded by the groundbreaking IGNITE! initiative, will generate Ireland’s most ambitious showcasing of talent from people with disabilities, led by international and Irish artists and artists with disabilities in Mayo, Galway and Cork.

In Mayo Irish visual artist Aideen Barry will join with artists from the Western Care Ridgepool Training Centre and members of the Scannán Technologies group, in a project facilitated by Ballina Arts Centre. The group will use new technologies, including green screen and advanced animation techniques to create a short film, bringing together stylized mime, music and movement, and inspired by the silent movies of the 1930s, for example the films of Buster Keaton and Charlie Chaplin.

Aideen Barry explains: “An essential component of the project will be the power of simple gesture. Following from the Jean-Gaspard Deburau school of thought I want the group to hone particular actions, movements etc. that could be re-appropriated from the likes of Buster Keaton’s film ‘The General’, and siting these actions in contemporary landscapes and locations in contemporary Ireland.”

Sean Walsh, Director of Ballina Arts Centre says, “We are really delighted to get this commission. Ballina Arts Centre has a strong commitment to arts and disability. Aideen Barry is an artist of tremendous vision and energy, and the Ridgepool Training Centre and Scannán Technologies can look forward to what I’m sure will be a fantastic experience.”

Damien O’Connor, Disabilty Arts Co-ordinator and Anne McCarthy, Arts Officer in Mayo County Council are delighted that Mayo has the opportunity to participate in the creation of such large scale, high-profile work by artists with disabilities. Mayo’s participation in the IGNITE programme is the culmination of four years partnership development work between Mayo County Council Arts Office, The Arts Council, Arts & Disability Ireland and Galway City & County Councils and Cork City Council, which has resulted in quality arts engagment for people with disabilities.

IGNITE! is a new platform designed to facilitate the creation of ambitious new work by professional artists with disabilities. These commissions each represent an investment of up to €60,000. The three commissions will be presented at local level in 2014 and the initiative will conclude with a tour of one of the resulting works to all three counties (and beyond) in Spring 2015.

This announcement coincides with the UN’s International Day of Persons with Disabilities on 3rd December, which this year aims to “Break barriers, open doors: for an inclusive society for all.”

Ignite is managed by a unique partnership involving Mayo County Council, Galway City and County Councils, Cork City Council, the Arts Council and Arts & Disability Ireland (ADI),

For further information, please contact:

Damien O’Connor, Disability Arts Co-ordinator at Mayo Arts Office mayoarts@mayococo.ie  or 094-9047551.