Arts & Disability News

IGNITE! COMMISSIONS ANNOUNCED - 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.

UPSTART 2014

Mayo County Council’s Arts Office is now inviting project proposals for UPSTART 2014, a programme of arts activities in celebration of International Day of Persons with Disabilities which takes place annually on 3rd December.

Mayo County Council’s Arts Office has made a considerable commitment to the development of quality Arts and Disability activity in County Mayo.  Since 2010, the Arts Office has provided funding for 20 collaborative projects with arts organizations, artists, disability organizations/ groups of disabled people to celebrate International Day of Persons with Disabilities. In 2013, events took place in Ballinrobe, Castlebar and Westport. These included: 

Luisne Art Group, Ballinrobe and the Tacú Family Resource Centre, Ballinrobe

The ‘Open Arms’ project which was a series of six movement and dance workshops facilitated by dancer Rachel Parry and artist/facilitator Breda Murphy culminating in an exhibition of new work^.

Carrowbeg Enterprises, Westport and the Custom House Studios, Westport

A series of 15 sculpture workshops facilitated by artists Grainne O'Reilly, Caroline Masterson and John McHugh which culminated in the creation of work which was shown as part of the Custom House annual end of year, winter exhibition.

Connaught Creative Resource Centre, Castlebar and Linenhall Arts Centre, Castlebar

‘Worlds of Music’, an event resulting from a series of percussion workshops facilitated by artist Robbie Harris with 10 service users from the Connaught Creative Resource Centre and five community volunteers. The event also included a music and shadow puppet performance in the Indonesian gamelan and wayang tradition performed by the Soundscape Music Project and Gamelan na Gaillimhe groups and involving performers with disabilities.

Rural Training Centre, Castlebar and artist Tom Meskell

‘Light Catcher’ an exhibition resulting from a series of 16 workshops facilitated by artist Tom Meskell with the following groups of disabled people: The Irish Wheelchair Association (Ballyheane), The Cheshire Home (Bohola), the Sacred Heart Hospital (Castlebar), the Luisne Art Group (Ballinrobe),  and Áirc  (Castlebar). The exhibition of light catchers took place at the O’Dwyer Arts Centre, Lismirrane, Bohola.

The Arts Office is now inviting proposals for projects/events that will take place in 2014.  Proposals can come from:

• Venues which participated in Mayo County Council’s Disability Arts Programme.
• Artists who have participated in Disability Equality Training.
• Professional disabled artists.
• Groups of disabled people interested in working with a particular professional artist and/or venue to develop a project.

Proposals will be assessed by an expert external panel and funding will be awarded accordingly. Proposals should be submitted no later than Tuesday 6th May 2014.  Funding is intended to support any of the following:

• An event to celebrate arts and disability
• A workshop (or series of workshops) with a local group of people with disabilities.
• A performance for an invited audience of a work in progress/ event (film, theatre, dance, music, choral or other event) by a group of people with disabilities, which has come about through collaboration with a professional disabled artist or artists experienced in the area of disability.
• A main stream performance that will be made accessible for an audience of people with disabilities.
• An exhibition by a disabled artist/ group of artists.

For more information and details of how to apply please contact Damien O’Connor, Disability Arts Coordinator at Mayo County Council at the following email address doconnor@mayococo.ie