Part 1 – Announcing the 2023 Arts in Education Portal Documentation Award Recipients
Image: Students of Coláiste Muire playing a game of road bowling coached by artists Mitch Conlon and James Moran as part of Keystone, an Art School project curated by Jennie Guy and Fiona Gannon and funded by Clare Arts Office
The Portal Team are delighted to announce the first of the two recipients of the 2023 Arts in Education Portal Documentation Award. We are very excited to be working with each recipient in the coming months to document their projects. These projects will be showcased on the portal as the documentation progresses.
Project Title: ‘Keystone’
Keystone has been commissioned by Clare County Council to celebrate and mark 20 years of artist in schools programming by Clare Arts Office. The curatorial framework Art School directed and curated by Jennie Guy has been invited to deliver the project by artists Mitch Conlon and James Moran, with co-curator Fiona Gannon. The project has been taking place over the course of 2022 and 2023 in Coláiste Mhuire (Ennis) and Scoil Mhuire (Ennistymon) in Co. Clare, providing an opportunity for fifth year students to work with the artists to explore the significance of myth within local youth cultures.
The artists will work with the students to explore questions including: What are sites of mythological importance for teenagers in these two towns? Are these the same as those deemed important by the wider communities? And how do teenagers relate to the collective unconscious of their wider local communities?
Teacher: Mary Fahy
Mary Fahy is a visual artist from Galway and art teacher in Scoil Mhuire, Ennistymon since 2003. Commenting on the project she said: “Our 5th year art class are thrilled to be participating in this collaborative, socially engaged Artists in Schools project. It is an incredible opportunity for students to co-create art with professional artists in a supportive environment that centres their opinions and artistic voice.”
Teacher: Aidan Power
Aidan Power is an Art Teacher with Colaiste Muire, Ennis. On being part of the project he added: “We have a strong artistic tradition in music, performance and visual art which helps our students to nuture a sense of self while striving for academic success. Our 5th year art class will be taking part in this collaborative project which will develop their artistic skills in a new and exciting direction. The learned knowledge will go on to support future projects throughout their senior cycle art course.”
Artist: Mitch Conlon
Mitch Conlon is an artist originally from the West of Ireland currently based as a studio member within PS2, Belfast. He is a member of the Turner Prize winning group, Array Collective, a former director of Catalyst Arts, Belfast; was a co-director of online journal COLLECTED and Chairperson of Engage Studios, Galway.
Artist: James Moran
James Moran is an experimental comedian and theatre maker born and based in Dublin. Since 2014 he has written comedy shows for traditional and alternative venues; and he has also hosted several podcasts, including the leftist political Celtic Ligers and historical comedy Primordial Views.
About Art School
Art School is a collaborative project founded by Jennie Guy in 2014. Art School enables exchanges between contemporary artists and sites of education, creating opportunities for younger audiences to encounter and participate in the making and potential of art in society.