How were the ideas developed and how did the young people, artist and tutor work together?

The creative process for this project was highly collaborative and youth-centered, with the young learners taking the lead in shaping the project’s vision and content from the outset. We had a close partnership, with everyone contributing unique skills and perspectives to bring the animation project to life.

Initial Idea Development

The young people were essential to the project’s inception, deciding on both the type of project they wanted to undertake and the themes they wished to explore. They defined the narrative direction, rooted in their personal experiences, identities, and aspirations, ensuring the project authentically represented their voices.

Ana Colomer – Artist: Facilitator and Skill Builder

My role was facilitator and mentor, presenting different artistic techniques and possibilities that would help the learners realise their vision. Introducing them to methods of storytelling through animation and teaching the foundational skills necessary to turn their ideas into a cohesive narrative. Providing hands-on guidance, advising on technical skills in stop-motion animation, storyboarding, and scene creation. Always maintaining the young people’s ownership of the story, ensuring that the final narrative remained genuinely theirs.

Ruth O’Keeffe – Tutor and Support: Guiding Self-Discovery and Idea Formation 

My role as tutor was to help the young learners articulate and clarify their ideas, aspirations, and dreams. Through discussions, exercises, and prompts, I guided them in exploring their personal interests and expressing these creatively. Together, they identified specific ways to visually represent their ideas, ultimately crafting props and imagery that aligned with the story they wanted to tell. We scaffolded the learners and gave them time & space to gain their confidence and skills in this new medium. With a deep understanding of their needs, we could facilitate interactions that leveraged our collective strengths, fostering meaningful connections and a successful experience for both the artist and the young adults. I also documented the process on a weekly basis, taking photos and notes and liaised with all project partners, as the project progressed.

Creating Visual Elements: Props and Animation Technique

The process of creating props was collaborative and grounded in practical skills:

• Visual Research: Learners used the internet for visual inspiration, seeking images that resonated with their narrative.
• Drawing and Lightbox Technique: They used lightboxes to trace these visuals, transforming their ideas into tangible drawings that could be used as props.
• Cutting and Animation: Each prop was carefully cut out to be manipulated in frame-by-frame sequences, creating the stop-motion animation.

Continuous Collaboration and Dialogue

Throughout the project, there was a constant and open dialogue among the team. This communication ensured the story stayed true to the young people’s vision while benefiting from Ana’s technical expertise and Ruth’s guidance. Feedback loops allowed the group to refine the narrative and animation to ensure clarity, accuracy, and emotional impact.

By empowering the young people to drive the project while providing the tools, support, and skills necessary to bring their ideas to life, the team created a final animation that was both technically polished and personally meaningful. This process fostered a sense of ownership and pride among the learners, demonstrating the power of creative collaboration and storytelling.

What was your personal experience of the project in terms of successes and challenges?

Streetwise Animators

‘What I did to make my story come to life; we used Greenscreen . Every week my confidence grew. I got the confidence from doing it every week with my friends’. Tara Shannon

‘The storyboard I created is part of my life. I learned about stop motion, sound design & teamwork. I loved working with my friends, Ana, Oisín, Ruth & Trish. Awesome’. Comfort Boseah

‘Our animation film was shown in Generation Fleadh in Galway. There was a big round of applause & it was a big success. We were so proud and it was powerful. We take pride for our animation programme’. Elva Fray

‘Speak up for yourself’ Hannah Cusack

‘I loved recording my friends for their videos, editing with Adobe Premier pro and music production’. Noah Ruiz

Ana Colomer: Artist

Reflecting on this project, it’s clear that the journey was filled with both profound successes and inevitable challenges. At first, we knew we had a meaningful concept, but as the project progressed, it truly “grew legs”—evolving into something uniquely beautiful and powerful. Witnessing the learner’s stories take shape and realising the depth of their insights made us understand just how special this project was becoming. The sense of collective achievement was enormous, knowing that we had created something genuine and impactful despite some limitations in resources and equipment. The final film stands as a testament to their creativity, resilience, and desire to connect authentically with the world. It offers audiences a deeper understanding of the individuals behind the labels and reminds us all to recognise and celebrate each person’s unique identity.

Successes

One of the project’s biggest successes was the collaborative spirit and creativity it inspired. Watching the young learners step into the roles of storytellers, animators, and sound designers was incredibly rewarding. Each person brought their authentic self to the work, which added layers of meaning and connection. The simplicity of using basic tools, like a phone for filming and a piece of green material as a makeshift green screen, demonstrated that creativity and resourcefulness can yield impressive results. We were able to focus on the story and message rather than getting lost in technical complexities, which may have made the final piece more sincere and relatable.

Challenges

There were certainly challenges, most notably the limitations of our equipment. With higher-quality video and animation tools, the technical polish of the final product might have matched the strength of its narrative even more closely. The improvised green screen, while functional, required additional work in editing, and phone recordings had their own constraints. Additionally, since we were figuring out the process as we went along, there was a learning curve that stretched our time and resources. In hindsight, if we were to undertake this project again, we’d approach it with a clearer roadmap, making the process smoother and more efficient.

Ultimately, these challenges only made the experience more rewarding. The sense of pride in what we achieved, knowing we worked creatively within our constraints, made the project’s impact feel even more profound. Looking back, we have a clearer vision of what’s possible and an even stronger foundation for future projects.

What was significant for you about the project that is worth sharing?

Ruth O’ Keeffe: Tutor

From the outset, the philosophy of a learner-led approach was central to our project. Ana facilitated the workshops and embraced this approach, encouraging the learners to take ownership of their creative vision. It was inspiring to witness their enthusiasm and engagement as they shared their stories and collaborated on the film’s concept of human rights and what that meant to them in their everyday lived experience. This environment fostered not only creativity but also a sense of empowerment among the learners. Ana, the learners and I had to think differently and embrace exploration to achieve our outcomes.

This journey also saw a fantastic relationship develop between Ana, Oisín, the learners, Patricia and I. We all worked as a collective, all opinions, ideas & feedback were welcome. Ana’s openness and enthusiasm as a facilitator was truly inspiring.
The impact of this project on the learners was profound. Beyond the technical skills they acquired, they gained confidence in their creative abilities and in the value of teamwork. Watching them collaborate, share ideas and build each other up was a highlight of the experience. Many expressed a sense of pride in their work, particularly during the screening of their film when they saw their collective effort come to life on the screen. The experience was not only enriching for the learners but also transformative for me as a tutor. This project highlighted the importance & value of connecting and collaborating within our community. Working with Local Creative Youth Partnership and Music Generation Clare was a privilege and created inclusive experiences for Comfort, Elva, Hannah, Noah and Tara. For me it really highlighted the value of arts in education and provided such rounded experiences to the learners that extended way beyond the classroom.

Ana Colomer: Artist

One of the most significant and fulfilling aspects of this project was the opportunity to work at a pace set by the learners themselves, allowing for a slower, more mindful creative process. Each week at Streetwise became a much-anticipated part of my routine, where I knew I’d be met with kindness, joy, and an openness to creativity. This environment gave us the freedom to revisit scenes, experiment with new ideas, and pay close attention to even the smallest details in the animations. There was immense satisfaction in being able to take our time and truly appreciate each stage of the creative journey together, watching our project evolve with care and dedication.

The connections we made along the way were just as significant. Collaborating with Oisín O’Cualáin from Music Generation Clare, we were able to add depth and emotion to the animation’s soundtrack, learning the craft of sound design alongside the learners. Inviting Cian and Edel from the Arts in Education Portal further connected us to a supportive network that valued and amplified our work. And then there were the unforgettable experiences of traveling together for various showcases—going to Dublin for the Ballyfermot animation showcase, to Galway for Gen Fleadh 2024—each event adding its own excitement and sense of accomplishment. For the learners, these trips were great adventures that enriched their lives and brought a sense of pride in their work.

This project reinforced the idea that the creative process is just as important as the finished product. Every interaction, collaboration, and milestone contributed to a shared sense of achievement and community. It’s incredibly moving to see this journey impact the learners and knowing that it’s only the beginning makes it even more exciting. The project became a reminder of the power of patience, connection, and the joy that can come from honouring each person’s unique pace and voice.

Has anything changed in your work as a result of the project?

Ruth O’ Keeffe: Tutor

This experience has inspired me to continue supporting the artistic expression of the individuals that I support. This project demonstrated that when we provide the right environment, one that values collaboration, creativity, and inclusion, extraordinary things can happen. I really value the partnership I formed with Ana through the academic year and loved the digital media approach for this project. I look forward to implementing these skills in future projects. I am excited about forming further partnerships with an emphasis on arts in education, because I can really see the value from working with Ana and Oisín as a collective on this project.

Ana Colomer: Artist

This project has profoundly influenced my approach to work, reshaping not only how I view the creative process but also the values that drive it. One of the most important insights has been realising that a story’s true worth comes from honesty. Technical skills and workflows are important, but it’s the authenticity behind a story that resonates most deeply with people. This project taught me that while working quickly can be efficient, it often doesn’t allow the time needed for genuine reflection—a crucial ingredient for a story with depth.

I also discovered the importance of creating space and time for individuals to find and express their voices. This slower pace allowed each person to explore their own perspective without pressure, resulting in richer, more meaningful contributions. Watching the learners interaction with Ruth and Trish, I learned the value of active listening, engaging without assumptions, and paying close attention to what’s said—and unsaid. These skills allowed us to create an environment where everyone felt heard and respected, which ultimately brought out the best in the project.

This experience has inspired me to integrate more patience and intentional listening into my work, understanding now that these elements foster a collaborative process where authentic stories can emerge naturally.

!!!! Opportunity for Schools: Clare County Council announce Artists in Schools Residency Award 2024-2025

Clare County Arts Office – Artists in Schools
Closing Date: 8 November, 5pm

Clare Arts Office are inviting Primary and Secondary schools to submit their applications for the Artist in Schools Residencies Scheme 2024-2025. This year Clare Arts Office are awarding residencies to the value of €1,340.

Schools can select the following artists from the Artist in Schools 2023-2026 panel (External for the purpose of making the application). Application must be co developed and written JOINTLY with the artist of choice.

Aims of the Scheme
The Clare Arts Office Artists in Schools Programme is designed to create opportunities for artists and schools to work together over a specific duration of time. We favour projects that are innovative, unique and that foster creativity, skills development and an introduction to the language used in art making. We also encourage projects that allow children to experience the cross disciplinary nature of the arts as well as projects which connect ideas and art making to other subjects e.g. history, science, the environment, local, national and global cultures and traditions.

Projects can be collaborative and involve other creative practitioners and organisations but must be developed with the input of both the artist and the school.

Assessment Criteria
Projects will be assessed according to the following criteria

• Quality and innovation of the concept/idea for the proposal. (30)
• Quality of the artists work and track record as demonstrated by the support documentation submitted with the application, including the Artists CV. (30)
• Feasibility of the proposed project, budget, time frame, number of students etc. (30)
• Potential for the project to leave a creative impact on the school. (10)

For further information, Terms and Conditions and Application Forms, please visit: yoursay.clarecoco.ie/artists-in-schools-residency-award-2024-2025

!!!! Call for applications: Clare County Arts Office Panel of Artists 2024 – 2026

Clare County Council Arts Service

Closing Date: Friday August 9

Following a review of their artists’ panel, Clare County Arts Office has issued a call for applications for Music, Dance and Drama/Theatre artists/facilitators for their Panel of Artists 2024 – 2026

Clare Arts Office is seeking applications from artists (Clare based and national) who are interested in delivering and facilitating projects as part of their:

• Artists in Schools Residency programme
• Embrace for Arts and People with a Disability Residency programme
  Youth Theatre
• Creative Places Shannon (and other socially engaged arts programmes that may arise over this period)

To this end Clare Arts Office is seeking applications from artists under the following categories only:
• Music (singer/musician/song writing/choir leader)
• Drama/theatre
• Dance

Applications can be found on Clare County Council  Your Say Website .Deadline for applications is  Friday August 9 at 5pm

For further information and link to application form see here:

Not so Happy Birthday by Clare Youth Theatre

!!!! Part 1 – Announcing the 2024 Arts in Education Portal Documentation Award Recipients

The Portal Team are delighted to announce the first of the of the two recipients of the 2024 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: Let’s Get Real

The project “Let’s Get Real” consists of creating an advocacy multimedia film with animated elements to share the learner’s ideas of home life, work life, relationships, health, and education and explore how laws and society is changing to make these human rights prevalent. There are five learners, working with Streetwise staff Ruth O’ Keeffe and Patricia Dooley under the guidance of artist Ana Colomer. The sound design is the result of a partnership piece with Oisín Ó Cualáin from Music Generation inspired by the learners’ work.

Using green screen technology and stop motion animation, they are trying to deliver an honest, personal message about themselves. There is nothing strange or supernatural in our film but quite the opposite, we just point and enumerate the small things that make us who we are. What we enjoy, what we do in our day-to-day routines, and our dreams and hopes for the future, simple things that others might take for granted, like going to work or enjoying a meal with friends.

The process consists of:

Storyboarding, green screen video telling the viewer about us and then creating animations to match the autobiographical video bites. These animations are made with tablets and stop motion studio, but each scene has a different background, elements, and props to accompany the narrative.

This specific creative & educational process has been led by the learners at their pace, to convey the message that is paramount to them & their peers.

Artist: Ana Colomer

Ana Colomer is a visual artist based in Ennis Co. Clare. Ana works as a community artist and arts educator. She is a tutor for LCYP, LCETB, a Creative Associate for Creative Schools, Arts Council, and an Associate Artist for Helium Arts. She holds a Bachelor Degree in Fine Arts by Seville University and a H Dip.

Ana is a firm believer in the importance of a holistic approach when educating at any level, such as primary, post primary or in adult education settings. This holistic approach should have the arts at the centre of it, promoting different ways of learning and prioritising the wellbeing and the joy of creative thinking.

This is Ana’s third collaborative project with Streetwise. “This project is truly special, there is so much effort and love put into it through collaborative learning, and it offers an intimate insight into the lives of people currently living in Ireland with intellectual disabilities.”

!!!! Keystone by Art School; An Exhibition of Moving Image at The Courthouse Gallery

The Courthouse Gallery and Studios, Ennistymon

Date : 8th – 29th September

The Courthouse Gallery and Studios launched Keystone; new moving image work by Art School on 8th September. Commissioned by Clare Arts Office to celebrate twenty years of arts in education programming, Keystone was developed with selected artists Mitch Conlon and James Moran in collaboration with fifth year students from two schools in Co. Clare.

Taking the theme of the collective as its central point of departure, Keystone took shape as a series of workshops guided by artist Mitch Conlon and theatre maker and comedian James Moran working with the 5th year art students and teachers of Coláiste Muire, Ennis, and Scoil Mhuire, Ennistymon, during the school year 2022–23. The project was curated by Jennie Guy, founder and director of Art School, alongside invited co-curator Fiona Gannon, and investigated ideas around the collective by exploring the places where teenagers go to hang out.

Through presentations, games, recording sessions and collaborative decision-making, the production of Keystone explored the atmospheres of specific hang-out spots visited by the students from both schools. Drawing on additional support from filmmaker and artist Emily McFarland and electronic music composer Liam McCartan (Son Zept), the students worked with sound and video to communicate the dynamics of these often peripheral places.

There was a private screening for students and other project partners in the Courthouse Gallery on the 8th September 2023 at 6PM and the work will be subsequently exhibited in the gallery space upstairs from the 8th through the 29th of September. The gallery opening hours are 12pm through 5pm.

To celebrate the launch of the project, a limited edition poster is being produced with award-winning design studio Distinctive Repetition to mark this screening event and will be gifted to each student collaborator involved in the project.

Keystone is supported by Clare Arts Office and the Arts Council.

The project was a recipient of the 2023 Arts in Education Documentation Award

!!!! Blog 4 – Coláiste Muire (Ennis) and Scoil Mhuire (Ennistymon), Co. Clare

Our Voices

During 2023 I took part in the Keystone art project. Once a week, Mitch and James, two successful artists, came to our school for a discussion, which later became activities and progress on the actual project. For the first few weeks we all got to know each other by chatting and discussing our favourite art forms. Something that stood out for me during these chats was our discussion of collaboration and what it meant to us. We all got to say what we thought, making the classroom environment very collaborative. We discussed whether people should have different roles within the project. I loved having these discussions and getting to know the artists, as it made the project a lot easier to work on.

Our first task was to write about somewhere special to us. I chose Lahinch as it is where I’m from and where I have spent many happy memories with my friends. We all shared our work with the class which gave us insight into our favourite places around the local area. Our second task was to record audio from somewhere in our area or community. I recorded the sounds of waves crashing on the beach as it is a sound that relaxes me, and I associate it with fond memories. We shared our sound recordings in class. After more discussion, where we looked for common interests in our chosen locations and recordings, we decided on what other footage we might need for our film. We all went to Lahinch with a film crew and equipment to record. We took film footage of the rocks, sand etc. We all had a go at filming and holding the recording equipment. This was a really fun day as we finally got to see a vision for what the finished project would become. 

The next week in the classroom we received our first draft for the audio of our short film. It included all the sounds that we hand recorded earlier in the year as well as nostalgic music. The artists explained that our footage would be laid down after the soundtrack.

A few weeks later, we finally got to see our first draft of the whole film. Each scene was numbered. We got to say what we liked and didn’t like, by taking notes on each scene. It was such a great feeling to finally see what we had been working on for so long. Our feedback was sent back to the artists and videographer, where they would edit and tweak the footage to align with what our class wanted. 

Participating in this project was such a great experience.  We got to be part of a huge collaboration where all student voices were heard. It felt great knowing that my own ideas would impact the project. I’m grateful for this opportunity, as I got to learn more about collaborative artwork which is something I would love to continue exploring. Thanks to Jennie, Mitch, James, Fiona and everyone involved for this fantastic opportunity.  

!!!! Blog 3 – Coláiste Muire (Ennis) and Scoil Mhuire (Ennistymon), Co. Clare

Teacher as Observer  

Our artists, Mitch Conlon and James Moran, lead with a loose, conversational archiving style, asking students to explore their local hang-out spots, local stories or folklore. They listened for nuggets of information as students described where young people hang out locally: the Cliffs in Lahinch… the Sulphur baths in Lisdoonvarna, the Lake in Inagh, or some more virtual meeting spaces. The artists focused on places where students could hang out and be alone with their friends, to just be.    

My favourite quote in the early weeks of the project was when I asked students for real feedback on the process so far: they answered with a slightly bewildered ‘I don’t think they even know what the project is about!’ It summed it up. The gap between the prescriptive, fact-based academic tradition, the ‘just tell me what to learn’,  ‘answer-in-the-back-of-the-book’ learning model that is the points based Leaving Cert, and what Keystone proposed: a nebulous, prompting, listening, chatting, exchanging of stories, a watching for crossovers, for sparks of connection to form. A waiting with slight discomfort and frustration for the ideas to take shape. The creative process in action. This collaborative, democratic outcome is not a mode of working that sits easily within the exam system. Discomfort. Impatience. Underwhelm? It took a while… A low-level dread of maybe being made to ‘do drama and be on film’ pervaded until students realised that they needn’t be in front of the camera at all. That there were roles they could elect to play in the process. A gently guided ‘it’s ok to feel slight discomfort’ approach!  

The artists showed footage of the 1980’s underground punk scene in Belfast. An anarchic idea for these digital natives: a place where you could go and be anonymous and express yourself with abandon.  

It saddened me that the students haven’t known a world before the omnipresent smart phone, listening, snapping, recording their every move. Before Google Maps, eircodes, data analytical tracking, the rise of AI and Chat GPT. (I thank God regularly for the 90’s!!) 

How do you hang out, away from surveillance. How do you disconnect and connect to each other, or to nature? The irony of making a documentary art piece about this was not lost on us. 

For me, one student’s phone footage of their pristine white runners carefully negotiating a puddle summed up the duality poignantly.    

Our art class has a wonderful diversity of cultures with Irish, Spanish, Italian, Polish and Ukrainian students. Google Translate was a welcome support for the visiting artists! When students began sharing and comparing their respective Christmas and New Year’s traditions and customs it sparked a particularly joyous exchange. Similarities were noted. Things began to click.  

Momentum gathered via shared words, snippets of sound recordings, video, photos of clifftop sunsets, waves,  the roar of a match crowd, the crunch of pebbles. Abandoned spaces.. 

Students had a blast with Mitch and James playing sound wars!

The next task: how to communicate isolation, togetherness, a mood, a feeling, an idea? ‘Film studies’ became real. Figuring out their individual role in all this. Listening. Making decisions. Voicing their opinions. Respectful communication. Shared outcomes. Compromise.   

Life lessons. Soft skills. Play. Discomfort. Purpose. Trusting the process, and surprise at and -hopefully- pride in their finished product.

!!!! Blog 2 – Coláiste Muire (Ennis) and Scoil Mhuire (Ennistymon), Co. Clare

Collaborating in Sound Design

For my blog I have decided to discuss in detail one of my favourite days during the Keystone project. This was the sound designing session with Liam McCartan.

This was the explore and experiment stage of the project. Earlier in the week we were asked to record short clips of sounds that remind us of our themes of isolation, identity, privacy etc. These recordings were then sent to Liam, a sound producer. He arranged the audio clips in a wonderful piece of audio art. 

We met with Liam digitally, through a zoom call. He introduced himself and let us listen to some of his previous pieces such as “Blue Morning”, and “Hold your Breath”. This gave us an insight into what the final piece could be like. We then listened to our piece, and Liam began combining it with other musical elements. He played around with different audio files, interchanging them, and adding audio effects. He also added different instruments such as guitar or keyboard to create harmonies out of the recorded clips. By doing all this he managed to enhance our recordings, making them sound more interesting. It brought out more emotion and so the themes became more obvious. 

He explained the process very clearly. What I also really liked was at each stage he created a few options and allowed us to make decisions and vote on what we felt worked best. One of these decisions was to slow down a particular part. We felt this created a bigger and more dramatic atmosphere, or to layer a number of selected sounds to increase the intensity. 

The piece was taking on a narrative. I could really hear the isolation feeling in some parts such as when the loud building of bird songs, the keyboard and other clips came to a climax, then everything stops and all we hear is the single beeping of the coffee machine. In other areas we agreed that the addition of the musical cords tied the sounds together, and gave it a familiar cinematic quality. A warm, joyful atmosphere was created which also reminded the group of times in our place – in our spot. 

Overall the Keystone project was something I really enjoyed as I gained experiences in areas of art that I have never been involved in before. I gained a much broader insight into contemporary art and the different media that can be used. It took us away from the traditional idea of what art is and made us think a lot more about how to develop ideas.

The students of Coláiste Muire with teacher Aidan Power (left) during one of their engagement sessions with artist Mitch Conlon (centre-right) and James Moran (right), also pictured curator Fiona Gannon (centre-left). 2023 Arts in Education Portal Documentation Award, Keystone Project, Coláiste Muire, Ennis. Image Courtesy of Edel Doherty.

!!!! Blog 1 – Coláiste Muire (Ennis) and Scoil Mhuire (Ennistymon), Co. Clare

A Coláiste Muire Collective

I was instantly intrigued by the idea and inspiration behind the Keystone project. At its essence art should challenge our perceptions and viewpoints, provoke thought and discussion. By getting the students to focus on the local, and the everyday, they were challenged to reconsider their traditional concepts of what is worthy to be art. Moments in their own lives were investigated especially those centred around places they frequented around the town; their hang out spots.  

These “spots”, these centres of interactions and events, often located in places unintended for that purpose; private places within shared spaces, offer teenagers a third space away from the restrictions and rules of home and school. A separate social dynamic for freedoms of expression and connectivity. Nevertheless, these places are normally frowned upon, considered loitering spots, adults tell youths to move on, to stop wasting time. The very idea that the artists wanted students to celebrate these places challenged their preconceptions of the value of these spots and in turn inspired further exploration. 

The explorations brought us down a rabbit hole of new experiences where Mitch and James introduced the group to artistic influences such as the sound art of Mary Anne Amacher, and a documentary about protestors in Curraghinalt made by Emily MacFarland. Each piece inspired very much by the space they were captured in; the physical place and landscape told the story or was the story. This encouraged the students to go out and collect and gather content to tell theirs. They used sound recording, photography, written word and film. A multi-sensual catalogue of data was being built that would act as the primary source of a final realisation.

Our collective expanded further when the expertise of sound producer Liam McCartan and filmmaker Emily MacFarland were brought in to help build our content. Their choices, influenced by written reflections made by students, an interactive zoom call and on-site video shoot where students made creative inputs into all decision making. The experience of observing the layering and manipulation of individual sounds to produce a whole composition, along with the opportunity to use professional video production equipment was something I feel the students really enjoyed.

Seeing how, as the project developed, the students’ immersion within the project increased was something that was very enjoyable for me. Evident in their reflections their initial writings were basic literal descriptions of the sessions, but as the project developed and the students allowed themselves to become more absorbed, their writings became more conceptual considerations. They contemplated how themes could be communicated within the content; a swinging zipline rope from the playground could suggest isolation, a grove of trees in the fair green symbolised privacy in a public space. Their thoughts were now of symbolism and metaphor, associations were being sought outside of their literal meaning. This I believe was one of the greatest successes of the project; the opening of the student’s minds and realisation that all the resources they need to create and solve are often right there in front of them, they just need to give themselves time to look and observe.

!!!! Portal Spring Regional Day 2023 – Roundup

Earlier this month, teachers, artists and arts in education professionals gathered together in the beautiful surrounds of the MTU Crawford College of Art and Design across two of their city-centre sites – Sharman Crawford Street and No. 46 Grand Parade. For delegates this was an opportunity to share experience, gather new ideas and network with colleagues. This event, the seventh of our annual Portal Regional Days, showcased arts in education and creative practice in the South-West. Delegates travelled from Counties Cork, Kerry, Limerick, Clare, Waterford and even Dublin to hear presentations from Jane Hayes and Fiona Linnane, participate in a workshop led by Julie O’Hea and visit the partnership Arts in Education exhibition at Sample Studios.

The morning of sharing practice began with socially-engaged visual artist Jane Hayes delving into key moments from her artistic practice which focuses on work for and with Early Years. In her presentation, ‘The Voice of the Child in Creative Decision Making – the Early Years Context’ Jane spoke of career shaping experiences including residencies with Baboro International Arts Festival for Children in Galway, a project with Scoil Chroí Íosa and becoming a Creative Associate which opened up opportunities for conversation and formalised the voice of the child into her practice. Jane elaborated that her projects evolve as choices and connections are made by the children, encouraging them to think and explore  materials independently from carefully considered provocations introduced influenced by Jane in the Reggio Emilio style.

The key thing is … to give adequate time and space for those ideas to evolve to allow the project to evolve …  to allow the child to become the chief investigator in everything and the classroom almost becomes an artist’s studio for them.” – Jane Hayes

The morning continued with an interactive session from composer Fiona Linnane. Her presentation, ‘Tutti – Exploring pathways to inclusivity for music composition in the classroom’ focused on her experiences in classrooms delivering projects through initiatives such as TAP, Creative Schools and Artist in Schools residencies. She spoke of the challenge and importance of engaging all children regardless of their musical ability through an approach of “experimentation not expectation”. Calling on audience participation, Fiona demonstrated a number of practical exercises and shared her approaches in how to equip children with the skills to experiment.

“For me, it’s about empowering the children just to have that avenue of self-expression in music where even if they’re not the piano prodigy, that they can still express themselves through music and through sound.” – Fiona Linnane

In the afternoon, attendees moved to Number 45 Grand Parade to take part in a practical creative workshop with visual artist Julie O’Hea.  In a fun and messy workshop, Julie along with assistant Amaia Ibarbia led a very hands-on creative session on the processes behind ink-making from natural ingredients and hapazome printing, providing participants with many creative ideas to bring back to the classroom.

Thank you to everyone who joined us on the day. For those who missed the mornings discussions, video recordings will be available to watch back online. Registration for viewing is available through the link here.

!!!! The Inside Stories

Tell us the story of your project – What was the impetus? What was it about? Who was involved? How did you begin?

This project was a visual arts residency with artist Shona McGillivray, teacher Michelle O’Halloran and the young people from the Sycamore, Poppy, and Buttercup classes, their class teachers, and support staff. The classes involved in this project are part of the specific ASD classes of the school and often the main challenge with children with ASD can be communication and expression of self. This project was an opportunity for the children to express their interests and individuality through art. Shona has built up a good relationship with the school’s community and has worked with Michelle and some of the children before thanks to the awards and support given for residencies by Clare Arts Office’s Embrace Programme and Artist in School.

We were all delighted to be able to have visitors again to the classrooms after the long restrictions and Shona started sessions in early January. The activities we were hoping to engage the young people with were open ended explorations of paint, print and collage. The resulting expressive pieces would then become the content of individual artist’s books. Participants were encouraged to express their own thematic interests, and we then provided them with relevant resources, ideas and material choices. Tunnel books are inspired by theatrical stage sets and Shona identified this format as a suitable backdrop to their creative stories. An end product that could also be handled, played with, and a visual prompt for further storytelling or written work within the classroom. Shona has been considering ways to engage audiences of visual art in a more tactile and meaningful way through the direct handling of the art. These physical books are designed to get close to, to peer into, just as you might gaze into the miniature staged life within a doll’s house, with curiosity and imagination. They create a 3-dimensional scene that tells a story.

How were the ideas developed and how did the young people, artist and teacher work together?

We began with a choice of different tactile tools, found objects, papers, paint and a heavy board surface to work on. This starting point became the back page of many of the books as well as acting as the getting to know each other stage. Shona could inquire about participants’ interests and this sparked some individual divergences of theme and approach for the following sessions. Those with verbal skills could communicate their own interests, and for some it was prompted by the teacher’s close knowledge of the young person. Honing into specific individual interests, sensory needs and creative strengths appealed to the participants emotions and led to a deeper engagement of the task in hand.

To assist with visualizing the end product a tunnel book template was made, and also the book’s blank pages or panels for each participant to work directly on to. Shona constantly responded to the children and their sensory seeking needs, often anticipating. One child became excited by the paint brushes alone and Shona responded by incorporating the tangibility of the fibers of the paint brush into the process. It was this meeting of their sensory needs in such a structured and meaningful way that made this experience so learner friendly and enjoyable. It was early in the school year and teaching and support staff were still getting to know the children so it was an insightful learning opportunity for those who were focusing on the children’s individualised learning targets. Each child has Individualised Educational Targets that are specific to their learning and overall progression. This creative process fulfilled many of the targets. One child who uses a communication device being motivated to choose colour, fabric, theme etc. meant that he had meaningful opportunities to communicate. For another child the targets are specific to him engaging in a meaningful way at a table top activity, our target was 3 minutes he often engaged for 15 minutes or more with Shona. Not only did the project incorporate oral language opportunities but it really incorporated very focused and targeted learning opportunities for the children.

!!!! Opportunity for primary schools: My Bloomsday

Branar and the Museum of Literature Ireland (MoLI)
Date: Bloomsday Thursday, 16 June 2022

MoLI is asking young people from 2nd to 6th class to tell us all about a day in their life, this Bloomsday, on Thursday, 16 June. And teachers, it’s a schoolday – so they need your help!

As a follow-on activity from watching Branar’s wonderful You’ll See… film, we want to capture the diversity of lived experiences of young people from around the island of Ireland and put their voice and perspective at the heart of this day.

This is a simple and fun exercise that links imagination and biography, giving us a sense of what their days are like. Schools from across the country are taking part, and the submissions will be presented as an online archive later this year.

The closing date for submissions is Friday, 8 July 2022.

Date: Bloomsday Thursday, 16 June 2022

For more information on how to take part, see ulysses22.ie/mybloomsday

!!!! Workshop: Having Fun in the Outdoor Landscape

Burrenbeo Trust
Date: 19 March, 2022

Burrenbeo Trust invites you to Having Fun in the Outdoor Landscape with Kate Lavender and Karen Van Drop, a workshop for anyone with an interest in place-based learning and/or learning more in the Burren. This workshop forms part of their 11th annual Learning Landscape Symposium that brings together leading change-makers and educators from 18 – 20 March 2022. The symposium takes place at the community centre in Kinvara, Co.Galway and outdoors in the Burren.

The symposium will comprise of a mixture of indoor workshops, outdoor fieldtrips, discussions, and networking events, and is open to anyone with an interest in communicating natural, built, or cultural heritage and sustainability to their audiences and inspiring action.

Date: 19 March, 2022

Learning Landscape Symposium runs from 18 – 20 March 2022 on the theme of From Learning to Action. For more information and to book tickets, see https://burrenbeo.com/lls/

!!!! Job Opportunity: Music Generation Development Officer Co. Clare

Music Generation Clare
Deadline: 12noon, 9 July 2021 

Limerick and Clare Education and Training Board invites applications for the five year, fixed-term position of Music Generation Development Officer in Co Clare. The Music Generation Development Officer will be responsible for managing a programme of performance music education on behalf of County Clare Local Music Education Partnership.

The successful candidate will have a broad understanding of the diversity of effective, contemporary approaches across the diversity of performance music education – and will have the skills and experience to develop a programme that responds to the specific needs of children and young people.

Music Generation Clare is part of Music Generation – Ireland’s national music education programme, which is co-funded by U2, The Ireland Funds, the Department of Education and Local Music Education Partnerships.

Deadline: 12noon, 9th July 2021 

Application form and full job description are available at www.lcetb.ie/mgce/ Completed application forms should be emailed to recruitment@lcetb.ie. Please indicate in the subject line of your e-mail “Ref Number 21/12″.

!!!! Opportunity for Schools: Ennis Book Club Festival Workshops for Schools

Ennis Book Club Festival
Dates: 2 – 5 March

Ennis Book Club Festival invites post-primary school students and teachers in County Clare to a series of online workshops scheduled as part of their wider book club festival taking place from 2 – 7 March.

The workshops include:

• Fighting Words Creative Writing Workshop, Tues 2 March, 10am-12 noon or 1.45pm-3.45pm
• Songwriting and Music Production Workshop with Music Generation Clare, Wed 3 March, 9.30am-12pm or 1.30pm-4pm
• Secondary School Audience with author Louise O’Neill, Thurs 4 March, 10am-11am or 2.10pm-3.10pm
• Louise O’Neill in conversation with Sarah Moore Fitzgerald, 5 March, 11.30am

For more information on how to book, see https://www.ennisbookclubfestival.com/ebcf-2021-events

!!!! Opportunity: Call for Musicians / Music Tutors for Music Generation Clare

Music Generation

Deadline for Clare: 26th April 2019

Applications are currently being sought for the roles of musician/music tutor in Clare.

Music Generation Clare:
Limerick and Clare Education and Training Board is now inviting applications from suitably qualified persons to be placed on a panel for part-time tutors in the following areas of practice within Music Generation Clare –

• Violin
• Guitar and Ukulele
• Singing/Songwriting/Rap
• Piano
• Concertina
• Music Technology
• Bodhrán/Drums/Percussion
• Early Years Music Programme
• Vocal/Choral
• Music Therapy Programmes
• Leading Creativity and Composition in Primary and Post Primary Schools

Further post details and applicant information are available to download from: https://lcetb.ie/recruitment/

!!!! Job Opportunity: Music Generation Development Officer (Clare)

Music Generation

Deadline: 12 noon 15th October 2018

Limerick and Clare Education and Training Board (LCETB) is now inviting applications from suitably qualified persons for the post of Music Generation Development Officer, for Music Generation Clare.

The post is being offered on the basis of a fixed-term contract for a period of three years. The closing date for receipt of applications is 12 noon, Monday, 15 October 2018.

Application form, post details and applicant requirements are available online from the LCETB website at limerickclare.etb.ie or by email from recruitment@lcetb.ie.

It is proposed to conduct interviews at the earliest opportunity following the closing date.

Please note that shortlisting may apply. Canvassing will disqualify. LCETB is an Equal Opportunities Employer.

About Music Generation Clare
Music Generation Clare is a performance music education service for children and young people in County Clare that provides opportunities for children and young people to access a range of vocal and instrumental tuition in their local area.

Established in 2014, it is among the 11 MEP Areas that were selected for participation in Phase 1 of Music Generation. Locally, Music Generation Clare is supported and funded by Limerick and Clare Education and Training Board, and Clare County Council. Visit www.musicgenerationclare.ie

For further information go to www.musicgeneration.ie/news/article/job-opportunity-music-generation-development-officer-clare/

!!!! Opportunities for musicians at Music Generation Clare

Music Generation Clare

Closing Date: 12 noon, Wednesday 29th August, 2018

Limerick and Clare Education and Training Board invites applications from suitably qualified persons to be placed on a panel for part-time tutors in the following areas:

• Guitar
• Harp
• Keyboard
• Percussion
• Uilleann Pipes

Post details and applicant requirements are available to download from www.lcetb.ie. The closing date for receipt of online applications is 12 noon, Wednesday 29 August 2018.

LCETB is an Equal Opportunities Employer

Music Generation Clare is part of Music Generation, Ireland’s national music education programme initiated by Music Network, co-funded by U2, The Ireland Funds, the Department of Education and Skills and Local Music Education Partnerships. Locally, Music Generation Clare is managed by Clare Music Education Partnership, led by Limerick and Clare Education and Training Board in partnership with Clare County Council, University of Limerick and Clare Education Centre.

!!!! Úlla Beag: Print media project

The story of our project from the teacher – Denise:

I approached Lynn in Nov 2014 to collaborate on developing an art class for ECCE in Ulla beag which would cover many art disciplines; painting, printing, working with 3 dimensional form and various craft skills to provide a more holistic teaching approach to pre-reading; pre-writing and pre-maths skills.

Collaborating with Lynn has been a great experience as we both started out with the same beliefs and ethos – We need to recycle more and look at using old materials. It is amazing how you can transform a raisin box into a robot, providing hours of fun and play for children. Through this process, children can create their own toys and the empowerment and confidence they get through using old materials is amazing.

The use of visual media as a teaching method to develop pre-reading; writing and maths skills has moved learning to a higher quality, more holistic approach at Úlla Beag.

The story of our project from the artist – Lynn:

As a group, the children worked on large pieces – printing, painting and collaging, and physically manoeuvred themselves around the piece, rather than just using their upper body, when painting. All activities gave them opportunities to strengthen their fine motor skills. They learned to work together as a group, which built up peer relationships and a joint ownership of the work they produced.

Other projects included clay modelling; and making pinch pots and papier mâché bowls, which focused on form-making, using their hands in a different way. We mono printed onto old baby wipes which was very effective and quick and explorative: some worked well, some didn’t.

We talked about the failed attempts and why this happened – too much paint, too little paint – and we tried again. Some were very keen to try stitching so we did simple long stitches through print and baby wipe. I was pleasantly surprised by how effective baby wipe material was and how easily it took the paint. It worked well with this age group as a surface to print on.

The story of our project from the children:

Through this project we experienced so many examples of children’s feedback:

“I like this way of making letters.” (Mike) This was Mike’s feedback on creating Cars from Cs; Trees from Ts and Houses from Hs. Mike found learning and retaining letters difficult until we started creating associations with every day items in picture format. As an educator you know children learn in different ways and while mainstream teaching of phonics through song & rhyme may work for most children, it does not work for all. One of the critical areas as an educator is to acknowledge this and find a new method of teaching to enable the child.

“I don’t like the way the glue makes my fingers sticky but I want to make my bowl so I will get sticky fingers and then I will have a bowl.” Mary’s feedback on papier mâché technique.

“I don’t mind if I stick the needle on my finger I want to sew a cross and I am getting better at seeing where the needle comes out so I don’t catch my finger!” (Imogen)

“I like using this as sometimes I drop my paintbrush” Oscar (aged 2 1/2) discussing his preference for using cotton buds when painting a picture.

“I am really good at making robots.” (Charlie)

“I made a hole in my picture and had to start again I put too much water on.” (Amelia)

“I feel calm when I paint.” (Thaidhg)

“I mix red and blue for purple. Sometimes I remember how to make orange too, that’s yellow and red, but sometimes I forget so I have to mix different colours together.” (Eibhe)

“I like printing with toothbrushes its cool. They are old toothbrushes though, not new ones.” (Saoirse)

The flow of our art days included: Preparation of room and materials (Lynn); Group discussion with the children -remembering the last class; reviewing the work completed. (This is important for continuity and information processing for children at this age.) Getting ready – Aprons on and discussion with the children of what art lesson is taking place.

After learning techniques from Lynn, the children start to experiment and create, with assistance from Lynn and Denise where needed. Some children finish earlier so they then get to create their next adventure while the other children are given time or guidance to finish their work.

Closing discussions with the children reinforced lessons learned – what the children liked or would change for the next time. Again this is very important in supporting communication skills and information processing with children at a preschool level. This was followed by forward planning – including the children in a discussion of what will take place the following week. At the end, everyone tidies up together.

The biggest smile for both of us was the significant level of pride the children had in their group and individual work. It was amazing seeing the children develop into a strong unit that were as happy with their group projects as they were with their individual works – which really allowed them to feel a sense of identity and belonging within the group. The children are more inquisitive about everything around them – both in and out of school they are talking about their colours and making new things from old things.

The main challenge was keeping the projects age appropriate so the children were not over-dependent on us to intervene and help and really only needed to call on us in real emergencies – such as the glue sticking their fingers together!

Some insights:

•Group Art projects even at an early years level   promoted leadership within the group and fostered team work and empathy amongst the children.
•Art as a teaching process facilitates a safe environment to allow children to fail and start again – a valuable life lesson the children had to figure out with us why things did not always work out. (e.g. Not enough paint applied, Not leaning hard enough to print, yellow will not print out on the recycled wipes etc.)
•Learning to fail and recover / find new solutions is very important to instilling creativity and resilience in children. With print media the children very quickly saw what worked and did not work and the results were immediate.
•Art is a fantastic medium to foster child-led learning and child-led planning as it is such a creative process the children were completely open and could be masters of their own destiny!
•As a result of this collaboration through art with the children we display, discuss and review each others’ work together as part of the art classes. This allows the children to learn more from each other, praise each other, get praise from each other, empathise with each other when something does not work, help each other out more. This is very important in relation to wellbeing, identity and belonging and developing empathy and communication skills with peers, teachers and parents.

Changes and new developments from the project:

The project has resulted in the expansion of the group to include pre-ECCCE children. Art practice has been integrated within daily lessons at Úlla Beag.

There is now stronger and higher quality integration of art-based work into our An Taisce Green Flag Awards process. We are currently on our Water flag and have started gathering recycled materials to create a water lifecycle group exhibition in January, which will be published as part of our Green Flag presentation in March.

More time is allowed for creativity – previously we would have integrated a lot of art work with our children but now we have introduced an element of child-led choice.

We have moved from a reactive solution to a proactive learning environment. That is to say in Year 1 combining phonics and visual art printing allowed us to react to a situation where some children were really struggling to grasp phonetical learning – so we worked together to create a more visual understanding of C. This brought 3 of the more visual learners on a par with their peers and their love of phonics quickly developed. In Year 2 we are seeing very little disparity amongst the children as it is a more holistic and inclusive approach, so we are combining visual printing and other art techniques with phonetical learning.

We have collaborated on Easter  and  Summer camp art days and these are a great hit with the afterschool groups who come to Ulla Beag.