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Kids Own has launched a new research publication A Form of Listening by Dr Byronie Reid.
Published: 31 March 2026

A Form of Listening by Dr Bryonie Reid, based on Kids’ Own’s early years project in Sligo, offers a thoughtful look at how artists and practitioners engage with very young children through creative practice.

The research draws on work delivered across 2024 and 2025, where Kids’ Own Associate Artists Naomi Draper, Maree Hensey and Ruth Le Gear collaborated with two pre-school settings: Holy Family Day Centre and Inspiring Minds. Working with children aged between two years and eight months and five years and six months, the project created space for shared exploration between artists, educators and children.

Holy Family Day Centre supports children with illnesses and disabilities, bringing together both health and education practitioners. Inspiring Minds follows an emergent curriculum influenced by the Reggio Emilia approach, where children’s curiosity and capabilities shape the direction of learning.

Across a series of sessions, Naomi Draper and Maree Hensey worked together in both settings, while Ruth Le Gear led a second phase of work at Inspiring Minds, supported by Naomi and Maree. Dr Reid’s research reflects on these experiences, offering insight into how creative processes unfold in early years environments and how adults can better attune to children’s ways of communicating.

As one artist reflects:
“Are we listening through touch, are we listening through their engagement? Looking is a form of listening. I’m interested in the idea of the material listening.”

The publication invites readers to consider what it means to truly listen to young children, and how creative practice can open up new ways of understanding their experiences and expressions.

The full report is now available to read A Form of Listening

The Early Years Arts project is funded through the Arts in Early Years Scheme by the Arts Council.

Hugh Lane Gallery
27 June – 28 September

Boghanna Báistí Beaga (Little Rainbows) is an interactive display for very young children created by artist Helen Barry and children from Holy Child Preschool. This exhibition has arisen from an artist-in-residence programme undertaken by the artist at Holy Child Preschool at Sean McDermott Street.

This initiative is a partnership programme between North East Inner City (NEIC) and Hugh Lane Gallery, which ran from October 2024 – May 2025. The residency involved weekly sessions at Holy Child Preschool with three groups of children. Each month the children, their parents and early years’ educators visited Hugh Lane Gallery where they creatively engaged and responded to artworks and the gallery space.

This exhibition features the children’s work and selected documentation of the process of this wonderful project. Hugh Lane Gallery would like to invite families and early years children (5 years and under) to spend time looking, gently touching, exploring and responding to the different things in this room.

For more information and opening times, visit hughlane.ie/whats_on/boghanna-baisti-beaga-exhibition-junsep25/

South Dublin County Arts Office

Deadline: 5pm 20th January 2023

Applications are now being accepted for the Early Years Irish Language Arts Commission 2023.

A collaboration between Creative Ireland South Dublin, South Dublin Arts Office, Áras Chrónáin, and Naíonra Chrónáin

The Creative Ireland South Dublin programme wishes to commission an Early Years Irish Language artwork. This commission will be delivered in collaboration with children from Naíonra Chrónáin located on the grounds of Áras Chrónáin in Clondalkin.

The expectations of the commission are:

  1. Early Years children (0-6years) will be engaged with the creation process of the work and their voice will lead the way
  2. Close collaboration with the teachers at Naíonra Chrónáin to create artwork that could be a model for other Early Years facilities, while remaining feasible for the space of the Naíonra.
  3. The duration of the commission will be discussed with the awarded creative (s) but likely duration is one year.

Objectives

  • Develop process to work with young children in project creation
  • Create a model for other educators and practitioners to work in Early Years Arts and Irish Language
  • Create a participant-led piece of work

Award Amount

The commission is for €30,000 inclusive of VAT

Timeline

  • Applications closing date 5pm 20th January 2023
  • Assessment will take place week of the 23rd January 2023
  • Award Notification first week of February

Applications

For more detailed information on the application process and to submit an application, please visit: https://www.sdcc.ie/en/services/sport-and-recreation/arts/creative-ireland/


!!!! New Research on Early Years Creative Practice: A Form of Listening

Kids Own has launched a new research publication A Form of Listening by Dr Byronie Reid.
Published: 31 March 2026

A Form of Listening by Dr Bryonie Reid, based on Kids’ Own’s early years project in Sligo, offers a thoughtful look at how artists and practitioners engage with very young children through creative practice.

The research draws on work delivered across 2024 and 2025, where Kids’ Own Associate Artists Naomi Draper, Maree Hensey and Ruth Le Gear collaborated with two pre-school settings: Holy Family Day Centre and Inspiring Minds. Working with children aged between two years and eight months and five years and six months, the project created space for shared exploration between artists, educators and children.

Holy Family Day Centre supports children with illnesses and disabilities, bringing together both health and education practitioners. Inspiring Minds follows an emergent curriculum influenced by the Reggio Emilia approach, where children’s curiosity and capabilities shape the direction of learning.

Across a series of sessions, Naomi Draper and Maree Hensey worked together in both settings, while Ruth Le Gear led a second phase of work at Inspiring Minds, supported by Naomi and Maree. Dr Reid’s research reflects on these experiences, offering insight into how creative processes unfold in early years environments and how adults can better attune to children’s ways of communicating.

As one artist reflects:
“Are we listening through touch, are we listening through their engagement? Looking is a form of listening. I’m interested in the idea of the material listening.”

The publication invites readers to consider what it means to truly listen to young children, and how creative practice can open up new ways of understanding their experiences and expressions.

The full report is now available to read A Form of Listening

The Early Years Arts project is funded through the Arts in Early Years Scheme by the Arts Council.

!!!! Boghanna Báistí Beaga: An Interactive Exhibition for Very Young Children at Hugh Lane Gallery

Hugh Lane Gallery
27 June – 28 September

Boghanna Báistí Beaga (Little Rainbows) is an interactive display for very young children created by artist Helen Barry and children from Holy Child Preschool. This exhibition has arisen from an artist-in-residence programme undertaken by the artist at Holy Child Preschool at Sean McDermott Street.

This initiative is a partnership programme between North East Inner City (NEIC) and Hugh Lane Gallery, which ran from October 2024 – May 2025. The residency involved weekly sessions at Holy Child Preschool with three groups of children. Each month the children, their parents and early years’ educators visited Hugh Lane Gallery where they creatively engaged and responded to artworks and the gallery space.

This exhibition features the children’s work and selected documentation of the process of this wonderful project. Hugh Lane Gallery would like to invite families and early years children (5 years and under) to spend time looking, gently touching, exploring and responding to the different things in this room.

For more information and opening times, visit hughlane.ie/whats_on/boghanna-baisti-beaga-exhibition-junsep25/

!!!! Opportunity for artists: Early Years Irish Language Arts Commission 2023

South Dublin County Arts Office

Deadline: 5pm 20th January 2023

Applications are now being accepted for the Early Years Irish Language Arts Commission 2023.

A collaboration between Creative Ireland South Dublin, South Dublin Arts Office, Áras Chrónáin, and Naíonra Chrónáin

The Creative Ireland South Dublin programme wishes to commission an Early Years Irish Language artwork. This commission will be delivered in collaboration with children from Naíonra Chrónáin located on the grounds of Áras Chrónáin in Clondalkin.

The expectations of the commission are:

  1. Early Years children (0-6years) will be engaged with the creation process of the work and their voice will lead the way
  2. Close collaboration with the teachers at Naíonra Chrónáin to create artwork that could be a model for other Early Years facilities, while remaining feasible for the space of the Naíonra.
  3. The duration of the commission will be discussed with the awarded creative (s) but likely duration is one year.

Objectives

  • Develop process to work with young children in project creation
  • Create a model for other educators and practitioners to work in Early Years Arts and Irish Language
  • Create a participant-led piece of work

Award Amount

The commission is for €30,000 inclusive of VAT

Timeline

  • Applications closing date 5pm 20th January 2023
  • Assessment will take place week of the 23rd January 2023
  • Award Notification first week of February

Applications

For more detailed information on the application process and to submit an application, please visit: https://www.sdcc.ie/en/services/sport-and-recreation/arts/creative-ireland/