Blog 1: Liz McMahon, Visual Artist with Creativity in the Classroom

Is éascaitheoir amharc-ealaíne agus ceannaire Scoil na Foraoise í Liz McMahon.

Fuair sí céim sa Mhínealaín ó Scoil Ealaíne agus Deartha Luimnigh i 1981.

In 2018 bhain sí Leibhéal 3 i gCeannaireacht Scoil na Foraoise amach ag an Open Network
College, West Midlands, R.A.

Bhog sí go Co.Chill Mhantáin i 1986.

Bhí sí ina Comhordaitheoir ar Chlár na Leanaí ag Áras Nua-Ealaíne na hÉireann ó 1991 go
2000.

Bhí sí ag obair le leanaí laistigh agus lasmuigh de scoileanna ar chláir chruthaitheacha fhadtéarma amhail Muse-e, clár trí bliana i mbunscoileanna arna chruthú ag Yehudi Menuhin, Mapping - clár sé bliana le leanaí i dTionscadal Óige an Chloigín Ghoirm, Cruthaitheacht sa Seomra Ranga - ar feadh seacht mbliana is fiche, agus d’éirigh sí as bheith ag obair mar éascaitheoir in 2004 agus tá sí fós ar an ngrúpa stiúrtha.

Tá sí ag éascú Scoil na Foraoise ar Chnoc Chill Iníon Léinín le daltaí Thionscadal Scoile Dheilginse le haon bhliain déaganois agus leanann sí leis an obair sin go fóill.

Faoi láthair tá sí ar fhoireann an tionscadail ‘Scaip’. Is í aidhm an tionscadail sin taithí Scoil na Foraoise i dTionscadal Scoile Dheilginse a úsáid chun foghlaim bunaithe ar an dúlra a chur chun cinn agus a thacú i mbunscoileanna.

Tá saothair ar an mórchóir cruthaithe aici ó 2006 ar aghaidh trí Scéim an Chéatadáin le haghaidh na nEalaíon agus trí choimisiúin eile i gcomhar leis an ealaíontóir Fiona Coffey agus le daltaí i go leor scoileanna ar fud na hÉireann.

In the first post of a new guest blog series, visual art facilitator Liz McMahon reflects on her 27 years of experience working on the Creativity in the Classroom arts in education programme.

Creativity in the Classroom is an artist – teacher collaborative programme involving five primary schools in Dublin 8 and 12. Established in 1997, this innovative school-based arts programme was set up in the belief that the arts could actively and positively support the emotional and social wellbeing of the children in the area.

The success and longevity of Creativity in the Classroom (CIC) is due to a total commitment from the participant schools. Due to this strong belief in the CIC process, each participating school contributes €3,000 from its DEIS grant, totalling €15,000. The vibrant CIC steering committee consists of a member from each school and one of the artists. The committee raise the remaining amount of €15,000 each year via a variety of grant applications. The CIC programme engages approximately 875 pupils annually, with each taking part in at least six sessions.

The CIC committee continually reflect and plan throughout the project, which keeps it up to date on the needs of the children. Wellbeing has now been recognised as a necessity for learning, and it’s been at the heart of CIC since it’s inception.

Twenty nine years ago CIC realised that the visual arts helped children to express and make sense of their emotions, in particular when they might not always have the words to describe what they’re feeling.

It’s easy to lose the original principles of a project over time however the results of the steering committee meetings are fed back to the teachers and artists who participate in the schools. Time is always given to the artist and class teacher to meet throughout the sessions. Every teacher and artist’s relationship differs but all have the children’s wellbeing at heart.

Visual Artist Liz McMahon and a student working together for Creativity in the Classroom programme.

Rather than instructing, the adults scaffold the learning/playing by asking open-ended questions, extending creativity, and introducing new ideas through story, materials, techniques, exploring and wondering. The teacher and artist share their observations and reflect on each session to plan for the next.

During my time working on CIC I experienced extraordinary changes in children, the relationships between children with each other and with the teacher. Towards the end of a series of sessions the children invited their parents to work with them. Some parents who did not have a relationship with the school and had not come in for any other meetings came to these sessions.

Creativity in the Classroom was a recipient of an Arts in Education Portal 2025 Documentation Award.  You can watch the Documentation video below: