2019-2020
Danecastle National School / Gorey Educate Together National School / St. Joseph’s National School (Donard) / Kiltealy National School
In 2013, the Living Arts Project was established as an artist-in-residence scheme in primary schools, supporting the existing partnership between the Arts Department of Wexford County Council and Wexford Arts Centre. The aim of this project is to provide children with an understanding and appreciation of contemporary visual art.
The following artists and schools were selected for this year’s programme: artists David Begley and Hanneke van Rwysyk with Danecastle National School, artists John Busher and Sonya Weston with Gorey Educate Together National School, artists Deirdre Meehan-Buttimer and Jeni Roddy with St. Joseph’s National School (Donard), and artists Mary Claire Kehoe and Anne Martin Walsh with Kiltealy National School. Through the themes of identity, climate change and sustainability, and the environment, the activities focused on promoting artistic and interpersonal skills enabling pupils to recognize the potential of art to be used as a tool for communication and learning.
An assistant artist’s programme ran in tandem with artists’ residencies thereby creating more opportunities for shared knowledge in relation to creating and mediating contemporary visual art. This year’s assistant artists were Jeni Roddy, Hanneke van Ryswyk, Anne Martin Walsh,, and Sonya Weston.
A mentorship programme ran alongside each residency, and each artist nominated an independent artist or curator they felt was relevant to their professional practice. This mentorship helped to ensure the effectiveness and integrity of the programme on an ongoing basis, while also providing a positive critique for the resident artist. The following mentors were involved in the 2019-20 project, Katherine Atkinson, Gareth Kennedy, Eammon Maxwell, Rosie O’Gorman, Sue Rainsford, Caroline Schofield, Anya von Gosseln, and Marysia Wieckiewicz-Carroll.
The Arts Department of Wexford County Council and Wexford Arts Centre would like to take this opportunity to thank all schools, artists and mentors involved in the project, and the local community for their support and interest in the project to date.
Photography by Frank Abruzzese and Lar O’Toole
Frank Abruzzese: www.frankabruzzese.com or www.cowhousestudios.com
Lar O’Toole: www.lo2l.ie