Arts and Disability Connect announcement for round two 2021

The Arts Council and Arts & Disability Ireland announce the awarded artists for round two of the Arts and Disability Connect scheme 2021.

The Arts and Disability Connect scheme is designed to support artists with disabilities to be ambitious, to develop their practice and to connect with arts organisations and arts professionals in Ireland. €116,000 was awarded to artists with disabilities through the scheme in 2021.

The Arts Council and Arts & Disability Ireland are delighted to announce that €60,000 has been awarded to 16 artists through New Work, Research and Development, Mentoring and Training awards in round two.

“Year on year, the Arts and Disability Connect scheme in funding the creativity of artists with disabilities, continues to push the boundaries ever further, contributing their unique perspectives to the cultural life of Ireland.”
Pádraig Naughton, Executive Director of Arts & Disability Ireland.

New Work Award

New Work awards give artists the resources and time to develop and present new and ambitious work. Artists work with an arts partner to support them to get this new work seen by audiences. In this round, two artists received New Work awards.

Ciara Chapman is a Cork-based visual artist and illustrator. In partnership with the Cork Opera House, Ciara will present a large scale ‘living mural’ at the side of the building. A story ‘following the white rabbit’ will unfold in three parts in September for Pain Awareness Month 2022 and Culture Night.

Brigid O’Dea is a writer based in Dublin. In partnership with Sirius Arts Centre, Brigid will create a series of texts including personal essay, poetry and experimental writing. These texts will explore language, tonality, place and address the question, ‘How does where we are impact what we write?’. A publication and series of events will be presented online towards the end of 2022.

Research & Development Award

Research and Development awards give artists time to think, research, reflect and critically engage with their practice. In this round, two artists received Research and Development awards.

Ali Clarke is a Wicklow-based choreographer, dance artist and producer. Ali will take time to dive deep into research for a new dance solo with support from Irish language consultant Ola Majekodunmi. The research will focus on the relationship between our native language and our sense of cultural and personal identity. Ali also hopes to use the award to identify funding support to bring this work to production.

Róisín Power Hackett is a curator, visual artist and writer based in Waterford. Róisín will research the expansion of an existing body of work ‘The Irish House: A Psychogeographical Map’ based on Power’s Drapery in Callan, Co. Kilkenny. With the support of aural historian Etaoin Holahan, Róisín will explore the development of a film and exhibition of found objects, stories and memories relating to the site.

Mentoring Award

Mentoring awards give artists the resources to develop a mentoring relationship with a more established arts professional. Artists work on an element of their practice with their mentor. In this round, five artists received Mentoring awards.

Anthony Cullen is a Dublin based visual artist. Anthony will work with mentor Léann Herlihy while developing a new performance work. It will focus on body, self, disability and vulnerability within systems.

Derbhile Dromey is a writer and theatre maker based in Waterford. Derbhile will work with mentor Angela Keogh while developing a script, ‘People Wipe Me’, towards production. The autobiographic show is a combination of stand-up comedy and confessional monologue.

Florin Nolan is a Cork-based visual artist. Florin will work with mentor John McHarg to expand their practice, supported by Cope Foundation. Through this mentoring process Florin will also develop relationships with Sirius Arts Centre and Crawford Art Gallery.

Holly Delaney is a visual artist based in Kildare. Holly will work with mentor Pauline Cummins while exploring the theme of mental states ranging from anguish to elation within their practice.

Mykolas (Michael) Gricka is a Wicklow-based musician. Mykolas will work with mentor Carole Nelson to develop their career pathways in the landscape of jazz, classical and traditional music in Ireland.

Training Award

Training awards give artists the resources to learn skills through courses, workshops and masterclasses facilitated by arts organisations, artists and arts professionals. This round, seven artists received Training awards.

Anna Duffy is a visual artist based in Dublin. Anna has created one-to-one workshops with Ailbhe O’Connor and drag model JMAC to learn how to create oil paintings from life drawing sketches.

Francis Conlon is a Galway-based visual artist. Francis will attend training sessions with Amy Brannigan to learn about working in a larger scale with oil paint and also with mixed media.

Jane Queally is a visual artist based in Galway City. Jane will attend a series of workshops at The Gallery of Photography with Dan Scully focusing on scanning, colour reproduction for Polaroid photographs and printing. Jane will also attend a cyanotype workshop with Tadhg O’Cuirrin at Engage Art Studios.

Linda Teehan is a Dublin-based theatre maker and poet. Linda will attend a series of one-to-one masterclasses with poets through the Irish Writers Centre to develop their poetry practice.

Lisa Dowling Scott is a screenwriter and theatre maker based in Dublin. Lisa will attend a series of screenwriting workshops by Flying Turtle Productions and avail of networking opportunities at Cork International Film Festival.

Ruairí O’Shea is a Dublin-based musician and producer. Ruairí will attend Irish traditional guitar lessons with John Sweeney at Waltons New School of Music to improve his technique and expand his professional performance opportunities.

Tara Carroll is a visual artist based in Kildare. Tara has created one-to-one workshops with James Horan to improve their stonework skills and learn how to work with marble.

Congratulations to all of the awarded artists!

For more information about the Arts and Disability Connect scheme see www.adiarts.ie/connect

Image: Devour by Ali Clarke and Ricardo Ambrozio in 2019 in Fafe, Portugal. Photo by José Luis Lorenço