Professional Development Afternoon

for Artists with Disabilities

Project Arts Centre, Dublin 2

9 July, from 2pm to 5pm

artscouncil.ie/research-and-reports/artists-at-the-intersection-of-work-and-welfare

Biographies, in order of speaking:

Cecilia Bullo is a bicultural visual artist whose multidisciplinary practice spans sculpture, installation, sound, and performance. Classically trained and grounded in research, her work draws from ecofeminist theory, mythology, psychoanalysis, and esoteric ritual to examine healing, transformation, and the politics of care. Through cross-cultural references—ranging from Greco-Roman votive traditions, Sumerian occult practices to Irish folklore—Bullo explores ecological memory, collective trauma, and the symbolic power of material and its processes. She is currently a resident studio artist at Rua Red, South Dublin Arts Centre, where she is primarily based.

HK Ní Shioradáin is a composer and theatre-maker. Their recent musical, Beards, funded through Arts and Disability’s New Work Award, was met with acclaim, described by the Irish Independent as ‘hilarious…an absolute breath of fresh air’. HK was named as one of the Best Theatre Soundscapes of 2024 for their design for Grace (Graffiti Theatre, Dublin Theatre Festival). They are a co-founder of LemonSoap Productions which was described as Best Young Company by the Arts Review.

Diane Crotty is a Dublin-based theatre-maker who creates work for adults and children. If possible she tries to work a dragon into every show. Current projects include Redbird (recipient of a Research and Development award from ADI) and Soilsini.

Stephanie Dickenson is an experienced arts publicist, with expertise across the arts sector & beyond, having worked as an independent publicist for eleven years following fifteen years at an agency. She works to secure interviews, features, reviews, and other coverage in national and local media on behalf of her clients. She has worked with Arts & Disability Ireland on various projects since 2007.

Emilie Conway‘s innovative and multifaceted work as a performing artist, activist, and pyschotherapist paint a portrait of an individual deeply dedicated to artistic expression, social justice, and the power of human connection.

Emilie Conway is an award-winning vocal jazz artist, composer, and lyricist based in Dublin, Ireland, celebrated for her innovative approach to music. Her distinctive style weaves together original compositions, spoken word elements, and both improvised and structured musical passages, frequently drawing inspiration from the realms of literature and visual arts. Conway’s artistic explorations delve into compelling themes such as the interplay between jazz and other art forms, the unique perspectives shaped by her lived experience as a disabled person, and the creation of jazz for young audiences.

This multifaceted approach has garnered international recognition, notably including acknowledgement from the United Nations for her contributions to International Jazz Day, highlighting the global impact of her unique artistic vision.  New York’s global centre for culture, The 92nd Street Y, also commissioned her to deliver a series of lectures, The Musical Art of Piet Mondrian. Emilie has performed across Ireland, the US, and Europe at festivals and venues including, Belles Artes, Santo Domingo, Carnegie Hall’s Migrations Festival NYC, The Village Trip Greenwich Village Festival, the Cornelia St. Cafe, The American Irish Historical Society, Sligo International Jazz Festival, The American Writers’ Museum Chicago, Ranelagh Arts Festival, The Bray Jazz Festival, Galway Jazz Festival, Copenhagen Jazz Festival, and many more. 

Beyond her captivating presence on stage and her insightful songwriting, Emilie Conway is a dedicated and influential activist for the equal and equitable participation of disabled individuals within arts and culture. Recognizing the systemic barriers that exist, she founded DADA (Disabled Artists, Disabled Academics), a powerful campaign advocating for the cultural and human rights of disabled artists in alignment with the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. In her role as an advocate, Emilie frequently lends her expertise as a speaker, consultant and advisor to numerous arts organizations, guiding them on matters of policy and implementation in equality, diversity, inclusion, and human rights, including the National Gallery, the Arts Council, Safe to Create, Open House Dublin, the RHA and many more.

Since 2020 DADA has made several influential policy submissions on solutions to barriers facing disabled artists and audiences.  Emilie set a new precedent in the Oireachtas (Irish Parliamentary) by singing her Opening Statement which was very warmly received by members!  DADA’s submissions have resulted in inclusion in the publication of several policy documents by the Dept of Disability, Children, Equality, Integration and Youth and the Dept of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport, Gaeltacht and Media  including: A Safe and Respectful Working Environment in the Arts, and ‘The Development of Local and Community Arts’, ‘Participation in Political, Cultural, and Community Life.’ Emilie was an advisor to the recent report Amplify:A Call for Transformative Action published by Safe to Create, managed by Irish Theatre Institute, in partnership with the Arts Council, Screen Ireland and Minding Creative Minds, on behalf of the Department ofTourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media.

Informed by her own lived experience of disability and her passion for the arts, Emilie drives innovation in making art and cultural spaces more inclusive and engaging for all. Drawing on her own artistic competencies, and, as needed, in collaboration with other artists, she creates musical, lyrical/audio described, movement, sculptural and tactile experiences for blind and visually impaired audiences. She calls this process Solid, Space, Sound and it is a multi-sensory approach which has been found to have broad appeal – for children, people with complex needs, the elderly and non-disabled.  She has adapted her Solid Space Sound approach for the National Gallery of Ireland, the Royal Hibernian Academy, The Ark Children’s Cultural Centre, the Irish Architecture Foundation and Open House.  Most recently she has been awarded a bursary from the Arts Council of Ireland  to support a deeper phase of research and development of this approach in partnership with the Project Arts Centre.

Brigid O’Dea writes a column for the Irish Times that began as an exploration of living with invisible disability and has evolved to track the whims of life. She reviews literature for this same paper, alongside the publications Inis Magazine and Paper Lanterns. In 2021 she was awarded a New Word Award by Arts and Disability Ireland, to collaborate with Sirius Arts Centre, where was a former digital writer in residence, to produce a which will be published later this year. Other achievements include, a range of bilingual audio stories for children in collaboration with Super Paua, and a two-month residency on Cape Clear Island which culminated in the publication of an Irish language picture book for children. A second publication is currently on its way. Brigid has had poetry published in Ogham Stone journal, RTÉ radio and ‘What Matters Most’ government report.

Keith Thompson is the Policy Officer at The Arts Council | An Chomhairle Ealaíon, and works primarily on the implementation of the Paying the Artist policy. This work has recently led to the publication of Dr. Philip Finn’s report Artists at the Intersection of Welfare and Work, and an upcoming Fair Pay, Fair Practice policy toolkit for arts organisations. He also supports the development of strategic and artform-specific policies across the organisation, and currently leads the EDI Disability Supports project. This is devoted to addressing inequalities in outcome for disabled artists upon receipt of Arts Council funding. Prior to working at the Arts Council, Keith spent several years as an actor and director, including two years as associate director with Changeling Theatre in the UK, and was a founding member and company secretary of Fast Intent Productions.

Arts & Disability Ireland Staff

Pádraig Naughton became Executive Director of Arts & Disability Ireland in 2005. Under his direction, ADI has evolved into being the national resource and development organisation for arts and disability in Ireland.  ADI works strategically in partnership with the arts sector to champion the creativity of artists with disabilities and promote inclusive experiences for audiences with disabilities.  Activities include commissioning innovative collaborations, national provision of audio description and captioning for live theatre and support for artists in the development of new work through funding, residency, mentoring and training opportunities.

Pádraig undertook an LLM in International & Comparative Disability Law & Policy at NUI Galway (2020/22).  He holds a PGCE in Arts & Design Teaching, Bretton Hall College, University of Leeds West Yorkshire (1998) and a Degree in Craft Design Ceramics, National College of Art & Design Dublin (1993).  While a student, Pádraig developed a specialist interest in art and visual impairment that grew into a studio practice focusing on tactile experimental sculpture and landscape drawing.  Subsequently, he became Artists Manager and then Artistic Director with Equata: Disability Arts Development Agency for South West England (2003) and was nominated by Arts Council England to participate in the first Creative Cultural Leadership Programme established by Exeter University and Dartington College of Art (2004-06).

Pádraig has served on the Boards of the Arts & Disability Forum (an All-Island membership organisation) 2002-2003 and 2007-2009 and Kildare Arts in Context (with an initial focus on seeking broader funding opportunities for the creation of local music instrument banks) 2010-2012.  Pádraig was co-opted to the VSA Affiliate Council in 2013 and elected Chair in 2015.  During his tenure, he guided this global network of Affiliates from 37 US states and 50 countries to transition to an open international membership of arts and disability organisations, which since 2019 has been managed by the Kennedy Center, Washington D.C.  In 2016, Pádraig’s Arts & Disability Radio programme broadcast on Near FM received a Social Benefit (Talk) Award from CRAOL the Community Radio Forum of Ireland.  In 2017, he participated in the Leadership Development for Transition and Change programme, designed by the Social Intelligence Associates to maximise the impact and potential of leaders in the Irish not-for-profit and voluntary sectors.

Ramona Mulcahy is ADI’s General Manager, and joined the team in 2014. She holds a Masters in History of Art from UCD, with her thesis focusing on Irish printmaking in the mid to late 20th century. Further to this she worked as a printmaker’s assistant. Ramona previously worked for the Arts Council/An Chomhairle Ealaíon, among other charities and not-for-profits. In 2024 she attained a Certificate in Charity Law, Trusteeship and Governance from The Law Society of Ireland. She is interested in the arts and mental health, and volunteered with First Fortnight, Ireland’s mental health arts festival for several years. She also has a creative writing practice.

Adrian Colwell joined ADI as Arts Administrator and Communications Manager in September 2022, taking on the role of Access & Training Officer in January 2023, before moving into the role of Programme and Service Development manager in September 2024. A graduate from IADT Dun Laoghaire with a BA Hons Degree in Visual Arts Practice and an MB in Cultural Event Management, Adrian has worked for numerous different organisations on the Irish arts scene including the Arts Council of Ireland, Visual Artists Ireland and the Irish Visual Artists Rights Organisation. Adrian has also independently produced arts events and initiatives underpinned with an ethos of accessibility, diversity and inclusion.

Róisín Power Hackett joined ADI as Programme Support Officer in January 2023. Róisín is a visual artist, writer, and curator. In 2021 Róisín graduated from the ARC LAB Curatorial Scholarship where she researched inclusion in and access to the arts for people with disabilities. Curatorial work includes What Am I? (2022) at KCAT Arts Centre in Callan, Co. Kilkenny, A Consideration of All Bodies (2021) at the LAB Gallery in Dublin, The Finest Specimens of Fossilised Duration (2020) an online exhibition commissioned by Arts & Disability Ireland and the podcast ALL BODIES (2020) for Culture Night at the LAB. Róisín’s recent awards include an Arts and Disability Connect Research and Development Award (2021), the Waterford County Council’s Tyrone Guthrie Bursary (2019) and the Arts Council’s Visual Arts Bursary Award (2018).

Hannah Gumbrielle joined ADI as Communications and Administrative Officer in December 2023. Hannah began working in access to arts while in the circus and dance sector. A multidisciplinary aerial artist and coach in Taking Flight, she focused on the development of community arts participation, particularly youth and disability inclusion. She is passionate about inclusive teaching practices and making circus arts accessible to artists and audiences, working closely with community groups as well as exploring the topic of queerness, illness, ability, and diversity in her own arts practice. In 2021 she began Circus Club in collaboration with St. Michael’s House, running circus classes for children with disabilities and additional needs in collaboration with their physiotherapists, occupational therapists, and early intervention specialists. Hannah has recently debuted her solo show Malignant Humour to a sold out Dublin Fringe Festival crowd, and garnered a five star review in The Irish Times. She has performed as part of Belfast Children’s Festival (2024), Aduantus’ To Odin Offered (2022), Culture Night (2019, 2021, 2022), Taking Flight’s Create Project (2019, 2021), the Irish Aerial Creation Centre’s Creative Intensive (2021), and graduated with Ecole Nationale de Cirque, in Circus Instruction (2019). She is the recipient of a Dublin Fringe Residency, dlr Artist Bursary, Dance Ireland Residency, a Dublin City Arts Office Bursary Award, multiple Arts Council Agility Awards, and the Circus Bursary Award in 2022.

Moran Been-noon is our Access & Training Officer. (While not participating in the programme, Moran is working behind the scenes on the logestics of today’s event)

Menu for event