Arts Council bursary awarded to Liam Scanlon

MAYO'S Liam Scanlon has been awarded a prestigious Next Generation bursary by the Arts Council, the state agency for funding and developing the arts.

The Next Generation programme recognises and promotes a selection of artists from different disciplines, such as traditional arts, music, dance, film, theatre and literature, and gives them the time they need to develop their practice. The artists are based right across the country.

Awarded with €20,000 each, Liam is just one of 18 innovative artists given Next Generation awards.

Liam is a Masters graduate in traditional dance performance at the Irish World Academy, and a winner of Corn TG4 at Oireachtas na Gaeilge.

His art is firmly rooted in the sean nós dance tradition. Over the years, Liam has performed across Europe, North America, Russia, Japan and New Zealand. Between 2015 and 2017, Liam was part of the Irish-Québécois collaboration, Sokalo Remix, with Montréal-based Zeugma Danse.

In 2018, Liam choreographed for Preab Meadar, a concert of sean nós song, music and dance, based on the irregular time signatures of the medieval Dán Díreach.

Through his role at Leitrim Dance Project and as a regular tutor at the Irish World Academy, Liam is keen to see the nurturing and development of a living traditional dance community.

Arts Council director Orlaith McBride said: “What makes the Next Generation award special is that it identifies an artist at an early but pivotal moment in his or her career. Our investment buys them time, and the opportunity to engage with mentors or other supports that we hope will have a transformative impact on their work in future years.”

And, she added: “The Arts Council also recognises the significance of contact and engagement with peers, and one of the distinguishing features of this award is a week-long shared residency in the Tyrone Guthrie Centre, which has in the past sparked collaborations, new ideas and concepts, and helped forge long-lasting friendships.”

 

Here Liam talks about what it means to be a Next Generation artist: https://vimeo.com/305467758