Upstart programme celebrates International Day of Persons with Disabilities

MAYO County Council’s arts service is nationally recognised for its work in the area of arts and disability, and has been leading, supporting and developing relevant programmes throughout Mayo and beyond for a number of years.

In 2010 the arts service initiated the Upstart scheme, centred around International Day of Persons with Disabilities (December 3). This scheme provides support for arts projects and events in Mayo which provide access to quality arts experiences for people with disabilities in their own locality.

This year, five projects received funding through both the Upstart and Creative Ireland Mayo funding schemes. A series of launches of project outcomes will happen between now and December and 11.

Down Syndrome Mayo, with artists Anne Connolly and Elaine Brown, worked together on a series of visual arts workshops, which has culminated in an exhibition of a wall hanging entitled Cloth of Dreams at the Curam Centre, Claremorris.

Ridgepool Training Centre, Ballina Arts Centre and Claire Griffin worked on Our World View (Through the Looking Glass), a series of workshops exploring different aspects and styles of printmaking, culminating in an exhibition of work in a variety of venues in Ballina. The exhibition will be launched at Ballina Arts Centre on Thursday (December 6). This project received additional support from the Creative Ireland Mayo Fund.

Two performances of A Winter Wish at the Quiet Tree by Ceol Connected will take place on Saturday (December 8) at 12 and 2.30 p.m at the Linenhall Arts Centre, Castlebar. This project saw St. Bríd’s School, Castlebar, and the Linenhall Arts Centre, Castlebar, work with Ceol Connected on a series of workshops to deepen and extend the children’s engagement with the performance.

Carrowbeg Artists Collective, based at Custom House Studios in Westport, worked with DJ and sound artist Christopher Ceo on a series of workshops, culminating in the production of a sound art project entitled Sound Piece that will be launched at the Custom House Studios on Sunday (December 9) at 3 p.m.

Scannán Tecnologies, Ballina, worked with artists Faith Hogan and Helen Falconer on a series of creative writing workshops, culminating in the presentation of a series of poems and short stories entitled Words Into Community which will be launched in the study room at Ballina Library on Tuesday next, December 11, at 2 p.m.

Since its inception in 2010, the Upstart scheme has led to some extraordinary outcomes, including 41 partnership projects, engaging 98 artists/facilitators, working with 571 participants with disabilities on 373 workshops, leading to 48 exhibitions and performances attended by over 2,488 audience members.

For further information on Mayo County Council’s arts and disability work or the Upstart programme, contact Damien O’Connor, disability arts co-ordinator at Mayo Arts Office, on (094) 9064363 or mayoarts@mayococo.ie, or see the programme website at http://mayo-upstart.ie.