Cruinniú na nÓg 2020 is a collaboration between the Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, the Creative Ireland Programme, local authorities and RTÉ, and is part of the Government’s #InThisTogether campaign which is supporting everyone to stay connected, stay active and look after our physical and mental wellbeing. In light of the public health restrictions currently in force, the Creative Ireland Programme and its partners have developed a number of creative, cultural and engaging “calls to action” which children, young people – indeed entire families – can create in their own homes and gardens on Saturday 13 June. https://cruinniu.creativeireland.gov.ie/
Uillinn: West Cork Arts Centre has been working on several different projects with children and young people for Cruinniú na nÓg. For Art + Artists, the centre invited twelve primary school students to take part in a five week project with Artist in Residence and Public Engagement Assistant Kate McElroy. Using Uillinn’s Exhibition and Gallery Archive as a reference, Kate selected twelve artists (one for each child) who have exhibited at Uillinn over the years. Each participating child received a package by post that included paints, a small sketchbook, a canvas, an object relating to their selected artist’s work and some questions to help them think about their artwork. Kate also facilitated two online workshops on Zoom, where the children and their parents could develop their ideas and inspiration together. The final work will be shared as an online exhibition.
The Quarantíní Choir brings young people between the ages of 8 and 17 years together online to participate in a virtual choir with musical director Liz Clark for Cruinniú na nÓg at 11:30am. Inside-Out is a five week project for young people aged 13 to 15 years working with artist Tomasz Madajczak to explore the outdoor environment using drawing and digital photography, again leading to a sharing of the work online on 13 June. And on that day, the centre will also launch Young Blogger where one young person has been selected to contribute to its popular blog page by sharing their experience of lockdown.
Other activities for Cruinniú na nÓg include a release of the archive Uillinn Connect programme by Stella Gilfert and Kate McElroy, and an online Film Screening of PreCognition, a short animated film on climate change made last year by Transition Years students at Skibbereen Community School working with artist Siobhán McGibbon.
