Education

Arts in Schools
Projects vary from year to year and are designed to work within the context of the school building and school ethos.  Facilitated by professional companies and/or artists, all workshops are designed specifically in response to the interests of and /or issues effecting young people today. 

'Ways of Seeing'

Swords Castle opened the doors of it's recenlty renovated Chapel to the public on Wednesday 16th of December 2009, to host an exhibition of new photography work by second level students from Fingal.  Students from Malahide Community School, Skerries Community School, Pobail Scoil Neasain Baldoyle, and Loreto School Balbriggan, came together to celebrate the wealth of creativity among the young people of County Fingal.  Fingal Arts Office collaborated with the schools, parents, students and professional photographer Tim Durham, to programme workshops that explored visual awareness and digital photography.  The exhibition is the result of these workshops and consisted of 109 prints displayed in the main Chapel space, and another 109 images digitally projected in the Castle Tower.  The evening was officially launched by Cllr Ciaran Byrne, Mayor of Fingal, who commended all involved on their creative skills and execution of the work.  One young participant explained,'Before the course I would only take pictures of friends and family on special occasions, but now I'm interested in everyday situations, and things in nature, so I take my camera with me everywhere in case I see something of interest.'   With over 80 people in attendence, the atmosphere on the night was one of joy and pride as the students guided their friends, family members and teachers through the exhibition. 

Draw me a Right is an art competition which is open to all young people aged between 10 and 18years of age.  The European Commission invites young people from Fingal to design a poster which illustrates one of the Rights stated in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.  The aim of the competition is to raise awareness on the issues of children’s rights and celebrates the 20th anniversary of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.  Fingal County Council’s Arts Office is offering one school in Fingal the opportunity to workshop with a professional artist to unlock their creativity before embarking on creating their own unique poster.  The purpose of the artist lead workshops will be to brainstorm for ideas and explore suitable materials for executing their design.  The finished work, made entirely by the young people, will be sent to take part in a national
competition.  If successful, the work will be sent on to compete at European level.  The winners of the first prize will be invited to visit Brussels in May 2010 for a tour of the city, visit European institutions and to attend an award ceremony.   Fingal County Council fully supports opportunities for artistic engagement and wishes the Fingal participants the best of luck.

Artist Maura O’Rourke
Lusk Primary School
Title: Lusk, My Village
Local Artist Maura O’Rourke resides and works in the unique and rural setting of the Cottage Gallery & Studio, Oldtown Co Dublin.  Her work is part of both private and public collections and has been exhibited worldwide in venues around Ireland,
New York, France and the Uk.  Lusk National School approached Fingal Arts Office requesting funding to invite Maura to work with 63 students on a project that would bring the history and stories of Lusk to the fore.  Teachers began research sessions
with their students, sourcing relevant library books, old art work and written work from the local church and members of the community. Informal chats with local residents proved both entertaining and fruitful in identifying the true heritage of the town.  Working through the medium of paint, the students created colourful paintings which now form the content of an exquisite three panel canvas which hangs in the school.