Arts Council Director Maureen Kennelly has likened the mobile library coming to her Kerry village when she was a child to having a "sweet shop open on the street corner", in an interview with Jasper Quinlan and Joanne Hession from the Children's Panel of Baboró International Arts Festival for Children.
The youngest of seven children, Maureen explained that she was greatly influenced by her older brothers and sister talking to her about movies and books.
She also credits Team Educational Theatre Company coming to her school with creating a huge sense of excitement. "It was a really big deal", the Arts Council Director says.
The interview is just one part of the youth-led content across the Arts Council’s social channels today to mark World Children’s Day.
Jasper and Joanne also interviewed Niall Cleary, Creative Director of Graffiti theatre company and Marc Mac Lochlain, Artistic Director of Branar, another organisation to feature today. Both are theatre companies for young people and children.
What might inspire a child or young person to pursue art? 🤔
— The Arts Council / An Chomhairle Ealaíon (@artscouncil_ie) November 20, 2024
In our final #WorldChildrensDay interview, Joanne from the @BaboroGalway Children's Panel speaks with Niall Cleary, Creative Director and CEO of @GraffitiTheatre, about getting inspired by art and staying curious. pic.twitter.com/MSBBOsalqk
Across the Arts Council’s Instagram channel, Rajiv Das and Gabriela Kapusta, both members of the Irish Association of Youth Orchestras, are taking charge for the day.
The two young musicians are bringing viewers behind the scenes to showcase how music and being part of an artistic community is so important to them.
Rajiv kicked off the day sharing clips of his choir practice and a piano piece he is working on in his school De La Salle College in Waterford.
Did you catch Rajiv's Takeover of our IG this morning?
— The Arts Council / An Chomhairle Ealaíon (@artscouncil_ie) November 20, 2024
You can hear even more from him today on @wlrfm w/ Gemma Delaney at 13:30!
They'll be talking about #WorldChildrensDay, his IG Takeover & the important role music plays in Rajiv's life
Tune in now: https://t.co/7HSP4NYv2W pic.twitter.com/kxGfYlqDM9
The Arts Council works to ensure that all children and young people have the right to participate and express themselves freely in the arts and that their say in the development of the arts is upheld.
Research shows that this participation positively affects all aspects of children's lives, including education and personal wellbeing.
The Arts Council invests in the development of youth arts practices for young age-groups through funding and partnerships, continuing to support and encourage arts participation for the young people of Ireland.
Ag Fás Leis na hÉalaíona / Growing with the Arts, the Arts Council’s policy for children and young people, underlines both the importance of protecting the rights of the child to engage with the arts, and the necessity to provide a safe space to create.
Its Creative Schools programme is now in one in every four schools in the country and in one in three special schools, with 187 new schools and Youthreach centres nationwide currently participating in the programme. This programme provides children with the opportunities to explore artistic skills and creative thinking; to communicate, collaborate, stimulate imaginations; to be inventive and harness curiosity.
