Midlands Arts and Culture Magazine Autumn-Winter 2016
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Midlands andCulture ArtsMagazine A REVIEW OF THE ARTS IN LAOIS, LONGFORD, OFFALY AND WESTMEATH AUTUMN/WINTER 2016 • ISSUE 26 Celebrating of Midland Arts THE WRITTEN WORD MUSIC & DANCE THEATRE & FILM VISUAL ARTS FREE MidlandsArts andCultureMagazine Contents • 10th anniversary ..............................Page 2 LS 17 Studios Gary Dunne • Siege of Jadotville.......................Page 3 Longford schools of photography........................Page 4 Origami wonderland Leaves Lit Festival • Army Band .........................Page 5 Then & Now Eva Burke • Tomás Skelly..............Page 6 The Art of Blogging...............................................Page 7 A Word from High Achiever Awards • Top of the Rock ............Page 8 the Editor Pat Boran – When it comes to making art .........Page 9 This year has been a remarkable one in so many ways – there were the 1916 Street Theatre • I’m Your Vinyl .........................Page 10 commemorations and I use that word Abbey Road Artists............................................Page 11 deliberately, rather than celebrations, because Sink: Sync: Surface............................................Page 12 so many facets of that troubled time were 4 Degrees West • Orange Door........................Page 13 horrific. Halloween Howls • Dáire O’Muiri .....................Page 14 The purpose of art is to shine a light on all Archaeology of Cinema......................................Page 15 aspects of life. Culture, like history is not simply black and white. There are many Emerging Artist • Music Network.....................Page 16 nuances and shades that deserve to be Stripes at Script • Bernice Harrington .............Page 17 Studios and highlighted. Manchán Magan looks back at ten ...........Page 18/19 In the midlands the arts offices in counties years of the arts in the Midlands Apartment Laois, Longford, Offaly and Westmeath offered Patrick Graham ..................................................Page 20 now available an impressive variety of cultural events to One family, many visions...................................Page 21 mark the centenary. Music Generation Laois at The Laois Every artistic medium was utilised to convey Observing Offaly.................................................Page 22 Arthouse, the stories of heroes and heroines of national Daniel O’Brien • Peter Doran ...........................Page 23 and local fame. It was particularly gratifying to Stradbally, see the ‘children of the Rising’ remembered. Culture Night Westmeath • Hullaballoo ..........Page 24 This year also marks the tenth anniversary Laois Art House..................................................Page 25 Co Laois. of Midlands Arts & Culture magazine, as Manchán Magan tells us in his two articles Culture Night Laois • Poetic Note ....................Page 26 Facilities include: Artists Studios, on pages 18 and 19 there is much to celebrate Angela Tuite & Mary Grey Expo ..........................Page27 Exhibition Space, Rehearsal Space, but there is also much to be done. Singfest 2017 Kiln, Garden, digital facilities, public Fr John O’Brien book ..........................................Page28 library. The late John F Kennedy said: Photographer Media Awards “If art is to nourish the roots of our culture, society State of the Art Studios and one must set the artist free to follow his vision wherever Dan Edwards book.............................................Page 29 residential apartment –(min rental 3 it takes him.” 100 years, 100 faces • TR Dallas ...................Page 30 months) It is incumbent upon us to support art and Street Art Cruthu................................................Page 31 artists in whatever way we can. In this the Foundation Arts • People of Longford Expo ....Page 32 Application form available contact: Muireann Ni Chonaill, Arts Officer, centenary of the new Ireland what better way Dunamaise events.............................................Page 33 Laois County Council Tel: 057: than to encourage local art practitioners in Trench Award • Plot Ceapach...........................Page 34 8664109/8664033 or email: every way we can and to welcome other from farther afield so we might learn from them. John Ennis • Artist in Residency ......................Page 35 [email protected] For more information visit the website: Paul Moore’s year ..............................................Page 36 Vivienne Clarke of Acumen Media, Editor www.arthouse.ie A look inside YOUR LOCAL ARTS OFFICERS County Offaly County Westmeath County Laois County Longford WHO: Sinead O'Reilly, WHO: Miriam Mulrennan WHO: Muireann Ní Chonaill WHO: Fergus Kennedy WHERE: Offaly County Council, WHERE: Westmeath County Council WHERE: Laois County Council, WHERE: Longford County Council, Charleville Road, Tullamore County Buildings, Mullingar Portlaoise, Co Laois Great Water St. Longford. CONTACT: Telephone 057 9357400 CONTACT: Telephone 044 93 32016 CONTACT: Tel: 057 8664109 CONTACT: Tel: 086 8517595 [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] www.offaly.ie/arts www.westmeathcoco.ie www.laois.ie/arts www.longfordcoco.ie/arts_office.html 2 Midlands Arts and Culture Magazine | AUTUMN/WINTER 2016 A PROFILE Centre and Theatre, Portlaoise, and the wider local arts scene. His sister is a TV producer in London and his younger brother is a visual artist in Canada while his older brother lectures in Trinity College. gary dunne “I’m in Laois every six weeks or so. I have a lot of by Caroline Allen friends there, many of whom are involved in bands, Growing up in Portlaoise, immersed in the arts, a creative career was always on the gigs and festivals, so there’s very often music and general craic,”he says. cards for Gary Dunne. While he followed in his father, John’s footsteps, and trained as a teacher initially, he soon found himself craving all things cultural for the day job. Management of time, people and projects is, he admits, a constant challenge. “Creativity, ideas and “I taught for a few years in Dublin while doing “We continue to listen to what our audiences want, vision are my lifeblood and have always come music on the side before moving to London in and at the moment all indicators are sending a strong naturally to me, but I had to teach myself how to 2002,”he recalls. “For the next six to seven years, I and clear message that our programme is hitting the manage. Ideas without execution go nowhere. It’s was a full-time artist, touring, recording, and giving right notes in terms of content, production and an ongoing journey.” workshops.” visitor experience,”he says. The Irish arts scene is vibrant, despite the challenges In the late noughties, he got involved with Irish The flexibility on location allows him to stay of recent recession and related funding challenges, community organisations in London, and began a connected to and be inspired by the very latest Irish he maintains. “People and organisations seem very journey from volunteer to freelancer and then cultural talent, making strategic connections with open to innovation and new ways of doing things. Cultural Officer to Director of Arts at the London the venues, festivals and agents he works with in Meaningful partnership work also appears to be of Irish Centre, an appointment he took up in 2012. London, he contends. “My work has always growing importance,” he says. “We partner with “Through that whole period, my working life has straddled the two environments.”The commuting scores of Irish artists and arts organisations every been a mix of culture, creativity and community,” doesn’t faze him. “For someone with a background year, from theatre companies to music agencies, he reflects. as a touring musician, a 50-minute flight is a walk in galleries to state agencies. Almost all are doing great the park.” work for their audiences and communities in Currently concentrating on the autumn/winter challenging times.” schedule and the festival programme for London’s Programming Irish events in London is challenging, 2017 St Patrick’s Day Festival, he outlines that the as the Irish community there is no longer based in Working in the arts is exciting, challenging, and main festival event will be in Trafalgar Square and one fixed area, he says. “It’s also very diverse in its hugely rewarding, says the St Mary’s CBS past pupil. the parade and wider umbrella festival will be at a interests, tastes and expectations. When confronted So what advice does he have for those interested in whole mix of London venues. with tired stereotypes about the Irish in London, I forging a career in the area? “It’s also a sector in always say that the Irish in London are at least as which job descriptions can flow and change, so Then there’s programming the Irish Arts Festival diverse as the Irish in Ireland.” anyone contemplating working it in should be ready 2017, a multidisciplinary Irish arts event that will be to move comfortably from helping with a get-in to held in London next June. A new Irish showcase The key guiding principles to his programming are talking strategy with a creative team,”he counsels. with Dermot O’Leary, patron of the London Irish quality, practice and production, community/social Centre, is being organised. That’s in addition to the focus and accessibility. “I’m also conscious of how You also need to love the buzz and energy of live events, courses and exhibitions held at the London we tell the Irish story in a global capital of culture.” events and unpredictable creative work to thrive in Irish centre