Artists in schools programme
Information on the Programme
The purpose of this Programme is to facilitate a professional artist to make a series of visits to a school in the county, working with students on a specific project. Projects can range from music / music composition, visual art, dance or drama / story telling / creative writing e.t.c. The Programme encourages exploration of ideas for both the artist and student and is within an agreed timescale. It is our aim that the children participating in this project will be left with an indelible memory of their own creative potentials as they become audience, artist and critic of a new generation.
Since its initiation in 1994, nearly 90 projects have taken place to date as part of the Artist in Schools Programme. The purpose of the Programme is to facilitate a professional artist to make a series of visits to a school in the county of Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown, working with students on a specific project.
The Programme provides both students and teachers with the opportunity to work collaboratively with an artist within a given art form. Such a residency has a dual purpose, in that it not only aims to develop the creative imagination and experience of the child, but it should also aim to upgrade the skills and creativity of the teacher. Thus allowing for the possibility of the teacher continuing the work in some way after the residency has concluded.
Teachers
Due to the collaborative nature of the programme it is vital that the teacher participates as much as possible and be present at all times during the residency. The artist’s role is creative, so it is essential that teachers are involved as instructors / supervisors in all workshops, and are present at all times. It is also an opportunity for the teacher to observe how the artist approaches the project, the materials used, methods etc. and to observe the reactions of the class, what engages them most, what parts of the projects they don’t like etc. This information can then be used by the teacher to plan further artistic projects with their class. It is also important that the artist communicates openly and honestly with the teacher deferring to his/her expertise where necessary, thereby providing the teacher with the opportunity to ask questions, discuss and learn in relation to the practice of the artist and development of the project.
Artists
The aim of the Programme is to encourage and develop interaction between artist and students, through an artistic project. The nature of this project depends entirely upon the art form. This can be music / music composition, visual art, dance or drama / story telling / creative writing e.t.c,. The artist's role is creative, not supervisory in order for the relationship to work between the teacher and artist is also important that the artist communicates openly and honestly with the teacher deferring to his/her expertise where necessary, thereby providing the teacher with the opportunity to ask questions, discuss and learn in relation to the practice of the artist and development of the project.
The nature of this project will not only depend upon the artist and art form involved but also upon the teacher and children who are participating in the programme. Therefore, where possible, the parameters, possibilities and focus of the project should be discussed at length prior to application.
Past Programmes
2006 Artists in Schools Programme
In 2006 ten schools participated in the programme working with a range of artists and artforms from the visual arts to the performance arts. Participating schools included:
Castle Park School, Dalkey; Dalkey Educate Together, Glenageary; Dominican Convent, Dún Laoghaire, Good Shepherd National School, Churchtown; Monkstown Educate Together,Monkstown; Our Lady’s Girls School, Ballinteer; Our Lady Of Good Counsel, Johnstown;Scoil Colmcille Senior, Ballybrack; Scoil Mhuire, Shankill and Scoil San Treasa, Mount Merrion.
Though each residency was unique a number of common features of the programme include opportunities for the children to work closely with the artist in making and creating their
own work, in observing and engaging with the artists own art works and processes and in visiting studios, exhibitions and performances.
This year an Artist-Teacher Forum was set up to provide a space for open discussions on the nature of the practice of arts in schools, challenges and opportunities for educators
and artists committed to the arts in schools process and exploration of models of good practice. This has been a very stimulating Forum and has advanced ideas for the sustainable development of both the Arts in School’s Programme and for policy
development in the domain of children and young people’s participation in the arts in the County. This will form part of the new Strategic Vision for the arts in the County (2007-
2010) currently being prepared.
2005 Artists in Schools Programme 
Eight schools participated in the 2005 Programme. There were two ceramics projects, Terry O'Farrell worked with 1st class students in the Good Shepherd School on a ceramic project called Movement in Action and Jackie Ball worked on a project themed around the Sea. St Johns NS 6th class worked on a sculptural project that culminated in a sitespecific artworks. There are also printmaking and papermaking project, a drawing and monoprint project and scriptwriting/film project. The schools taking part in 2005 are Good Shepherd National School, Churchtown, The Harold School, Glasthule, Jesus and Mary Primary School, Clonskeagh, Lycée Française d'Irlande, Foxrock, Our Lady Of Mercy School, Booterstown, St. Johns National School, Ballybrack, St. Kevins School, Sallynoggin, and Taney School, Dundrum. The Programme culminated in a very successful Children's Exhibition is the County Hall where schools mounted displays of the projects and students presented their projects to each other.
2004 Artists in Schools Programme
Some of the projects in 2004 combined art, drama and dance. One artist worked with students to build up self-portraits, another project was about using students own ideas and creating paintings and drawings. There was a writing and poetry project and artist Eleanor Dawson worked with pupils to create a musical 'Rhythm of the World' performance. In 2004 was the first year two students studying art in Dún Laoghaire College of Art and Design, Kill Avenue, worked with school pupils on a project to design their own school garden and play area.
Schools who participated wereHoly Family National School, Monkstown Farm: Scoil Naithi, Ballinteer: Scoil San Treasa, Mount Merrion: Our Lady's National School, Clonskeagh: Scoil Mhuire N.S., Shankill: St. Mary's Boys School, Booterstown and St. Patrick's Girls School, Foxrock Avenue.
The Artist-in-School Programme is co-funded by The Arts Office and The Arts Council of Ireland
