Platform 31 2022 – Helen Hughes
The Platform 31 scheme for 2022 has been awarded to Helen Hughes.
Platform 31 is a nationwide artist development scheme established by the 31 local authority arts offices in collaboration with the Arts Council.
The scheme provides opportunities for artists to reflect on and investigate how they might significantly develop their practice or make work in a new way, while being connected with and supported by peer practitioners, advisors and mentors.
Helen is a process based sculptural artist whose work was exhibited in the Municipal Gallery, dlr LexIcon in 2016 (Amongst Other Things). She is a graduate of Chelsea College of Art and Design, London and IADT, Dublin.
Helen was the recipient of a dlr Creative Ireland bursary in 2020 and a dlr Professional Development Bursary in 2019. Upcoming projects include solo exhibitions in the Custom House Gallery in 2022 and at the Ballina Arts Centre in 2025.
This award is funding by Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council and the Arts Council.
The inaugural recipient of platform 31, representing Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown in 2021, was Linda Quinlan.
For more information on Helen’s practice please visit: https://platform31.localartsireland.ie/2022-artists/helen-hughes
Platform 31
Local Authority Arts Offices, in collaboration with the Arts Council, present PLATFORM 31 – a national opportunity for artists to develop their practice and test new ideas of collaboration, research, audience development, place-making and sharing their work.
Designed to support and offer career development for 31 mid-career artists (one artist in each of the 31 local authorities around Ireland), there are two elements of support for participating artists in the scheme: financial and developmental. Participating artists will receive an €8,000 bursary to invest in themselves and their practice, combined with participation in an advisory and developmental framework and a peer network.
For over 35 years Local Authority Arts Offices have worked directly with artists to ensure the arts thrive in all communities. Working in a grass roots and foundational way has allowed Arts Offices to identify and to respond to the needs of artists, keeping the arts and cultural agenda focussed and relevant in changing environments.
“The bursary seeks to provide artists with the time and resources to think, test new ideas, research new approaches and to reflect and engage with their artistic practice”, said Maureen Kennelly, Arts Council Director. “The Arts Council is delighted to partner with local authorities, who are responding thoughtfully and ambitiously to the challenging environment for artists. The carefully considered support network built into Platform 31 sets this bursary scheme apart.”
The scheme will establish a peer networking framework for participating artists, introducing them to a pool of critical thinkers to share their work and learnings, and encouraging a national conversation about creating work in local contexts. The exact nature of this artist support framework will be informed by the proposals and interests of the 31 artists selected.
The award is open to artists of any discipline and practice, based in Ireland, as well as multi-disciplinary practice and design of all kinds. It is designed to support mid-career artists who must have been in receipt of support/investment from a Local Authority Arts Office or the Arts Council within the last three years.
For more information email localartsireland@gmail.com or see https://platform31.localartsireland.ie/
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