National Council for Curriculum & Assessment           

‘Making connections with practice’               2020     

Funders/Partners: National Council for Curriculum & Assessment partnership with the Department of Education and Skills.

Deliver: Collaborative creative encounters with preschool children in their early years setting. Following an emergent and inquiry based curriculum to produce collaborative art works.

Outcomes: Adapted project brief due to COVID 19 restrictions - Produced 2 original prints, inspired by initial encounters with children in their setting and their interests, one for instillation outdoors in the early years setting and another for the Office of the NCCA. Developed a virtual CPD for early years staff based on exploration of the art work.

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Arts Council of Ireland                       

Creative Schools Initiative                                     2018 - Present   

Funders/Partners: Arts Council in partnership with the Department of Education and Skills and the Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht. Creative Schools

Deliver: Understand schools’ level of creativity; Help them identify areas for improvement; Aid local and region collaborations; Assist budgeting and planning; Inspire, energise and drive schools forward  

Outcomes:  delivered 50+ cultural/creative encounters/projects with 30+ artists and arts organisations for c2,000 Children and young people on spend €24,000+. Sustainable practices implemented to future proof the approach.

The Hunt Museum, Limerick           

‘Play for Toddlers’ Early Years Initiative             2017 – Present

Funders/Partners: The Department of Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs under their Co-operation with Northern Ireland scheme & The Start Right Limerick Project

Deliver: Creative recourses/activities, free-play & structured, inspired by the museums’ prehistoric collections; Lesson plan; Pilot sessions/ evaluation; Docent training

Outcomes: Large age-appropriate Viking “play-scape” and puppet with accompanying interactive workshop, delivered in the museum and in outreach settings by artist and museum staff

Department of Education & Skills   ‘

What Big Eyes You’ve Got’       2017/2018

Funders/Partners: DEIS Strategy -  School Completion Programme; NUI Galway Arts Office; NUI Galway Community Knowledge Initiative; Arts in Education Portal

Deliver: 10-week early years arts programme; creative child-centred workshops based on the senses

Outcomes: Aided the child’s early learning and development; Complemented the school’s Aistear and Síolta Frameworks; fostered teacher and parent participation