Episode 1, Series II 

“The function of art is to do more than tell it like it is – it’s to imagine what is possible."                                                                                                                          bell hooks 

Artist Sarah O' Brien's rural studio is in Kinsale, Co Cork, nor far from where she lives and works. The studio is as much a part of her art as the work itself. Located in an idyllic setting, her workspace offers an elemental connection to the creative process. O'Brien describes it as a sanctuary from a busy life at her families OHK Cafe Kinsale. 

Motherhood  has also served as a significant turning point, reshaping her identity and connecting her more deeply with her practice. She openly discusses the transformation in her approach, embracing the vulnerability of bringing works from the secluded studio to public view.

To learn more about Sarah O'Brien and her work, visit her website or follow her on Instagram. Listen to discover and engage with the dynamism of her creations, a testament to the indefinable and infinite possibilities inherent in the artistic journey.

Sarah O'Brien is interviewed by Sarah Searson, Curator. The podcast was recorded in Monkstown Co Dublin and was produced recorded and edited by Sarah Searson. 

Links: 

Series Webpage 

Artists as Cultural Leaders Instagram 

Sarah O'Briens Website

Sarah O'Briens Instagram

Dr Cathy Fitzgerald is an ecological artist, creative entrepreneurial educator, and researcher with  a long interest in the potential of ecoliterate creative people in catalysing community and conversations for a more equitable, sustainable, and peaceful world. She co-developed Haumea Ecoversity, an independent online platform that has supported upskilling over 300+ mid-career creative and cultural professionals in ecoliteracy and values-based learning. Cathy is centred on the potential of the creative sectors role in promoting a significant cultural shift, to inspire communities to think and act for a better world. She is interested in sustainable livelihoods that align with ecosocial values and shares knowledge with those who  learn with her. To explore Cathy's work, visit hollywoodforest.com and HaumeaEcoversity.ie 

Kate Strain is a curator of visual arts and founder of Kunstverein Aughrim, a curatorial production office established in 2022. Kunstverein Aughrim is located on the ground floor of a town house in Aughrim, County Wicklow, Ireland, and is part of a franchise established by Kunstverein Amsterdam, with sisters in Milan, New York, and Toronto. Kunstverein Aughrim collaborates closely with artists and communities to support the production of new artwork, bringing audiences as close to the creative process as possible. Kunstverein Aughrim is supported by the Arts Council and Wicklow County Council. www.kunstverein.ie

Artists as Cultural Leaders is supported by Culture Ireland and developed by Roscommon Arts Service it takes place in February 2024. Artists as Cultural Leaders is a series of presentations, and discussions by contemporary practitioners who share visual arts skills & strategies in the evolving landscape of visual and artistic leadership. 

Listen back! How a creative practice creates moments of connection. The wonderful Jennie Moran  @hiluncheonette speaks freely and generously about her work as a cultural producer, her wonderful career in creating hospitality, exchange, and her work with organisations, and students. Jennie talks about her work in creating unconditional welcomes. She speaks about studies in gastronomy, the theory, system and philosophy of hospitality. Artists as Cultural Leaders is supported by Culture Ireland and developed by Roscommon Arts Service. In conversation with Sarah Searson, artist Jennie Moran speaks about philosophy, culture, and the infrastructure of hospitality to create opportunities for shared connection.

Artists Biography: Jennie Moran 
Jennie started a nomadic hospitality project called Luncheonette in 2013 which operated as the canteen in the National College of Art and Design in Dublin, and was named Irish Café of the year at the 2019 Food and Wine Awards. In 2022 Luncheonette was invited to Artsadmin in London, to take part in a hospitality-themed research residency and consultancy project called Say Yes to Who or What Turns Up, using an old café as a site of unconditional welcome. She has completed a Masters in Gastronomy and Food Studies at TUD and is publishing a book entitled How to Soften Corners about the impact of hospitality in institutions. She provides mentorship in holistic hospitality to creative organisations and lectures at NCAD, and occasionally UCD School of Architecture, Cork Centre for Architectural Education (UCC) and TUD. www.jenniemoran.com